NSUN news
Members Blogs
Rings a bell - John, a Scotsman living in Canada gives an inspiring account of how his experience of depression shaped him
You Can Have Any Kind of Treatment You Want, Providing it’s Our Kind - Blogger Alex Grant 'often wondered what a realistic information sheet for service users entering UK acute mental health wards might look like'
Support and sign up to 4Pi, the National Involvement Standards
Developed and produced by people with experience of mental ill health, 4Pi (which stands for principles, purpose, presence, process and impact) is a framework for the involvement of service users and carers: in our own care, in our communities, in service delivery and evaluation and in organisational governance and strategy. Over 60 orgsanisations have already adopted the standards. To find out who they are, read case studies about 4Pi in practice, and get the resource pack please visit here.
Previously shared information available online
Please visit our website to find members projects, 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.
#PIPFightback Videos images and tweets from the day of action
This action was called by DPAC, Mental Health Resistance Network and Winvisible – Women with visible and invisible disabilities who have collected videos, images and tweets by city, towns and / or region.
To view these, please visit this page.
Care Act for Carers: one year on
Is the Care Act working?
Find out how the Care Act has developed in its first year and if carers are seeing any benefits in this special report
Audio and video shared by the Hearing Voices Network
Over the past few years there has been an increasing amount of radio programmes, videos and short films on hearing voices and related issues available online. This collection includes a few of those that the Hearing Voices Network think you may find interesting or useful.
My Life Plus programme
Do you live with a long-term health condition? Does it feel like it takes over your life?
My Life Plus is a programme for residents in Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland who want to take back control over aspects of their life. Working on relationships, looking at support networks and making changes is important and will help support you in future.
For more information, please contact the team:
North East Ambulance service seeks views from the LGBT Community
If you can help please share or complete the survey
Jammin 4 Wellbeing
Does music improve your mood? Can you play a few chords or beat out a rhythm?
The Rochdale Boroughwide User Forum (RBUF) host regular music sessions open to all service users would like to improve their wellbeing through music in a supportive environment.
You're invited to come & play with people who love music. Bring an instrument if you have one. No need to book, just turn up!
Meets every Thursday from 2pm - 4pm.
To contact RBUF, please visit their website
Kindred Minds
Kindred Minds is a Black and minority ethnic social justice campaigning and peer support group for mental health service users in Southwark and neighbouring boroughs of London. Kindred Minds seek to engage with all BME mental health service users and allies to write a manifesto stating demands on what needs to change in policies and practices that impact on BME mental health. Kindred Minds want to then use this manifesto to press for concrete change.
Kindred Minds has a fortnightly Pop-In at Blackfriars Settlement in Southwark at 4pm . The Pop-In is a safe and non judgemental space for all BME service users to talk about the issues that matter to them. There is also free complimentary shoulder massage available to help you unwind! For any newcomers, please contact co facilitator Garry Ellison on 07868 399 458 first so the organisers can make sure you feel comfortable and welcome when you arrive!
Campaigning/manifesto project. Kindred Minds campaigns on issues relating to the well-being of people from BME communities who have experienced mental distress, and is involved in consultations and lobbying concerning services policy and delivery. Kindred Minds is developing a BME service user MANIFESTO which will address BME experiences and needs regarding mental health services, and wider social issues, as a tool for creating positive social change. Phone Raza on 020 7358 7279 to get involved.
Kindred Minds have a page on Facebook, where they regularly post updates. You can visit here. You can also get in touch by email
The project address is: Cambridge House, 1 Addington Square London SE5 0HF
Vulnerable children denied GP referred mental health treatment
YoungMinds Chief Executive, Sarah Brennan, says it is ‘unacceptable’ that vulnerable children are being turned away from GP-Referred mental health treatment, following a new report which shows that two-thirds of children referred by GPs for mental healthcare are being refused treatment.
Research finds that deep rooted stigma prevails in the UK
The overwhelming majority of Britons wouldn’t feel comfortable letting a person with a mental health condition look after their children or marry into their family, new research on attitudes towards mental illness has found.
Campaigning for the Future: How can we work better to secure our rights?
This report offers the views of a wide range of disabled people about present UK disability policy and how they may best work to improve it.Shaping Our Lives have facilitated two meetings to enable disabled people to discuss what they think about the findings of the report and look at ways in which disabled people can lead improvements to policy and practice as experts by experience – disabled people living and working in austerity Britain from 2012 through to mid-2015.
Research article: psychology in the age of austerity
Researchers have established the detrimental influence of austerity measures on the mental health practices. What is relatively unexplored, however, is the manner in which austerity policies and neoliberal political economy constitute a significant element of contemporary mental health practices themselves. Many commonly-implemented assessments and treatments arguably are designed to emphasize cost-effectiveness, standardization, and the authority of the clinician, and are consequently already thoroughly neoliberal. Several elements of the neoliberal basis to the ideology of the psy-disciplines are examined, along with specific examples of such ideology in use.
Read the full article here
Internet-based problem-solving guided self-help for depression whilst waiting for therapy
Summary of a trial of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of internet-based problem-solving guided self-help intervention, in comparison with enhanced usual care, for outpatients on a waiting list for face-to-face treatment for major depression.
Mental health problems can lead to 42% pay gap
Evidence collected by the Equality and Human Rights Commission has exposed stark differences between the earnings of those suffering from psychological illness and those who are not.
The watchdog’s findings have prompted claims of discrimination in the workplace against people with mental health problems.
Read the full article here
Medically unexplained symptoms national summit
Improving support for somatic symptoms disorder
Conference organised by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and Healthcare Conferences UK
- Date: 21 October
- Time: 9am - 5pm
- Venue: De Vere Venues West One 9-10 Portland Place, London W1B
- Agenda and booking: please click here (25% discount if you book before the end of August)
This event will support delegates to better understand and meet the needs of people with medically unexplained symptoms/somatic symptom disorder. Through national updates, extended sessions and practical case studies the Summit will bring together leading practitioners in this area, and focus on developing a holistic integrated service, improving the management of people in primary care, evaluating the Stepped Care Model and Learning from the National Pathfinders, developing nurse led services, commissioning services and looking ahead to the future of care for people with medically unexplained symptoms.
Guidance: social work bursary information packs
Information for higher education institutions (HEIs) and students on social work bursary arrangements.
Consultation outcome
Changing how healthcare education is funded
Part one of the government response outlines the basis of the government’s offer to nursing, midwifery and AHP students, including supplementary funding for travel, dual accommodation and childcare allowances.
The second part of the consultation response will include an updated impact assessment and equalities impact assessment and will be published in the autumn.
The consultation received about 1,750 responses.
#NSUNthrive campaign
It is 10 years since the 'Doing it for ourselves’ service user conference in Birmingham. It was at this conference in 2006 that the vision of the National Survivor User Network (NSUN) was taken forward, leading to funding in 2007 and becoming a fully independent organisation in May 2010.
We have survived! To enable us to continue to connect, communicate and influence, we need your help. Please spread the word to help raise funds to continue our work through our #NSUNthrive10 campaign. You can also raise money by shopping online with the Giving Machine