World Mental Health Day
This day is celebrated on 10th October every year and Maldon Mind always participates in events during the week around this date.
This year’s theme is Suicide Prevention and together with the Maldon Forum of NEST - the mental health service users group - and the Healthy Living Initiative, we will be having a stand in Maldon Library giving information about local services. We know that very often simple measures can help to alleviate the despair and desperation caused by isolation and not knowing where to turn.
One of these is having someone who understands to talk to - our own NERIL helpline is available from 4pm to 8am 365 days a year on 0845 0900 909.
Josie Mitchell writes-
One of the volunteers at Blackwater Task Force has been collating volunteer man (and woman!) hours for the period 1st Oct 2005 - 2006 and we were all astounded at the results:-
| BTF/ Maldon CVS |
2,004 |
| SeeTec Work Experience Volunteers |
1,665 |
Total |
3,669 |
If we had paid this as wages at April 2006 rates @ £5.05 per hour, we would have paid out £18,528.45. If we were to add National Insurance etc. to that, our volunteers have contributed over £20,000 worth of time to the Project.
I think this very valuable piece of information shows the huge thanks that we owe our volunteers!
Mind Campaigns
Last year National Mind led a successful campaign to review the Benefits that mental health patients received when in hospital long term and this led to changes in the law.
Earlier this year Mind published “Out of the Blue”, which launched its campaign about earlier intervention and better identification and access for mums with Post-Natal Depression. Maldon Mind were invited to take part in a national day conference which North Essex MH Trust organised on this topic and we were delighted to find that Kathy Lowenhoff, the lead in PND at the Trust, was using the guidance as a model for planning future services.
So our campaigns certainly do work! Watch this space.
Latest NHS Structure News
You will have seen in this Review that Maldon Mind has been waiting to hear how the national restructuring of the NHS will affect us locally, because most of our Projects are Commissioned at these levels.
There will now be three Primary Care Trusts in North Essex, but we are relieved to hear that, for at least the next year, responsibility for commissioning the mental health budget will remain with the Joint Mental Health Team for North Essex, led by Mike O’Keeffe. We know that money will be tight because of the financial problems of the PCTs but we will be working hard to consolidate our strong position as provider of responsive local services.
MALDON MIND WEBSITE
This Review and all our latest news and events is available on
www.maldon-essex-mind.org.uk
Thanks to Webmaster Brian Smith for his continued and patient help.
Stop Press
Companies House: If anyone has been using the Companies Website, we must make it clear that Maldon (Essex) Mind has not been struck off the Register. This is what is known as an “ACU” on the part of Companies House and we expect grovelling apologies to follow!
