Recovery
Recovery is a process of hope and aspiration that signals the return to mainstream life for those who have experienced mental health problems. Recovery can take place regardless of whether the individual is symptom-free or not. Hope and recovery are recognised as key parts of the care pathway. Social inclusion bridge builders work with clients on a recovery programme based on the client's own choices and aspirations.
More about Recovery and the work of Dr. Pat Deegan
Friday 21 May 2010
Wednesday 19 May 2010
Wednesday 12 May 2010
Who should take an MHFA England course?
Who should take an MHFA England course?
Anyone can benefit from Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). It is open to members of the general public. Families affected by mental health problems, teachers, health service providers, emergency workers, frontline workers who deal with the public, volunteers, human resources professionals, employers and community groups are just a few of the groups who have benefited from MHFA.
Mental Health First Aid covers a comprehensive range of common mental health conditions and their appropriate first aid interventions. The conditions covered range from psychosis to phobia, from bi-polar to anxiety, from schizophrenia to stress at work. From this point-of-view MHFA is highly intensive, detailed and excellently put together.
It is important to bear in mind that MHFA is more than mental health awareness. A good mental health awareness course may well be a good 'Level I' for those who wish to find out more about general mental health before deciding to go on to MHFA at 'Level II'.
Anyone can benefit from Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). It is open to members of the general public. Families affected by mental health problems, teachers, health service providers, emergency workers, frontline workers who deal with the public, volunteers, human resources professionals, employers and community groups are just a few of the groups who have benefited from MHFA.
Mental Health First Aid covers a comprehensive range of common mental health conditions and their appropriate first aid interventions. The conditions covered range from psychosis to phobia, from bi-polar to anxiety, from schizophrenia to stress at work. From this point-of-view MHFA is highly intensive, detailed and excellently put together.
It is important to bear in mind that MHFA is more than mental health awareness. A good mental health awareness course may well be a good 'Level I' for those who wish to find out more about general mental health before deciding to go on to MHFA at 'Level II'.
Social Inclusion Facebook Group
Social Inclusion facebook group is now up and running. It's open to anyone interested in social inclusion, mainstream living, mental health, aspiration, goals and the arts. So welcome friends!
Tuesday 4 May 2010
Talking Therapies - are they all they're cracked up to be?
Lord Victor Adebowale, Chief Executive of the charity Turning Point, calls access to psychological therapies as 'the biggest shift in mental health provision in the last 50 years'. (Big Issue April 5th 2010). Lord Victor goes on to state that IAPT (Improved Access to Psychological Therapies) 'gives a lot of people access to psychological treatment who suffer from depression and anxiety, whose relationships may have broken down or who have housing issues. It's the first intervention in that triage, and it's a path for people to get their lives back together'.
It's great that Lord Victor feels so positive about Improved Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). Turning Point as an organisation may well be equipped to help deliver therapies to more and more people in an increasingly effective way. It's also the case that psychological therapies are more readily available in some areas, through being delivered in community settings such as family centres and libraries.
However, for many people in the mental health system, particularly those diagnosed as having a 'severe and enduring' condition, psychological therapies can be exceptionally difficult to obtain. Firstly, the IAPT programme is only available to people in primary care who are under a GP. There is no eligibility for IAPT if you happen to be in secondary care or under a community mental health team. The reason for this is that people in secondary care are deemed to have therapeutic provision 'in-house' or within the professional team. If an individual is under section and hospitalised, he or she has the legal right to psychological therapies within 2 or 3 days of their request.
What happens in practice is often very different. A colleague desperate for therapy applied for it from his secondary care team (his legal right). Pushed from pillar to post, he finally received therapeutic treatment only through the intervention of the local MP. In the absence of a therapist being in post at the time, the treatment was delivered by the Head of Clinical Services.
It is great that charities like Turning Point are promoting greater access to psychological therapies. It is also great that therapies are being delivered in some locations through a slimmed-down faster process such as a well-being service. Nonetheless, if you happen to be someone with a 'severe and enduring' mental health diagnosis you will have no access to the IAPT programme. The accessible therapies under secondary care depend entirely on whether there is a suitable professional in post within your community mental health team. Despite rights enshrined in law, service users with a 'severe and enduring' condition are often denied psychological therapies.
It's great that Lord Victor feels so positive about Improved Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). Turning Point as an organisation may well be equipped to help deliver therapies to more and more people in an increasingly effective way. It's also the case that psychological therapies are more readily available in some areas, through being delivered in community settings such as family centres and libraries.
However, for many people in the mental health system, particularly those diagnosed as having a 'severe and enduring' condition, psychological therapies can be exceptionally difficult to obtain. Firstly, the IAPT programme is only available to people in primary care who are under a GP. There is no eligibility for IAPT if you happen to be in secondary care or under a community mental health team. The reason for this is that people in secondary care are deemed to have therapeutic provision 'in-house' or within the professional team. If an individual is under section and hospitalised, he or she has the legal right to psychological therapies within 2 or 3 days of their request.
What happens in practice is often very different. A colleague desperate for therapy applied for it from his secondary care team (his legal right). Pushed from pillar to post, he finally received therapeutic treatment only through the intervention of the local MP. In the absence of a therapist being in post at the time, the treatment was delivered by the Head of Clinical Services.
It is great that charities like Turning Point are promoting greater access to psychological therapies. It is also great that therapies are being delivered in some locations through a slimmed-down faster process such as a well-being service. Nonetheless, if you happen to be someone with a 'severe and enduring' mental health diagnosis you will have no access to the IAPT programme. The accessible therapies under secondary care depend entirely on whether there is a suitable professional in post within your community mental health team. Despite rights enshrined in law, service users with a 'severe and enduring' condition are often denied psychological therapies.
Monday 3 May 2010
How people with mental health conditions enrich the work environment
How people with mental health conditions enrich the work environment.
People with mental health conditions who are returning to employment or even accessing it for the first time can often make exceptional contributions to the workplace. An art tutor who understands mental illness from first-hand experience will apply non-discriminatory and more inclusive practice alongside his or her skills.
Identifying a suppressed aspiration as the cause of stress at work can lead to formidable achievement when previously hidden dreams are pursued and developed in the appropriate mainstream setting. This too creates employment or self-employment alongside increased cashflow and profits for service providers who are helping dreams to become reality.
People with mental health conditions who are returning to employment or even accessing it for the first time can often make exceptional contributions to the workplace. An art tutor who understands mental illness from first-hand experience will apply non-discriminatory and more inclusive practice alongside his or her skills.
Identifying a suppressed aspiration as the cause of stress at work can lead to formidable achievement when previously hidden dreams are pursued and developed in the appropriate mainstream setting. This too creates employment or self-employment alongside increased cashflow and profits for service providers who are helping dreams to become reality.
How businesses profit from mental health
How businesses profits from mental health.
Businesses and services are developing the understanding that informed practice around mental health benefits both service delivery and profits. Staff are happier and more productive when they know that their employers' practices and procedures do not stigmatize or discriminate against illness or experience.
Days lost to absenteeism, sickness or unproductive presenteeism decrease when employees are not anxious about being dismissed should they choose to disclose a mental health condition. The attrition of unexplained job resignations or sudden departures decreases when taboos around mental health are dismantled by enlightened policies and staff trainings.
Business and services profit from individuals who are being signposted to mainstream as part of their recovery plans. Mainstream social inclusion takes place in any outlet where a recovering individual feels he or she can prioritise a personal goal. Venues such as education and training centres, sports facilities, colleges, recording studios, voluntary organisations and arts groups are benefiting substantially and financially from motivated people accessing mainstream. Where individuals are not paying all the costs themselves, there may well be contributions from schemes such as direct payments or from built-in concessions and offers. The increased business generated by mainstream social inclusion is considerable.
Businesses and services are developing the understanding that informed practice around mental health benefits both service delivery and profits. Staff are happier and more productive when they know that their employers' practices and procedures do not stigmatize or discriminate against illness or experience.
Days lost to absenteeism, sickness or unproductive presenteeism decrease when employees are not anxious about being dismissed should they choose to disclose a mental health condition. The attrition of unexplained job resignations or sudden departures decreases when taboos around mental health are dismantled by enlightened policies and staff trainings.
Business and services profit from individuals who are being signposted to mainstream as part of their recovery plans. Mainstream social inclusion takes place in any outlet where a recovering individual feels he or she can prioritise a personal goal. Venues such as education and training centres, sports facilities, colleges, recording studios, voluntary organisations and arts groups are benefiting substantially and financially from motivated people accessing mainstream. Where individuals are not paying all the costs themselves, there may well be contributions from schemes such as direct payments or from built-in concessions and offers. The increased business generated by mainstream social inclusion is considerable.
Social Inclusion - why it makes sense for businesses
The business case for mental health awareness is evidenced by the increasing numbers of employers who are commissioning mental health awareness trainings for their workforce. Employers want trainings which enable their staff to understand more about common mental health conditions. Understanding mental health means that staff can work better with clients and customers. It also allows staff to feel less isolated about personal issues around health and well-being.
Mental health awareness provides the opportunity for employers and employees to find out more about the law as it relates to employment and mental health.
Enlightened employers will seek to develop a workforce team which is happy rather than unhappy, fulfilled rather than excluded. Courses such as MHFA (Mental Health First Aid) show that attendees often feel that one of the benefits of the training in that it allows for a safe space. A safe space where individuals can share feelings about their personal well-being in addition to learning about the broader aspects of mental health conditions and the appropriate interventions.
In addition to mental health, it makes solid sense for businesses to incorporate awareness of social inclusion and mainstream. Returning to or accessing mainstream living is now a key part of the care pathway for those diagnosed with 'severe and enduring' mental health diagnoses. It is equally important for people who may be experiencing conditions such as anxiety, phobia or stress at work.
Both groups - those in primary and secondary care - are being signposted to mainstream life rather than to special settings as a central plank of the recovery process. The implications for any service provider - and that includes businesses - are crucial. Businesses and services are at the receiving end of mainstream.
Clients in recovery are choosing to access their personal goals through a diverse range of outlets. These could range from faith venues to volunteer bureaus, from retail outlets to sports centres, from recording studios to adult education colleges, from libraries to personal counselors, from training venues to department stores.
For businesses, it's not just one in four of their staff who may be experiencing mental health challenges, it's also one in four of their clients, customers and service consumers. Mental health challenges will also have an impact on one in three families. Disclosed or undisclosed, it's clear that mental health and well-being lie at the heart of our transactions and interactions.
Sunday 2 May 2010
The Business Case for Mental Health Awareness
The Business Case for Mental Health Awareness. The economic and social cost of mental health problems in the United Kingdom is well documented. In 2002/03 the economic and social cost of mental health problems in England was £77 billion. (SCMH, 2003). The economic and social cost of mental health problems is greater than that of crime and larger than the total amount spent on all NHS and social services in the UK (HM Treasury, 2005).
Dame Carol Black's 2008 report 'Working for a Healthier Tomorrow' was a major attempt to address these concerns. Legislative review such as the 2005 amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) highlighted the need to address the massive economic and social attrition behind issues of mental ill-health. In 2005 the Confederation of British Industry was concerned enough to commission its own research. Stress, anxiety and depression accounted for a third of the 168 million working days lost in the UK for health and related reasons in 2004, translating to a cost of sickness absence of about £4.1 billion (Confederation of British Industry, 2005).
Dame Carol Black's 2008 report 'Working for a Healthier Tomorrow' was a major attempt to address these concerns. Legislative review such as the 2005 amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) highlighted the need to address the massive economic and social attrition behind issues of mental ill-health. In 2005 the Confederation of British Industry was concerned enough to commission its own research. Stress, anxiety and depression accounted for a third of the 168 million working days lost in the UK for health and related reasons in 2004, translating to a cost of sickness absence of about £4.1 billion (Confederation of British Industry, 2005).
As a result of legislation, employees have more rights and employers more responsibilities relating to the incidence of mental health in the workplace. Employees who choose to disclose a mental health condition to their employers are strongly protected by legislation and have the right to 'reasonable adjustments' that they may request their employers to make. In practice, it is still true that people with mental health diagnoses may well feel little confidence in this legislation. Nonetheless, their rights are enshrined in law. Similarly, employers have a legal responsibility not to discriminate against employees who have disclosed a mental health condition and to make any reasonable adjustments that have been requested.
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