New Date for PLUS Gathering 22 Feb 2010

Following the cancellation of the Christmas Gathering due to frozen pipes we have set a new date for Monday 22nd February at the Perth Concert Hall. The event will start with a soup and sandwich lunch at 12.30 and finish at 4pm. All PLUS members and would be members are invited. (The criteria for full membership is anyone over 16 living in P&K who has used mental health services) You are welcome to bring along a companion or carer at a cost of £5 as this event is being funded via Choose Life money specifically for service users. PLUS members are free.

St PATRICK’S Night Celebration

PLUS Entertainments committee are organising a St Patrick’s Night Music, Supper and Karaoke for Wednesday 17th March at the Kinnoull Club, Perth. The celebration of all things Irish will take place 7pm-10.30pm and Admission is £4 There will also be a grand raffle on the night. Contact PLUS for tickets 01738 626242.

CHANGE IN TRIBUNAL room due
to mh improvement academy

Mental health tribunals will be relocated to Corsie Room due to a new health improvement academy taking over Ballroom and Brown room in the main building. Having a focus on risk, the improvement academy will accommodate staff from NHS Tayside in developing this initiative. The change is due to take place this month. Plus is seeking further information on this and will update in March Newsletter.

Murray Royal Hospital
gets the green light

A decision by Perth council to grant final approval to a £95 million
NHS scheme at Murray Royal Hospital, Perth was made at the end
of January despite last-minute objections regarding the roads layout
surrounding the complex. The hospital will be transformed as part of
a two-year project which will eventually see four wards for psychiatry
of old age, two new day hospitals, three general adult psychiatry
wards providing 56 inpatient beds, a secure care day hospital and
68-bed accommodation classed as medium and low secure. The
development control committee convener, Mr Wilson, said, “This
is one of the most major and significant planning applications this
committee will ever consider. The committee also decided to allow
the demolition of a pair of listed villas in the grounds of the hospital.
The developers state the Elcho and Birnam wards are not needed but
Historic Scotland and the council’s own archaeologist wanted them
kept.
The present mental health care provision at MRH will undergo the
major redevelopment works between 2010 and 2012. There will be
about 180 new staff of whom, again, a proportion will be on site at
the same time. This increase in services provision will result in an
increase in staff, patients and visitors accessing the site on a daily
basis. A travel plan will be developed to support all users in accessing
the site during the transition phase of development as well as post
development.

PLUS Perth and Kinross Information Resource

Helplines and Support Service

Rape Crisis Scotland National Helpline
(open 6pm to 12 midnight)