No Images? Click here
 

NSUN news

Mental Health Taskforce report launched today

NHS commits to major transformation in mental health care: The NHS in England today (Monday 15 February 2016) commits to the biggest transformation of mental health care across the NHS in a generation, pledging to help more than a million extra people and investing more than a billion pounds a year by 2020/21.

It is making the move in response to the final report of an independent taskforce, chaired by the Chief Executive of Mind Paul Farmer, set up by the NHS as part of its Five Year Forward View to build consensus on how to improve services for people of all ages. Read the full press release here.

NSUN Members' Survey

Help us evaluate our work and shape next year's priorities: We are seeking the views of members and stakeholders in order to evaluate our work and plan the coming year's priorities.
Your input is really valuable as it will help us to find out what we are doing well and identify the areas that we can improve on as an organisation.
Personal comments will remain anonymous but will be combined with other responses to inform what we do now and in the future.
Your data will be stored until we have completed our annual evaluation work.

We would like to thank you in advance for giving up your time to complete this survey. It will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The deadline for responses is Friday 26th February 2016.

Member Blogs

‘I’d Rather Die Than Go Back to Hospital’: Why We Need a Non-medical Crisis House in Every Town - by Anne Cooke, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and regular contibutor to 'Mad In America'. This blog focuses on Drayton Park women’s crisis house in North London, which offers an alternative to hospital admission.


The Giving Machine

NSUN is raising money via the Giving Machine.

  • You join for free and choose NSUN as a cause to support.
  • You generate commissions by shopping online (over 1,500 retailers including Amazon, Play.com, John Lewis, eBay, Sainsbury’s and Next).
  • The Giving Machine converts your commissions into donations .  You’re raising funds for free!

Click here for the NSUN page.

Previously shared information available online

Please visit our website to find involvement opportunities, jobs and events we shared in previous e-bulletins. This includes our guides to support involvement in reducing the use of restraint in mental health settings.

 
 

Anne Beales announces retirement from Together for Mental Wellbeing

A prominent figure in the mental health service user movement and founder member of NSUN, Anne Beales has announced her intention to retire from Together's Service User Directorate, which she has been leading for the past 10 years.

In this message, Anne reflects on her work with the Directorate and speaks about her future plans.

 
 

Manchester Users Network to hold public meeting

The Manchester Users Network is to hold a Public Meeting.

Date: Thursday 25 February
Time: 1.30pm - 3.30pm  
Venue: Mechanics Centre, 103 Princess Street, Manchester M1 6DD (The John Tocher Room)

The Public Meeting will chaired by Sarah Yiannoullou from NSUN and Luciana Berger (Shadow, Mental Health Minister) and Ivan Lewis MP (considering to challenge for Mayor of Greater Manchester) will be attending between 2-3pm. Mental health services in Manchester are at breaking point, this is similar with other areas of Greater Manchester and across England. 

For more information please call 0161 492 0790, Mob 07719102380 or email

 
 

Claimants' Day Off

This free event will bring together people claiming benefits for a day of pleasure, exploration, critical thinking, creativity and solidarity.  It will be a space of respite from 'striving', 'productivity' and the stigma often attached to not being in paid work.

Date: Monday 29th February
Time: 10am - 5pm
Venue: The Hub, 5th Floor, Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE

The programme will include meditation and martial arts, poetry, theatre and relaxation, as well as opportunities to debate, reflect and contribute your own ideas and experiences. The event is free to attend and a free lunch will be provided.
Some assistance with travel costs may be available for people traveling from outside London, but please check in advance.

Find out more here.

 
 

Bobby Baker 'Letting in the Light' exhibition

The exhibition illuminates the streets of Stratford with a series of large light boxes, featuring images of paintings, drawings, digital and mixed media work by artists including Bobby Baker, Dolly Sen, Jan Arden, Phil Baird and George Harding.
Dates: Mon 25th Jan 2016 to Wed 23rd Mar 2016
Venue: Stratford Library, The Grove, East London E15 1EL

 
 

'In the Mind' season of programming on BBC1

BBC One has announced that it will dedicate two weeks of its schedule to explore [mental health] in closer detail across a range of programming from news and drama to documentaries and features.

Starting on Monday 15 February, 'In the Mind' will include stories of life and death, hope, scientific discovery and much more to help raise public awareness and understanding of issues relating to mental health.

 
 

Conversations about suicide

'Conversations about suicide' is part of a research project called 'Engaging with the other: co-constructing a learning approach to suicide in undergraduate nursing'.
This study is being carried out by Annessa Rebair as part of a Professional Doctoral qualification at the University of Northumbria.
Annessa's interest and commitment to this research comes from both a personal and professional place. The subject matter, personal material and any conversations will be treated with respect and dignity.

Annessa's project involves participation in several focus groups which will run between April and December 2016. You can download the group schedule here. There is also a letter of invitation and an information sheet.

To obtain more information, you can contact Annessa Rebair at the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Public Health and Wellbeing, Northumbria University Coach Lane Campus, Room G215, Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7XA
You can also call 0191 2156234 or email

 
 

Cognitive Remediation Therapy research

The  Centre for Affective Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, is currently recruiting participants for a study investigating a new psychological therapy for people with bipolar disorder, called Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT).

Professor Allan Young is the principal investigator. You can find further information about the study on this webpage.
The researchers believe that CRT can be a helpful intervention for people with bipolar disorder facing cognitive difficulties.

You can read more about the project in the study advert and participant information sheet.

 
 

Understanding  voices, visions and paranoia workshop

This workshop is targeted at all mental health workers, criminal justice personnel, third sector agencies and people who experience voices, visions and paranoia.

This is a 2-day workshop, to take place on 11 and 12 April at Quaker Meeting House, Champion Square, Bristol, BS2 9 DB.

Delivered jointly by Paranoia Network UK, Hearing Voices Network, Sheffield, and the Institute of Mental Health Nottingham. Facilitators:

  • Peter Bullimore, Internationally renowned voices and paranoia trainer
  • Chris Tandy, Education and Practice consultant, IMH Nottingham
 
 

New mental health venture launched

Inclusion Barnet’s services include:

BARNET GIVING - a new local giving scheme brings together Barnet's residents and community groups, local workers and their employers and delivered in partnership with Community Barnet. It aims to raise money and awareness for local causes and support them in their own fundraising efforts.
PEER SUPPORT BROKERAGE - a free, friendly, accessible and independent support planning service for disabled people aged 18 and over living in Barnet to achieve their goals. All our brokers have personal, lived experience of disability and the barriers disabled people experience on a daily basis.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE - a team run by staff who all have learning disabilities. to help people to speak up, we run Speaking Up, Parliament, Advocacy and Drop In groups and get involved in campaigns like Changing Places and the toilets at Finchley        Memorial and Barnet hospitals.
INTO SPORT - a two-year project to encourage disabled people who are not very active to try sport or physical activity and to help them to continue with exercise.   We encourage people to use existing facilities and advocate with local providers to make them more accessible. 

You can read the full story and more in the latest edition of Barnet Mental Health News

 
 

Help the UK Council for Psychotherapy make their website more user-friendly

The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) are re-developing their website and are keen to make it user-friendly, especially for people seeking support.

Louise Petre, a researcher working with UKCP's website company, is looking to interview someone over the phone, on Monday 22 February. The conversation would not last more than 15 minutes. Even though the conversation will be recorded only the researcher will use to the recording.

If you have any questions concerning this, please contact Sandra Scott, Communications Manager, UKCP on 020 7014 9973, or email

 
 

Talk for Health  programmes

These are free for Islington and Camden residents.

General Adult Programme
MIND Spa, 35 Ashley Road, N19 3AG
TASTER - Monday 15th February 2pm - 4pm
TRAINING - 4 x Friday 11pm - 5pm
February 26th, March 4th, 11th and 18th

Create your emotional wellbeing toolbox
Thursday 18th February: 6pm to 8pm
The Club Room, St Luke’s Community Centre 90 Central St, EC1V 8AJ

Booking via phone 07826 148 461 or email

 
 

West Midlands Mental Health Commission: Citizens Jury


The Commission is looking for 20 local people to meet together twice a week for 2.5 hours over 4 weeks to talk about mental health and wellbeing in the West Midlands.

The aim is to explore people’s experiences of mental health and wellbeing and start to answer the question ‘How can public services help to build wellbeing and keep people mentally well in the West Midlands?’ (Public services are the things that government provides for people living in the area). You don’t need to have special skills or knowledge. All you need is to be willing to talk about your views and opinions and listen to those of other people.

The first four sessions will be held in March and the last four will be in May. This is a paid opportunity. The closing date for applications is Friday 4th March.

You can find more  information and the online application form here.

 
 

Healthcare UK offers NSUN members and contacts a discount on forthcoming events

Healthcare UK have contacted NSUN to offer a discount on events they are planning for April and May. There is also an offer on a masterclass.

Please click here for more details about the events and the reference to provide to get a 20% discount.

 
 

London crisis care survey

Healthy London Partnership’s Mental Health Crisis Care programme is undertaking engagement with service-users and carers to further understand the experiences of people who have undergone a mental health crisis in London.  Mind have supported the programme in developing an online survey, which is focussed on the experiences of those whose crisis led to:

  • attending an Emergency Department (A&E) or
  • being detained under section 135 or 136 of the Mental Health Act by the police
 
 

DoH seeks views on what counts as 'inappropriate out of area treatment'

The Department of Health is trying to reduce the practice of sending people long distances for mental health hospital care, for treatment that you should be able to get closer to home. To do this they need to define what counts as inappropriate out of area treatment in acute mental health care. They are keen to get the views of people with lived experience, especially people who have been in hospital for acute mental health treatment, including people who have been sent out of area, and family or  friends of people who have had these experiences. Please share your views in this 5 minutes survey.

DoH announces review of junior doctors' morale, training and support

An independent review of junior doctors’ experience of their NHS training and employment will be conducted to better understand and deal with the longstanding issue of low morale.