PLUS is the local mental health service user forum covering Perth & Kinross. It is in the fifth year of existence and is staffed by one involvement officer, an Admin worker and an Information worker. The project is based at 77 Canal Street, Perth and the office is open between the hours of 9:00 am and 2:00 pm Monday, Tuesday & Thursday. Within the last year PLUS membership has increased to over 120 with a total of 12 active volunteers. We are continually seeking volunteers.

To facilitate Collective Advocacy PLUS has set up eight service user forums within Perth & Kinross. This network of groups provide an ongoing consultation resource of up to date information for service users. Views from service users are also gathered via the PLUS membership often in the form of postal questionnaires.

PLUS prioritises the improvement of all aspects of information for service users, involving service users in service provider training, promoting the recovery model and training/further education for service users. This year PLUS intends launching a Mental Health Handbook to bridge the massive information gap that service users experience, especially on discharge from hospital. An anti-stigma programme of events has been organised throughout the summer months this year in conjunction with "See Me" Scotland to combat the inequalities and prejudice experienced by service users. PLUS aspires to this philosophy in all the work it does.

PLUS is working towards becoming a constituted organisation in its own right but acknowledge the importance of stability and diversity within its working group therefore realistically may not achieve this aim for a year or two yet.

Working as a service user led group is of paramount importance to PLUS, this being the main driver of present initiatives and the way forward for future development.