THE CURRENT WORK OF MALDON (ESSEX) MIND
In 2005/2006 Maldon (Essex) Mind managed Ten Projects for the community in North Essex. (One other small Project, Priory Advocacy Scheme (PAS) is provided by an annual contract to offer mental health formal advocacy to day and hospital patients in the independent Priory Hospital at Chelmsford, including the young peoples “New Phase Unit”).
There are currently 60 staff (only 3 of these full time) and over 30 volunteers providing the services of Maldon Mind. There are three premises: the registered office at Villa 1, St Peters Hospital, which is leased from the NHS and is the administrative hub of the organisation; Blackwater Task Force, in an Essex County Council property at Knightswood, Southminster: and the BroSis Centre, a privately-leased unit in the SVT building in Heybridge. Many of our services however are provided in a range of community facilities; hospital and health facilities; and in peoples’ homes
The following is a brief description of the Projects, including their development, the geographical area covered, main funding and strategic issues.
NETWORK
The Network ‘outreach’ Project operates on Tuesday and Thursdays with three social groups using premises in the community; the Swimming Group; the Women’s group and the “Somebody Cares Club”, which was the original scheme set up in 1974 by the then Maldon Association for Mental Health. These groups are for people facing isolation and mental distress in Maldon and South Chelmsford, and they encourage friendships and mutual support. Network has paid group workers and voluntary staff who also transport the members to groups using their own cars. It is core-funded annually by North Essex Joint Mental Health Commissioning, and in 2006 a new Service Level Agreement (SLA) was signed for one year. Although in recent years topped-up on an ad hoc basis from Essex County Council Older Peoples Mental Health because of the number of older people Network helps, this year no significant contribution could be made because of the dire state of ECC Social Care budgets.
BLACKWATER TASK FORCE
This work-based Project was established in 1984 as a small daily work-based initiative for people with mental health needs and learning disabilities. Its focus is running a furniture recycling scheme and horticultural work and since moving to EEC premises at Knightswood at Southminster it has expanded its activities to include woodwork, IT training and a range of vocational skills. It is primarily for the local district but will accept appropriate referrals from elsewhere in North Essex. It has a minibus to transport members in the district and a furniture van, both provided by National Lottery funding. It has paid workers but relies on volunteers to widen the skills available. BTF is core-funded by North Essex Joint Mental Health Commissioning and ECC Social Care and in 2006 a new Service Level Agreement till December 2007 was signed. Since 2000, European Social Funds have substantially improved the financial position but these are only awarded on a 2 year basis. We currently have ESF funding for Jan 2005 – June 2007 and there is uncertainty about future funds so December 2007 will be an interesting date for us.
CRESS
Carers Relief and Support Service was established in 1985 to support the families and friends caring for people over 65 with a serious mental health illness at home, by providing much needed time off. Paid Care Assistants are trained in this specialised work, and the project has been funded as a three-year Contract with Essex Social Care Older Persons Service and North Essex Joint Mental Health Commissioning from April 2006. It serves Mid-Essex: the three districts of Maldon, Chelmsford and Braintree. The Project is accredited as a Domiciliary Care Provider with the National Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and was awarded “Excellent“ status this year.
CRESS ‘Solo’
In 2003 CRESS piloted the ‘Solo’ Project with the Maldon and South Chelmsford PCT to extend the service to older mentally ill people living alone, who are isolated and “at risk”. This has proved so successful that it was funded annually, and Witham, Braintree and Halstead Care Trust also funded a small service. Unfortunately changes in Primary Care organisations have affected money available but as this initiative has proved so valuable we trust that the new PCTs will find ways to continue to buy this scheme in the future.
MAPME
The Mind Advocacy Project for Mid-Essex has provided formal advocacy to people in hospital and in community drop-ins in Mid-Essex since 1993 and also provides a telephone contact line. The highly–committed team is comprised of four part-time advocates and a part time administrative officer, all highly trained. MAPME is core-funded by North Essex Joint Mental Health Commissioning and in 2006 a new one year SLA was signed which has meant some changes for the service. Braintree, Witham and Halstead PCT have previously granted partnership funding for “Outreach” development work and additional drop-ins, but the uncertainties around Primary Care funding in North Essex have continued to affect the outreach service for part of this year.
NERIL
This specialist mental health telephone helpline (North Essex Resource and Information Line), for Mental Health began life in 1997 as MERIL, funded by Joint Finance money for Mid-Essex. Its value was agreed by service users and Statutory services and the Project was extended across the whole of North Essex as part of the “24hr Access to Service” strategy and in 2003/04 funding was increased to extend the service to 16 hours a day, 365 days a year. The helpline operates from an anonymous location and is manned by both employed staff and volunteers, all extensively trained. NERIL is a member of the Telephones Helpline Association and gained accreditation from the Mental Health Helplines Partnership in July 2006.
NERIL operates between 4.00 pm-8.00 am 365 days a year on 0845 0900 909
WEEKENDERS
Based on the Network concept, Weekenders started in 1998 to provide social activity each week for people needing company and recreation at weekends. Serving people from Maldon and South Chelmsford, the Project is very user-led and a part-time Coordinator assists the members to plan their activities. Annually funded by North Essex Joint MH Commissioning, Weekenders suffered a reduction in overall funding in 2005/2006 and the Project was on hold for a while when the Coordinator left. Funding agreed in a new one-year Service Level Agreement in 2006/2007 meant that activities reduced to a fortnightly social and about 6 outings a year, but a new Coordinator has been appointed and activities are being planned for old and new members.
BODY, MIND & SPIRIT
Originally began in 1999 as Body & Mind a pilot project with Maldon District Council, the Project is now funded by Maldon and South Chelmsford Primary Care Trust. It seeks to promote the link between physical and mental well-being by providing a programme of monthly ‘taster’ sessions of activities available locally and enables people to join activities they find they like. It has subsidised membership of the local leisure centre and develops activities like relaxation training and courses with the PCT and WEA. Body, Mind & Spirit has continued its partnership work, with the PCT’s Healthy Living Initiative funding its activities on an annual basis. This ad hoc funding has proved cost effective in important local mental health “Promotion and Prevention” work and so is likely to continue with the new PCT.
BROSIS
The concept of BroSis first began in 1999 when a survey accessing young peoples’ attitudes and views in the local comprehensive schools highlighted the need for a project using mentoring and activities to promote emotional resilience. The initiative attracted grants from a variety of statutory and non-statutory sources and during 2002 and 2003 BroSis was able to move into a leased unit in Heybridge and open “The BroSis Centre”. The mentoring programme is now well-established and there is an after-school Drop In for young people, and several initiatives working with the local schools and other partners. Staff are all appropriately experienced and along with volunteers undergo an intensive in-house training. BroSis has been successful in receiving funding from a variety of Funding and Grant-giving bodies in its development stage and our big challenge is being able to sustain this ground-breaking initiative in the long term.
CHEERING
A telephone outreach service to befriend older people with mental health needs who are isolated at home, CheeRing began as a pilot project in Uttlesford District in West Essex in 2000. Maldon followed and continues, and then a limited scheme in Colchester. National Mind has continued to fund a ‘group telephony’ scheme enabling older people to join together in a facilitated discussion group. CheeRing is supported through the Adult Social Care Grant from ECC, traditionally topped up from a variety of sources. The annual funding and the variations in implementation between the areas have caused sustainability difficulties. We trust that the structures of the future will continue to value this service and recognise that this simple and economic scheme could be easily ‘transported’ to any area.
COMPANY AND CHARITY INFORMATION 2006
STATUS
Maldon (Essex) Mind is a Company Limited by Guarantee, no. 3072417 (England and Wales) and a Registered Charity, no. 1047965.
OBJECTIVES
“To provide a wide range of caring support for individuals with mental health needs wherever and whenever it is needed and to raise positive public awareness of mental health issues and campaign for better mental health services”
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
Maldon (Essex) Mind is governed by an Executive Board of voluntary persons, who are both Trustees of the Charity and Directors of the Company, with a Chairman and Honorary Treasurer. These persons are all elected.
SENIOR STAFF
There is a part-time Chief Officer/Company Secretary, Linda Allen; a p/t Administrative Officer, Shirley Douce; and a p/t Finance Officer, Michelle Bennett.
Myra Houlding is the Development Manager for BroSis and Project/Development Manager for Network; MAPME; NERIL; Weekenders; CheeRing; and PAS.
Josie Mitchell is the Project Manager for Blackwater Task Force.
Dawn Brooks is the Project Manager for CRESS and Solo.
Linda Allen is the Project Manager for Body, Mind & Spirit.
Chris Hall is the Project Manager for BroSis
(Please see pages 2 and 3 for Project Summaries and back page for all contact details).
FINANCIAL RESULTS
The financial statements are set out in a separate pink-paged document “Directors Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2006”. These comply with the current statutory requirements and the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) laid down by the Charity Commission.
QUALITY STANDARDS
As part of the new Affiliation agreement with National Mind, Maldon Mind undertook its firstMind Quality Management StandardsReview (equivalent to other nationally recognised Quality Standards such as PQASSO) between January and October 2004and was awarded level A in 2005. This is part of an ongoing process. In 2006, after nearly a year of accreditation process, NERIL gained membership of the national Mental Health Helplines Partnership, the most coveted award for MH helplines in the country. As a domiciliary care provider, CRESS is inspected and accredited by the national Care Standards Inspectorate (CSIP). In 2006 the unannounced visit process awarded the service the highest possible accreditation - an “excellent” standard.
ACTIVITY AND OUTCOMES FOR THE YEAR AND FUTURE STRATEGY
During 2005/2006 we have continued to be affected by uncertainty about the new NHS structures and future patterns of commissioning, but have made great strides in resolving new Service Level Agreements (SLA); in continuing to improve our quality standards; and in consolidating partnerships with other voluntary and statutory providers.
Unfortunately due to the changes, most of the SLAs continue to be for one year, but these are good models and put us in a sound position to respond when longer term arrangements can be made. The poor financial position of Primary Care organisations and Essex County Council has also affected some of our Projects by reductions and delays and it is expected that these problems will not be resolved in the coming year.
Our ongoing concern is Financial Sustainability in the long term and although we have made some progress we still need to establish more security of funding for the general charity and our supporting structure; to maintain safe reserves; and to diversify sources of funding.
We continue in our aim to seek to improve ways of strengthening the involvement of service users in decision making and the way in which the services are run, and to improve public support in the local community.
