News New Mental Health Support Services & Opportunity to Share Your Views

Yesterday (10th Oct) saw World Mental Health Day being widely recognised more than ever before. Locally, a charity called 'Response' has begun working on behalf of AWP and BaNES Swindon and Wiltshire CCG to complete a project over the next year.

The projects will be identifying opportunities to improve mental health support services and support the workaround hospital admission avoidance and facilitating early discharge. Information about their project and how you can get involved are outlined below:

There are three strands:

1. We are conducting a service review to identify opportunities to strengthen mental health support services. We are now gathering feedback from service providers, health and social care partners, third sector organisations and people with lived experience of mental health challenges and their carers.

Please complete a short online survey (open for 3 more weeks only!) by clicking here if you are:

• Over the age of 16 and have experience of mental health support services in BSW

• Are a member of staff working in or with mental health support services

• Are a carer, friend, family member or supporter of someone who has used mental health support services. All replies will be anonymised and confidential

We are also holding one to one interviews with individual people and focus groups. Please contact us using the details below if you (or a group) would prefer to share information in this way or need any further information or support to share your views.

1. Housing and Community Support Workers are now working within the acute in-patient ward teams in Salisbury, Swindon and Devizes. They are supporting patients with housing issues and access to community support services, ready for when they are discharged from hospital. St Mungo’s have a Move On Worker who delivers a similar service in BaNES.

2. A mental health support service called the Mental Wealth Academy is now available for young people aged 16-25 with mild to moderate mental health and well-being difficulties that live in BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire. Young people can refer themselves or be referred if they have given consent by a parent/ carer or someone working with them. Referrals can be made by clicking here.

For further information:

Please visit our website or email liane.low@response.org.uk