East Kent User Forum Christmas Newsletter published

The East Kent User Forum Christmas Newsletter has been published and can be accessed or downloaded here. This is a great media-rich document with lots of photos, images and articles, consequently it's quite  large (4.4mb) so it might take a while to appear.

Richmond Fellowship program, December

The Richmond Fellowship have published their day service program of events in Thanet for December,  their December Newsletter, and a useful one page overview, the Christmas Calendar of Events.

Don't forget this Thursday December 2nd from 2pm - 4pm there is a Special Thanet Day Service meeting, at

St Johns Church Community Centre
Victoria Road
Margate

This meeting is open to all their service users to come together to discuss recent government changes to local services and the financial benefits system and look at how the Thanet Day Service can possibly support or advise. Refreshments provided. Notes will be written down and can be made available afterwards to those who can’t attend, just ask Morag or Jo for copies. For more details contact the service 01843 280022

See the flyer here.

Live It Well summary published

A summary of the final version of the Live It Well strategy for improving the mental health and mental wellbeing of people in Kent and Medway has been published, and you can read or download it here.

How health walks transform lives

An article in The Guardian discusses the benefits of "health walks." Groups were established by professionals and are now self-supporting. Walkers are convinced that, in addition to the obvious physical benefits, their morale and mental health is lifted.

Want some support and advice on benefits and making the most of your money?

A special Thanet Day Service meeting will be held on the 2nd December 2-4pm at

St Johns Church Community Centre,
Victoria Road,
Margate

This meeting is open to all mental health service users who would like some support and advice on the possible changes to welfare benefits and making the most of your money.

Space may be limited – if you would like to come could you please phone the service to book your seat 01843 280022

More details in this flyer.

East Kent User Forum Autumn Newsletter published

The East Kent User Forum Autumn Newsletter has been published can can be accessed or downloaded here. This is a great media-rich document with lots of photos, images and articles, consequently it's quite a large (8mb) so it might take a while to appear.

Regulator says it will drive improvements for mental health patients

The Care Quality Commission today (27 October) highlighted areas of poor practice in mental health services for patients who are subject to the Mental Health Act, and pledged to use its regulatory powers to lever improvement.

Publishing its first annual report on the use of the Act, CQC said its findings raised important concerns about how some care providers, in both the NHS and private sector, were adhering to the principles of the Act and its Code of Practice.

The commission identified three priority areas where services needed to do much better:

• involving patients in decisions about their care and treatment;
• assessing and recording patients’ consent to treatment;
• minimising restrictions on patients and avoiding ‘blanket’ security measures.

Read the full press release or download the full report.

Call for research volunteers - aged over 65

Are you over 65? Would you be prepared to be interviewed for an important study of older people’s health and wellbeing?

The East Kent User Forum is helping the Royal College of Psychiatrists to develop a standardised interview, which could be used by mental health practitioners and researchers to more effectively assess mental health disorders in the elderly. The interview will be used in a major European survey of people aged between 65 and 84 in six countries, including the UK. Before starting the main survey, the interview we’ve developed needs to be tried out with a small number of people to see how well it works, find out if there are any problems with it, and get feedback about how it can be improved.

The interview will last a couple of hours and would take place in your own home at a time convenient to you. If you are interested in being interviewed, please contact Maggie Gallant on 01843 230726 who will be able to tell you more about it. Thank you.

Working with Transgender people to improve health and wellbeing

You are warmly invited to an evening of discussion and social networking in a confidential and respectful space. The aim of this event is to engage transgender people further in helping to improve key areas such as access to support and information, getting help with substance misuse concerns and enabling  staff to deliver better services through improved awareness and training.

Refreshments and a buffet meal will be provided on arrival.

Please come along and get involved – your views matter!

Monday 13th December 2010 5.45pm – 8.30pm  at

Music for Change
Chaucer Technology School
Spring Lane
Canterbury, CT1 1SU.
www.musicforchange.org

To register: contact Deana Cook
To discuss: please call Sheree Bell 07949 037 347

See the flyer here.

East Kent User Forum activities in Thanet

The East Kent User Forum offer many varied opportunities and activities in Thanet.

To begin with they have published their comprehensive list of ongoing befriending activites for November - between two and five happenings every weekday! See the full table here.

In addition see the flyers for the following:

• Singing Group
• Lunch Club
• Breakfast Club
• Art Group
• Book Club
• Christmas Crooners at the Granville Theatre

The Umbrella Art Exhibition - "Piece of Mind"

The Umbrella Centre of Herne Bay are holding an Art Exhibition "Piece of Mind" at

The Bay Art Gallery
William Street
Herne Bay

Official opening is on Tuesday 9th November at 10am.

The exhibition is open from Tuesday 9th to Saturday 13th November, 10am-4pm.
Please come and support  local talent.

See the flyer here.

Richmond Fellowship program

The Richmond Fellowship have published their day service program of events in Thanet for November, and also their November Newsletter.

On Thursday December 2nd from 2pm - 4pm there is a Special Thanet Day Service meeting, at

St Johns Church Community Centre
Victoria Road
Margate

This meeting is open to all their service users to come together to discuss recent government changes to local services and the financial benefits system and look at how the Thanet Day Service can possibly support or advise. Refreshments provided. Notes will be written down and can be made available afterwards to those who can’t attend, just ask Morag or Jo for copies. For more details contact the service 01843 280022

Singing for Wellbeing

The main focus of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre is researching the potential value of active participation in group singing for wellbeing and health. In September 2009 they established the East Kent Singing for Health project, which culminated in a public performance at the Granville Theatre in Ramsgate in June 2010, clips of which are shown in this wonderfully informative and inspiring short film about the project.

The Centre has undertaken an evaluation of the project during the first year and shown substantial positive benefits for mental wellbeing among participants. The project re-started in October 2010 for a second year and further performances are planned. Learn more about this exciting project from the website or via email.