Mgzn

NAViGO, a community interest company formed by service users and carers in partnership with mental health workers, has take over the running of all mental health services in northeast Lincolnshire. This article investigates this innovative example of service user and carer involvement in designing and delivering mental health services. The introduction of RESPECT training, which trains mental health workers to defuse difficult situations without using control and restraint techniques, is also discussed.

Health workers in Barnsley have found that training can help counter tokenism in user and carer involvement in the planning and delivering of services. Looks at the training course delivered to service users and carers which included: developing participants' skills in writing and evaluating standards; and de-mystifying jargon.

A creative initiative to address the isolation felt by many carers in South Wales is described. The initiative involved keeping a personal journal of original art work, poetry and thoughts.

The author describes how his Private Member's Bill aims to give the UK's seven million carers the opportunity to learn and to develop a life beyond their caring responsibilities.

EU and national policies for long-term care acknowledge the role of informal carers. However, there is still little adequate support to prepare or ease informal carers in terms of training to allow them improve their skills, alleviate psychosocial stress and maintain their own health and well-being.

When people with learning disabilities have care duties thrust upon them they can become isolated and stressed. The author looks at how they can be better supported. [Journal abstract]

The UK children's commissioners met with 50 children who offered their questions about policy & personal experiences to be answered by the panel. Youths from organizations including the Liverpool Dyslexia Project & Barnardo's Action with Young Carers looked to the panel for more inclusion & further action to benefit their causes. 

The author, a community mental health nurse, describes the setting up of a dementia cafe in a rural area. Some of the aims and objectives of the cafe were to provide social opportunities for those living with dementia and their carers; provide activities to stimulate memories of those living with dementia; provide an opportunity for carers to share problems. Challenges and future changes are also discussed.

Supervised community treatment, to be introduced under the new Mental Health Act 2007, is intended to help revolving door patients stay out of hospital by requiring them to accept treatment in the community. This article highlights fears that this may increase the burden on carers.  Carers will not be involved in the decision behind giving a treatment order and may not understand what support is available to them.

The author had a shock when she visited her mother in India and discovered the realities of caring for a person with mental health problems. Here she describes the difficulties that many carers cope with on a daily basis.