Plus Perth & Kinross

PLUS is a mental health service user led project funded by NHS Scotland to:-

• Empower service users toward active involvement in their individual care and recovery
• Provide the service user view for the development and improvement of mental health services
• Raise awareness of mental health issues in the community and challenge stigma
• Ensure that accurate and clear information is made widely available
• Provide and access training to support individuals in becoming actively involved

Most importantly protecting the civil rights of service users through ensuring that their voices are heard - collective advocacy.

Over thirty PLUS members attended a gathering in the Perth Concert Hall on April 14th. The event was the first of four meetings funded by a recent award from The Scottish Health Council to encourage involvement and citizenship for people who have experienced mental illness: other objectives include promoting recovery through peer example and increasing self esteem and wellbeing in a climate of mutual understanding and trust. Following lunch The PLUS members heard about a series of confidence workshops beginning in May and watched a DVD-A Voice to Trust: staff from Churches Action for the Homeless and Independent Advocacy provided information and answered questions in an informal and friendly manner to facilitate this. For the latter part of the afternoon the audience were inspired by a former PLUS volunteer’s “Journey of Rediscovery” and a subsequent social enterprise, which the individual is now working on. Susan Scott involvement worker at PLUS said; “Many people are isolated or left in limbo following mental illness. These ‘get- togethers’ offer individuals the chance to socialise and gather information which can open doors in providing opportunities for the future. You know it takes a lot of courage for some people just to get through the door so we try hard to make things as accessible as possible” The funding runs until October when PLUS will submit a report to the SHC on the benefits of the initiative. It is hoped that the meetings will be continued following this.

PLUS staff and volunteers had an ‘away day’ to support Breathing Space Day on 1st Feb. We felt it would be beneficial for our own wellbeing whilst at the same time raise the profile of this important date. A request to Cameron Motors for loan of a people carrier came up trumps and arrangements were made for a trip to the country followed by lunch at the Walled Garden and ten pin bowling.

MURRAY ROYAL NEW DEVELOPMENT

‘BIDDERS’ DAY 24TH OCTOBER 2007

PLUS recently presented feedback from service users to around 100 potential architects, builders etc. for the 'new' MRH at a meeting in the Hangar, Scone Aerodrome. In summing up Susan Scott left the bidders with this message;

"The main thing that people say they want from services is to recapture common human decency and respect for individuals. For planners to design around what they themselves and their families would need. Let's move away from the machines that provide healthcare. Make our hospitals hospitable places once more... Make our hospital a place for people." The full presentation can be viewed here, and a copy of the speech one of our volunteers gave here.

The Website for the development project is located at http://www.mhdproject.scot.nhs.uk/ and contains up to date news on the project along with records of the various meetings and consultations held so far.

Next meetings with planners on Tues 25th March. Contact PLUS if you would like to be involved with this or any of the forthcoming meetings. As always your feedback has been, and will continue to be vital in this - Thanks.

PLUS MEMBERS AFTERNOON -Thursday 6th December

As some of you will know PLUS is working towards becoming an independent organisation with our own constitution by April 2008 - at the moment we are affiliated to PAMH and are viewed as a steering group for user involvement.
A working group comprising 2 PLUS volunteers, 2 staff and 1 HR consultant to PLUS has been meeting for the past 6 months to undertake the process. Various individuals  are 'brought in' when their specific expertise is required. Lorna MCCurroch, PLUS monitoring officer is also involved.

Forty members of Plus met in the Norrie Miller Suite, Perth Concert Hall in the run up to Christmas. The afternoon event was planned to offer our newest members the chance to socialise with some ‘veteran’ volunteers, get first hand information on PLUS and other initiatives, hear personal accounts of individuals’ journeys of recovery and get an update on the forthcoming PLUS independence.
It was hoped people would be encouraged and motivated to become more involved with the organisation as a result of the ‘get together’.

Listed is some of the feedback following the event:

“I enjoyed getting to meet new people who have shared similar experiences as well as see other friends”

“I quite enjoyed the afternoon, it was my first. I would like to come back again.

“ I could have used some coffee earlier during the lunch and some decaffeinated coffee during the break”

“I felt that the talks from service users were very useful e.g. the way that one’s recovery could be helped by having an interest in Art”.

Mental Health Week, 7th-14th October 2007

The theme of this years Mental Wellbeing Week was "Mental Health and Friendship" and included art exhibitions in Perth Concert Hall and Birnam Institute, display stands in Perth St Johns Centre, and "Friendship Walks" around Perth & Kinross. Comedienne Karen Dunbar launched the event in Perth and Provost John Hulbert is seen here at the opening of the 'One Leaf - One Link' tree sculpture exhibition at the Horsecross Concert Hall. Click here to see some pictures of the weeks events

PLUS Independence

PLUS Volunteers and staff have formed a working group to move towards independence. This has always been a long-term aim of the organisation. A substantial amount of hard work, and fact finding will be involved in moving the process along. During the first stages members of the group will visit and benchmark other initiatives; a trip to the Highland User Group, Inverness, is planned for June.

Replacing the PLUS steering group, a Perth and Kinross wide service user forum will feed into the process and take on the role of informing future PLUS work and developments. If you are interested in contributing to a service user group which meets on a regular basis, or receiving news on our move towards independence, please contact us.

The latest issue of the PLUS newsletter is now out, please click here to read it.

PLUS Volunteer Lorraine has just returned from India where she was teaching English to orphaned children. Whilst there she took the opportunity to meet with psychiatrist Dr Bannerjee who heads the National Institute of Behavioural Sciences. Click here to read Lorraine's impressions of Dr Bannerjees's organisation.

Launch of PLUS recovery DVD

Around 80 people attended the launch of the PLUS DVD, Recovery, a journey of hope on 26 th April.

Pictured are: Simon Bradstreet director of SRN, Lorraine Nicholson who appeared on the DVD and Susan Scott involvement worker at PLUS.

The aim of the event was to raise awareness of recovery within the Local community and to encourage the public/private sector to utilise the DVD resource within training programmes.

In the coming weeks PLUS intends working with interested parties such as the police and local business in moving recovery forward as an issue for everyone.

Photo of PLUS volunteers who assisted at the launch.