Hello Everyone

I hope you enjoyed the last edition of Mental Health Matters magazine. The staff team and Issues Group members have been busy as usual over the summer.

The June Members’ Meeting included follow up on the article on Psychology Services provided by Dr Gary Tanner in the last issue. Dr Fiona Wright presented and there was discussion around the tables on the way forward with psychology services. Feedback from those who participated on the day has been forwarded to the appropriate managers and as a result focus groups are planned to discuss the issues raised, so watch this space.

We heard inspiring personal recovery stories from two women who have been supported by LAMH World of Work. Lanarkshire Links is host to the Lanarkshire Recovery Network and See Me Partnership and as part of my role within this I have been honoured to support one of the women to tell her story to camera and with Gerald’s expertise we will have this available to view on ‘Lanarkshire Links’ and ‘elament’ websites in the near future.

Kaye McGregor, Adult Protection Co-ordinator for North Lanarkshire Adult Protection Committee spoke to the members about Financial Harm. An article on Financial and Property Harm by Alistair Walker Adult Support and Protection Co-ordinator Council is included in this issue for those of you who were unable to attend.

I am pleased to report that we retuned a full committee at the Annual General Meeting on 24th September 2014 and I look forward to working with the committee throughout the incoming year. At the AGM we also hosted the launch of these years’ Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival and you can see details in Catherine’s article on page 19.

As always I would encourage you to come along to your local mental health issues group and attend the quarterly member’s meetings. Only through dialogue with the service providers can you influence health and social care service provision.

Your Staff Team: Liz MacWhinney - Manager, Editor Sheena Hamilton - Development Manager, Avril Cutller - LRN & ‘See Me’ Development Worker, Catherine Reynolds - Administrator, Gerald Szafranek - Admin Assistant, Magazine Design John Dalziel - PSW Airbles Road & Coathill, Len Northfield - PSW , Lanarkshire Links, Rooms 3.5 & 3.6, Neil Timoney - PSW Monklands, 7 Scott Street, Motherwell, ML1 1PN Louise Holland - PSW Hairmyres, Vacancy - PSW Udston. Telephone: 01698 265232 Derek York - NHS Lanarkshire - Cover Design Email: [email protected]

Lanarkshire Links Christmas Members Meeting 10th December 2014 Alona Hotel Strathclyde Country Park 10.30 - 2.00pm

The summer Members Meeting was held on the 18th June 2014 at the Alona Hotel, Strathclyde Country Park.

Dr Fiona Wright, Clinical Psychologist, talked to the members about available Psychological Therapies Teams in Lanarkshire, and then the Members participated in a table top discussion on the way forward.

The issue of Financial Harm was then addressed in a presentation by Kaye MacGregor, Adult Support and Protection Co-ordinator.

Leslie Reid of World of Work then introduced Linda Braceland and Jacqueline Weir, who shared their Recovery stories and the important part World of Work played in supporting them on their Recovery journey .

All three presentations were warmly received by everyone in attendance. Members also had the opportunity to use a Social Media Booth from CJC Media, which included taking pictures and answering some questions.

Lanarkshire Links responded to a request from the SLC Choose Life Steering Group to showcase the CJC Media Booth to partnership organisations at Lanarkshire Link’s members’ meeting in June. CJC specialise in promoting socially responsible messages on behalf of The , NHS and other government agencies, in the past these campaigns have addressed issues such as mental health, depression and suicide. These campaigns have relied on our ability to get the message in front of the desired audience in the correct environment. Costs vary but CJC will work alongside interested parties to work within their budgets to find a solution, we are always happy to negotiate for block bookings to provide economies of scale when possible.

We asked the members the following questions:

Did you enjoy the meeting? Have you introduced a new member to Lanarkshire Links? Have you heard of Well Connected?

It was a fun experience and the Members were able to take their pictures away with them as a memento of the day.

Article by Catherine Reynolds.

Linked to involvement in shaping a new South Lanarkshire Council Mental Health and Well Being policy, our Unison Branch initiated a highly successful SafeTalk Suicide Awareness Event in January this year.

The training session was run across two sessions and delivered by the Richmond Fellowship Scotland with content designed to assist those members dealing with members of the public at low ebb and sharing suicidal thoughts. The “TALK” model presented provided a consistent way to recognise “invitations to help” and deal with communication and dialogue that would assist the person concerned remain safe and connect with appropriate support services in the community.

A wide audience responded to the opportunity for this training with South Lanarkshire Council members working in delivering front line services such as welfare advice as well as external agencies including Unison Branches such as NHS and SDS all well represented. Lynda Lammin-Simpson, Regional Development Leaning and Development Manager with The Richmond Fellowship Scotland who in collaboration with Unison Branch Officers helped make the event happen was delighted with the range of agencies represented on the day - “In January we were privileged to be asked to deliver safeTALK to groups of Union delegates. Raising awareness of the prevalence of suicidal thoughts can be one of the best ways to help people stay alive, so having a range of people trained in these skills really makes a difference. This is a tough subject, but suicide is everyone’s business”

Helen Duddy, Education Officer from Unison Health Branch said that NHS attendees had “gained a good understanding and came away from the course feeling more informed”. Local Citizens Advice Bureau’s also had representatives at the afternoon event. Marion Hamilton from the Clydesdale CAB was enthusiastic about the confidence building involved “Felt it gave me a better understanding of how some people are thinking, feeling and dealing with circumstances.... It was also good to mix with other agencies whom are dealing with people in different situations”

Feedback from South Lanarkshire Council front line staff collated with support from South Lanarkshire Council Corporate Personnel reflected the positive impact this training has made:

“Incredibly helpful and will make a definite impact on my work“

“Very good training-wish I done this years ago”

“I would strongly recommend this activity to colleagues”

“I was feeling anxious about asking service users such direct questions. I now feel confident about working with these principals. Thanks”

The partnership model behind the training session is being taken forward by Unison and replicated through a number of follow up Branch awareness sessions and equalities events planned for later this year. Stephen Smellie Branch Secretary said that the “Event represents again how protecting our vulnerable members during difficult economic circumstances remains a core focus of Branch activity. I’m grateful for the support and help of all the local partners involved in making this event happen”.

You can access safeTALK Training here: www.elament.org.uk/training/safetalk-training.aspx

The Lanarkshire Blood Borne Viruses Network have now launched their new HIV and Hepatitis website www.LanarkshireHIVandHepatitis.org. The launch of the website on 23rd June 2014 will support on-going work across Lanarkshire on BBV prevention, testing, treatment and care and will also add to the many awareness raising activities that are part of World Hepatitis Day (28th July 2014) and World AIDS Day (1st December 2014). The website will provide information on all three Blood Borne Viruses – HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C for the general public, professionals and people affected by HIV or Hepatitis and will also include information on local and national services.

A key element of the website will be the ability to access online learning modules for people with all knowledge levels on HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Information, resources, news and events will also provide the platform for people to be informed of training and education opportunities and to hear about the many different areas of work and projects across Lanarkshire that aim to prevent, educate and support those affected by a blood borne virus.

To find out more about the work of the Lanarkshire BBV Network please contact Trish Tougher, BBV Network Manager on 01698 858229 or email [email protected]

Adult Mental Health Services Social Work staff employed within Community Teams across South Lanarkshire and Network in East Kilbride, aim to provide the best possible services.

The views of those referred to the service are sought in a variety of ways; postal survey, focus groups and consultation events. Of equal importance are the views of service users and carers which are regularly gathered during 1:1 contact.

Your views are important in helping to improve the services we provide and we would like to thank all who have contributed.

We looked for feedback on:

 The standard of service provided

 How useful the information offered was

The following gives an overview of customer responses to our consultation Of those who responded to the postal The respondents were asked:

survey:  Were you treated in a respectful and courteous manner? Yes – 98%  31% were informal users of the services  Was the purpose of the contact clearly  69% were formal users of the services explained to you? Yes – 91%  Did you feel involved in planning and agreeing the services provided?  65% were service users Yes - 95%  30% were carers  Do you know how to contact the service if you have a problem? Yes – 95%  5% were both service users and carers  Do you know how to access a copy of your Assessment and Care Plan  46% were male Yes – 77%  What impact did the services provided  54% were female by Adult Mental Health Services have on your quality of life?

 1% were aged under 24 years Major/medium impact – 83%

 18% were aged 25 – 44 years For this question people where also invited to add their own comments. A high percentage  24% were aged 45 – 54 years of comments received where extremely  49% were aged 55+ years Complimentary and positive.

 Were you offered a carer’s assessment? Yes – 44%

 Would you rate the quality of the services you received overall as good? Yes - 100% What are we doing with the findings? The information you provided us with proved very helpful. One area we believe we can continue to improve on is ensuring that you receive information particularly in relation to your assessment paperwork.

Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health have had a busy year. As Sainsburys Charity of the year, it is fitting that as the year comes to an end, the charity has moved to new shop premises which it has purchased at 17 Cadzow Street, Hamilton ML3 6EE.

The official launch was on Friday 5th September 2014. I went along for a sneak preview on 28th August 2014 and met up with Hugh Cairns Manger and the volunteers working on the day. I was very impressed with the premises, the use of space and the systems in place for recycling donations. More importantly the volunteers were relaxed and confident in the work they were doing.

There are currently twenty eight volunteers working in the charity shop recycling clothes, books, CDs and bric-a-brac. Five volunteers have completed Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) training enabling the Charity to recycle small electrical goods.

Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health (LAMH) is a registered charity and provider of a range of services to people with mental health problems. It is committed to developing and providing quality support services in partnership with people who experience mental health difficulties, their carers and other agencies. They provide training to businesses around mental health awareness information and how to support employees with mental health issues. As an organisation they are also keen to embrace the new opportunities Self-directed Support brings and welcome contact from anyone regarding this subject.

A new Info Line is also set to take off providing information on mental health and wellbeing to people on the telephone between 10am – 2pm Monday – Friday and local Bus Company JMB Travel have agreed to carry posters in their busses to promote the Info Line.

The World of Work staff team are now also based here providing support to mental health service users to develop their skills through voluntary work, training or education. You will be encouraged to explore your personal employment options and set realistic goals and put in place a plan to achieve them at a pace which will be suitable to you. You can ask your health or social work professional to refer you to World of Work. Alternatively you can contact the team on the telephone and they will arrange to meet with you to chat about how best to support you. Ed.

Head Office, 10 - 14 King Street, Wishaw, ML2 8BS Telephone: 01698 351615 or Email: [email protected]

Both North and South Lanarkshire Council’s Adult Support and Protection Committee’s, have been proactive over the last year, in addressing and highlighting the issue of Financial Harm.

Financial Harm was one of the five National Priorities set out by the Scottish Government for 2013/14, for practitioners and other attached stakeholders involved in Adult Support and Protection to tackle.

Background

Financial harm involves a complex set of circumstances and to tackle it effectively requires robust partnership working. The impact of financial harm on its victims relates not only to loss of income or property, but to also to their health and general well-being.

Research and evidence based practice has shown that the impact of financial harm should not be underestimated. Victims of financial harm can:

 Suffer as much as those who are victims of violent crime  Experience distress and betrayal when financial exploitation is perpetrated by a person they trust.

Crimes targeting people thought to be more vulnerable are committed by a wide range of perpetrators in a variety of situations. Sometimes people are deliberately and systematically targeted. Sometimes the offence is more opportunistic, but still made easier to commit by the vulnerability of the person. There are typically recurring circumstances, and some less expected instances. For instance, carers in a care home or in people’s own homes may misuse bank cards and personal identification numbers (PIN’s) with which they have been trusted. Or they might simply rifle through people’s furniture and belongings to find cash. Cheques also might be forged.

Sometimes it is people’s families who misuse their position to steal money, through theft, fraud or forgery. And professionals, too, in positions of trust in relation to those people who are vulnerable, are sometimes implicated in these offences. This includes, for instance, accountants, solicitors, social and health care workers, bank staff, police officers, and even church ministers.

It is recognised that not only do people lose money and property; they are very unlikely to get their money and property back, and it is also very unlikely there will be any legal redress in the form of a perpetrator being subject to criminal prosecution.

But as well as criminal prosecution, there are also a range of civil legal options that can be pursued by the adult, or by someone acting on behalf of the adult to seek redress.

The document ‘Adult Support and Protection – Financial and Property Harm’ which has been produced jointly by North and South Lanarkshire Adult Support and Protection Committees, provides an account of the various types of criminal activity that can be identified when someone is subjected to financial harm. The document also provides an account of the range of civil legal remedies and outlines the range of organisations that have duty or role to respond. This includes the Police, the Council (Social Work Services and Trading Standards), and the Office of the Public Guardian.

The adult can also seek the services of a solicitor to pursue action on their behalf. Between these organisations, a range of criminal and civil options are available. As indicated within The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, the most effective way to support someone who is seeking to pursue the return of monies and legal redress is for all agencies to work together to identify what options are available.

Access to the document ‘Adult Support and Protection – Finance and Property Harm’ as well as other relevant guidance and support materials relating to financial harm can be accessed via the respective Adult Support and Protection Committee’s websites at:

 www.adultprotectionsouthlanarkshire.org.uk  www.adultprotectionnorthlanarkshire.org.uk

Statutory Responsibilities

Statutory bodies have a duty to report their concerns if they ‘know or believe’ that an adult may be ‘an adult at risk’. Staff should follow their organisational adult protection procedures. It is recognised that, at times, the ‘duty to report’ may pose a dilemma for staff who may feel that by so doing this could alienate the individual and/ or the family and the potential for preventative work. To do nothing or to promise confidentiality and then report the concern is not acceptable. The recommended procedure is to openly and honestly discuss with the individual and /or family the intention to report the information given and to advise them of the possible consequences.

Whose Money is it anyway?

Recently the North and South Lanarkshire Adult Protection Committee’s jointly hosted a seminar on Financial Harm. The seminar aimed to:  explain what ‘financial harm’ means  identify how people can recognise when someone is being financially harmed, and encourage either the adult, or someone they know, to take action to seek to put a stop to the financial exploitation – the sooner the better. The seminar also took the opportunity to identify the available options that can be pursued in such situations.

Representatives from community groups, voluntary organisations and support services, attended the event. It is envisaged that those attending will take information on financial harm back to their groups and organisations and in this way contribute to raising awareness.

Jim Cameron the Independent Chair of South Lanarkshire Adult Protection Committee, provided information on the work undertaken to date in seeking to support organisations involved in responding to financial harm. As previously indicated, there is a wide range of organisations with responsibilities, including police, local authorities, Office of the Public Guardian, The Care Inspectorate, service providers and financial institutions.

Kaye MacGregor the Adult Protection Co-ordiantor for North Lanarkshire Adult Protection Committee, spoke about research available on financial harm, and referenced two particular documents.

 2011, November Assessment; Financial crime against vulnerable adults SCIE Adult Services Report 49 – http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report49/asp

 2011, December Short Changed: Protecting people with dementia from financial abuse Alzheimer’s Society – http://www.alzeimers.org.uk/shorchanged

Kaye highlighted the devastating impact on being the subject of financial harm can have. Whilst the amount of financial loss can vary, a small amount of money taken regularly can impact on an adult’s ability to buy food and pay bills. As well as the financial loss however, the adult may blame themselves for the situation. They can feel ashamed, embarrassed, frightened – all of which may prevent the person speaking out about the situation. That is why others need to be aware of the possibility of such situations, and seek support.

It is also known that once someone is the victim of financial harm, they will be vulnerable to further exploitation. The overall impact can be that the adult will lose confidence in their ability to live in their own home safely and that the outcome may be an admission to a care home long before that would be necessary.

Julie Stewart Fieldwork Manager South Lanarkshire Social Work Resources presented a DVD demonstration on two adults, from differing social economic backgrounds, who had been subjected to financial harm and the effects that this had on both adults.

The event concluded with a launch of financial awareness raising materials, which was presented by Nelson Telfer Chief Superintendent Police Scotland. Mr.Telfer reinforced the need for victims, or those who suspect something is wrong, to report it.

Mr. Telfer confirmed that financial harm is taken seriously by Police Scotland, who work with partner agencies to tackle this issue and also provide support to victims.

Alistair Walker Adult Support and Protection Co-ordinator South Lanarkshire Council

Proposals to provide a safe and high-quality Lanarkshire GP Out Of Hours Service will be scrutinised by patients, carers and health staff in November. NHS Lanarkshire is holding a stakeholder option appraisal event on Tuesday 4th November 2014 to consider how best to provide the service, which is for urgent assessment and treatment at the evenings and weekends when GP practices are closed. The event is part of a comprehensive review process that will include scoring the service options against clear quality criteria to judge how safe, effective, patient centred, efficient, equitable and timely they are. Out of hours services in Lanarkshire and other parts of the country are currently facing substantial challenges. Often it is just not possible to secure enough GPs to appropriately staff the service as it is currently set up. That is making it very difficult to provide the right level of care to patients.

Patients and carers have been heavily involved in the review process, helping to develop and assess options. Public Partnership Forum, carers representatives and representatives of the Scottish Health Council sit on the review group and sub groups. A survey of people using the service, focus groups with staff, patients and GPs and presentations to community groups, including carer organisations has also been undertaken.

At a stakeholder event on 27th June 2014, 59 patients, carers, health staff and other stakeholders met to discuss options for the service. Each option was assessed and scored. The scoring has been used to identify a shortlist of four options: one out-of- hours centre; two primary care out-of-hours centres; three primary care out-of-hours centres based in community health centres; or three primary care out-of-hours centres co-located with emergency departments.

Further work is taking place to gather information on potential locations for each of the options. This will be available to stakeholders so they can reach a fully informed decision at the options appraisal event in November. Following the event, NHS Lanarkshire will carry out a full consultation on the preferred option or options to give all members of the public the opportunity to have their say on the future of the service.

Across Scotland, it can currently be difficult to get enough GPs to work in the out of hours period. At times this has meant that one or more of the out of hours centres in Lanarkshire has had to close temporarily as well as fewer GPs being available to provide home visits.

Some of the doctors who provide the service are salaried employees of NHS Lanarkshire. The majority are self-employed GPs who work on a shift-by-shift basis in the service.

More information about the review and some frequently asked questions are available at: www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk/Involved/consultation/OOH

Calvin Brown Communications Manager NHS Lanarkshire Tel: 01698 858106

Caring for Carers is a two and a half year project which seeks to provide training and support to carers of all ages across North and South Lanarkshire, assisting them to successfully manage their caring role whilst engaging in a range of activities to enhance their personal development and involvement in the community.

The activities on offer to carers, based on consultation include:

 Recreational classes such as Zumba, Dance, Reflexology, Aromatherapy and Martial Arts  Therapeutic activities  Dental check-ups / health awareness  Health checks  Women’s health events  Social evenings  Pamper days – Manicure, Pedicure, Massage, Facials, Spa Therapies  Drop in hair salons

Activites will be delivered at College facilities in partner premises where possible, and in local community facilities, to ensure that as many carers as possible benefit.

There will also be a Carers hub, based within New College Lanarkshire, Campus, and an online project portal.

Replacement care will be provided wherever required, at whatever level is deemed most appropriate, from befriending services to formal social work support.

The launch of the Caring for Carers Project took place on Friday, 29th August 2014, in the New College Lanarkshire, Coatbridge Campus. Attendees were able to experience some of the activities mentioned above, and listen to a short presentation from Project Manager Marie Campbell, Depute Principal of New College Lanarkshire Derek Smeall, Heads of Faculty, Therapists, and Trainers. The day finished off with entertainment from Jon Ritchie & That Swing Sensation Big Band.

If you are interested in the Caring for Carers Project, please contact the Project Manager, Marie Campbell: [email protected]. Article by Catherine Reynolds.

My name is Sharon Rankin and I am the stop smoking nurse specialist, employed by NHS Lanarkshire to work with people who are experiencing problems with their mental health to consider the best way to stop smoking.

NHS Lanarkshire Hospitals do not allow smoking on the hospital site, if you need to come in to hospital for treatment, staff will ask about your smoking and inform you of the support available to help you during your stay. I recognise smoking is a difficult behaviour to stop but working within mental health settings, it’s clear a lot of service users do want to stop. I want to help you! Nicotine replacement therapy is available to help you address the addiction, by replacing cigarettes with a cleaner safer product, with the support of specialist nurses and a treatment plan. The staff team recognise you may need it for withdrawals through the night or if you are too unwell to leave the hospital grounds. They will offer you support and nicotine replacement to make you comfortable. There are tobacco information sessions facilitated on the Psychiatric Wards, anyone is welcome to attend. If you wish to stop smoking, you will be referred to a Link Nurse who will be able to explain the different nicotine replacement products and how to use them.

THE MYTHS I have worked with patients within the mental health services for many years and have often heard fears expressed that abstaining from cigarettes would have an impact on their mental wellbeing. Many have worried that their mood would become unstable and anxiety or psychotic symptoms increase. These are concerns from real people

“ I’ll never be able to stop smoking, I just cant do it” “ Smoking, helps my nerves” “My doctor say’s this is not the right time to give up” “Cigarettes are my friend”

“My nurse said to deal with one thing at a time” “My family told me not to give up smoking”

IN COMMUNITY You can access stop smoking support clinics, your GP practice staff can advise you of dates and times. Each clinic has a specially trained Nurse available to

support you and give you access to nicotine replacement products. You are 3 times more likely to succeed with this support. Products can also be accessed through registering with your local pharmacy. Treatment plans are from 10-12 weeks, and can be extended up till 25 weeks to help you remain stopped.

THE SCIENCE Nicotine – Is a stimulant, when released into the brain it releases the hormone Dopamine, which gives a feeling of pleasure. The association is made and the addiction cycle begins as the body craves Nicotine. For people who report anxiety or agitation and relief from cigarettes, the drop in Nicotine levels cause agitation which is then relieved by smoking.

THE FACTS Should there be a choice, Mental Wellbeing or Physical Health? Why can’t you have both! Prevalence of people with mental health problems smoking, is twice as high than the general public, and they are more susceptible to health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and emphysema. Around 13,500 people die in Scotland every year from tobacco-related illness, 260 people per week. These account for 25% of all deaths and people with mental health problems are overly represented in this figure. More research is becoming available to suggest that cessation, has a positive impact on symptoms of depression and anxiety. And medication works more effectively in the absence of smoking, reducing the incidence for high doses of medication, with increased side effects.

These are quotes from real people I have helped.

“Stopping smoking has helped my depression” “I cant believe how easy it was” “I haven’t used my inhalers since I stopped” “I’m much more calmer than I was”

NHS Lanarkshire is committed to support people improve their health & wellbeing, and can refer you to community activities to help improve your lifestyle, social activity, physical health, and confidence building through the Well Connected programme.

Sharon Rankine, Stop Smoking Nurse Specialist / Mental Health, Office: 01698 456219 Mobile: 07580985255

Staff team (back row left to right): Anne Myles, Lisa Mc Hutchison, Marc Howard, Advocacy Workers, Brenda Vincent Service Manager, Christine Mc Quade Advocacy Worker. Front row left to right: Matt Blackhurst Advocacy Worker, Liz Guthrie Advocacy Co-ordinator, Stuart McDonald Advocacy Worker. I’m talking but you’re not listening. Have you ever felt like this? Have you ever found it difficult to speak up for yourself or make your point of view known? If this applies to you, the chances are that at these times you could have done with an advocate: someone to help you make that difficult phone call or support you at that meeting you’ve been dreading. This is where our project can help.

Equals provides professional independent advocacy in North Lanarkshire for people aged 65 and over. to ensure that they have their voice heard and their needs are met and opinions listened to. Access to information, and the support to make the most effective use of it, is a very important issue for older people and their carers. Being able to get hold of good, accurate information at the right time helps them stay independent and in control of their lives and this is something Equals can help you with.

We aim to give older adults a voice in issues affecting their lives. Our Advocates are trained on legislation such as the Mental Health Care and Treatment (Scotland) Act 2003, the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, and The Adults Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007. We will ensure that older people affected by this legislation have a voice, their views and opinions are respected and that they are safeguarded appropriately.

In North Lanarkshire Reshaping Care for Older People is big on the agenda, Equals has received additional funding through this to work with older adults in a more preventative way and to engage with adults who are not currently connected to services. Equals has been supporting older people to think about their future, what do people want and wish for in terms of the care they may need.

There are many ways in which people can plan for their future; one such way is appointing a Power of Attorney under The Adults With Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. This means people can choose someone they trust to make decisions for them about their welfare or finances, or both, when they are no longer able to.

Another way in which Equals Advocacy is supporting Older People living with mental health issues to plan for the future is through the use of an Advance Statement. An Advance Statement is a statement made under the Mental Health Care & Treatment (Scotland) Act 2003 which gives people the right to say what treatment they feel works better for them and what is not as effective. Equals Advocacy is encouraging older adults to do this and supporting older people to complete an Advanced Statement.

Anticipatory Care Planning is another way in which people living with long term conditions can plan for their future care needs. The Anticipatory Care Plan is a document that allows people to write down their views and wishes about their care and share them with the people important to them. It allows people to take ownership of their health and the aim is to keep people out of hospital and long term care where possible. Marc Howard from Equals Advocacy is working in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire to promote Anticipatory Care Planning for Older People in North Lanarkshire and support Older People to complete their plan and have what can otherwise be a difficult discussion with everyone involved in their life.

This fantastic piece of partnership work has been recognised nationally at the NHS Scotland Event receiving a Highly Commended Award! The poster can be seen at : http://bit.ly/1xRS7wj

Our Service is free and confidential so if you are an older person or know an older person who would benefit from advocacy support then please contact:

Brenda Vincent , Service Manager Equals Advocacy Partnership, Top Floor 101 Park Street Motherwell, ML1 1PF. T: 01698 32772/4 E: [email protected]

Case Study Helen is an older person who referred herself for advocacy support simply because she did not know where to turn for help. Helen needed support to access appropriate help and support for the many issues she was dealing with. She had lost a loved one recently which was affecting her mental health, she was battling illness of her own and she was living in a family member’s home as she had nowhere to go after leaving a long term relationship.

An advocacy worker met with Helen and supported her to speak to her GP about how she was feeling and explored the option of bereavement counselling to which Helen agreed. The advocacy worker accompanied Helen with her permission to her Consultant in order to help her have a better understanding of her own Illness and also to complete an anticipatory care plan for her future care wishes. The advocacy worker supported Helen to look at the housing options available to her and supported her to apply for housing.

Helen now reports to be in a much better place. She is settled in her own tenancy. She has been attending bereavement counselling and has worked with her GP to access medication. Helen reports that her mood is much better; she has a better understanding of her Illness and has planned for her future care wishes. Things are so good at present she is planning a holiday, something she never thought she would do again.

Nobody likes the idea of a stay in hospital. If that stay involves a psychiatric ward, the fear and uncertainty is magnified immensely. This fear is fuelled by the media, film and TV representations, as well as ‘stories’ we hear, but it is entirely misplaced. Modern psychiatric wards are peaceful, calm, havens which offer patients the space to rest and recover, to reconnect with themselves and with the world, and to create their own Recovery story that will support and guide them into the future.

My name is Len and I work as a Peer Support Worker at Wishaw General Hospital, the Airbles Road Centre and . This has brought me into contact with hundreds of people from right across Lanarkshire, from all walks of life and from every age group. It has been a real privilege for me to be allowed to share part of their Recovery journey with them, and to help them find their feet again after what are often very traumatic and upsetting circumstances.

Ward 1, at Wishaw General, is a 24 bed ward, for both male and female patients, with a combination of small wards and single rooms. The ward is a light airy and welcoming place, with a large dayroom equipped with a TV, books, games and a pool table, and a dining room were patients take their meals.

Things are very informal on the ward and all of the staff are open, supportive and encouraging to every patient. Each person admitted to the ward is allocated a named nurse who will aim to spend time talking with them daily and they’ll be seen regularly by the other members of the care team e.g. psychiatrist, psychologist, occupational therapist, in accordance with their own individual needs.

In addition there is a dedicated Therapeutic Group Nurse Maureen who works with me to offer a range of therapeutic groups, every day of the week. This ensures that there is always treatment sessions happening for patients to participate in and always someone available for patients to talk to. Mental health care provision in Lanarkshire is ‘Person Centred’, which means that it is understood that the patient is the expert in their own experience and the staff will support them to move forward with their individual Recovery journey. Each week we look at who our patients are and we try to tailor the groups we are offering to their needs. There is no pressure to attend, though we do try and encourage everyone to participate as these are a major part of the recovery process.

I regularly show patients a DVD entitled ‘Reflections on Recovery’. It was made a by Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health (LAMH), in conjunction with Lanarkshire Links and other groups. At the heart of the DVD are four individual stories of recovery, all of which is very encouraging and uplifting. One of the stories is told by a young man and he says something during his story that really struck me the first time I heard it. He said, about people who struggle with mental health problems, “We are the lucky ones; we get the chance to find out who we really are”. I think that was such an insightful comment, especially in the context of ‘Person Centred’ healthcare. We often say that no one knows us better than we know ourselves, I think that sometimes we don't know ourselves as well as we think we do. So often we have misconceptions about our character, our abilities, our strengths, our potential, even our histories, and much of the work we do in the therapeutic groups is to help people find out ‘who they really are’.

I genuinely believe one of the biggest things any of us can do to help in our Recovery is to learn about ourselves; what helps us, what hinders us, what things we should do more of, what we should limit, what we really want, where we want to go. The word ‘asylum’ has terrible connotations due to its use, in horror films and books, to describe dark, desolate, securely locked prison-type hospitals that are full of murderers and madmen; but ‘asylum’ actually means ‘a place of refuge or protection’. Psychiatric wards today, offer much needed asylum to people who are often too ill or too frightened to cope in the community. The single main purpose of the ward is to start your Recovery and Recovery is about helping people to reconnect with themselves. The daily therapeutic groups are aimed specifically at helping people start along that path of reconnection with self-discovery.

The focus of all the groups is mental health, not mental illness. Everyone alive has mental health, just as everyone alive has physical health. Some have good mental health, some have poor mental health, regardless of whether they have a diagnosis of a mental illness or not. Just as someone with a physical illness, e.g. diabetes or a heart condition, has to work to improve their physical health, so those with a mental illness, can work to improve their mental health. This will help reduce the possibility of relapse, and it will also help shorten recovery time if relapse does occur. More importantly, it greatly improves a person’s quality of life. I know many people who live with a diagnosis of a mental illness, whose mental health and lifestyle is far better than that of many people who don’t have a mental illness.

All of our groups are linked, though it may not be immediately obvious how a session on Anger Management ties in with a group on Developing Gratitude. The groups are about self-discovery, recognising we are all individuals on a journey and, if we are to manage that journey safely, we need to equip ourselves with the tools that suit us best.

One of the major tools we introduce people to is the MyRAP (My Recovery Action Plan). This is a wee book in which you can write the details of who you actually are, the things that matter to you, the people who are important and the areas where you need to be careful. It is a very personal and individual guide to what we are like when we are well, and how to recognise when things are maybe not going so well. It’s a basic framework on which to build the knowledge you gain about yourself so you are better prepared, and better able, to deal with the difficult realities of life.

Other groups we offer include ‘Changing Our Minds’, which gives four practical steps which can help you change how you experience life. ‘Acceptance’, which is about learning the difference between accepting our limitations and being resigned to struggling with life. ‘Developing Gratitude’ and ‘Developing Generosity’, which help us turn our gaze outwards to begin to re-engage with the world, in a positive way. We do sessions on Anger Management, Anxiety Management, Assertiveness, Healthy Eating, and a range of other, specific areas, which we offer based on the requirements of specific patients. Each week we hold a ‘Hope Group’ with the hospital Chaplain. This isn’t about faith or religion, but is a regular discussion on what hope really means to each individual, and how we can find it in our daily lives. Every week is different as the group is very much patient led, and every week brings new insights as different patients offer their own views, hopes and aspirations for the future.

Every day we have a 20 minute Mindfulness meditation, which is regularly supplemented by a Mindfulness session to explain the basics. Mindfulness is a very powerful tool that helps us reconnect our mind and our body to be able to experience the present moment, instead of being on the treadmill of constantly worrying about the future or fretting about the past.

Mindfulness has been researched and is proven to be at least as effective as anti-depressants in preventing relapse of patients with depressive illnesses.

In addition to the therapeutic groups, we also have: morning gym trips on weekdays; a weekly visit from a smoking cessation nurse; a fortnightly visit from the local comedy group, ‘A Stage for You’; monthly visits from SAMH/Expeerience Counts Community Peer Support Service; and a monthly visit from members of the Lanarkshire Link’s Mental Health Issues Groups. All of these activities aim to help patients connect, or reconnect, with support networks in their own community, and to show that a huge variety of facilities and agencies are available and easy to access.

We also do regular craft groups, such as felt making, jewelry making, and creative writing. In July we held a Craft Sale of jewelry made on the ward, by patients, and we raised £371 for Ward funds which will be used to provide further resources for patients.

So, hopefully you can see that, although a hospital stay is something we would maybe rather avoid, it’s important to know that the staff and facilities in place at Wishaw General, and other hospitals in Lanarkshire, offer a safe, peaceful and welcoming environment for those times when being admitted to the ward is appropriate.

Len Northfield, Lanarkshire Links Lanarkshire Links support the employment of five peer support workers in the wards across Lanarkshire

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This years Charity Golf Tournament took place during Suicide Prevention Week as part of South Lanarkshire’s promotion of the National Suicide Prevention Week activities.

The tournament which was held at Torrance House Golf Course Calderglen Country Park East Kilbride on Tuesday 9th September 2014 was a great success as usual.

Keeping up the side for Lanarkshire Links was Management Committee Member Chris Wands, who plays golf to keep well.

All proceeds from the event will go to local charities; Lanarkshire Links and Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health, who support people to positively manage their mental health and well-being.

Hello, my name is Iain MacDonald, and I am the new Information Officer at Well-informed in Motherwell. I took over the role from Lynsey Sampson in April 2014, and am currently settling into the role.

I was born in , and initially raised in Condorrat, Cumbernauld. However, I spent most of my later childhood in Bishopbriggs. My working background is academic; I did a PhD in History at the University of Glasgow, before beginning a three year research fellowship with the British Academy. Having achieved all I could in academia I realised that it was time to join the world of the living. I was delighted to be offered this position with SAMH, especially given my own personal experience as a service user in the past. I know that Iain McDonald Lynsey was very well known and successful in this role, and that I have very big shoes to fill. Equally, however, I have also learnt just how welcoming and supportive those involved in the mental health sector are across North Lanarkshire, and that I have joined a great team. I hope I will contribute to the great progress that is being made in the endless fight against the stigma of mental ill health in our society. The new Expeerience Counts service draws on the knowledge and understanding of Peer Support Workers; individuals with personal experience of mental health problems who are trained and employed to support others on their recovery journey. By building and developing relationships, Peer Support Workers will help people to identify their strengths and explore how they can take control of their own recovery.

Peer Workers are powerful role models and evidence of the reality of recovery. We are all unique individuals with hopes, dreams, aspirations and the potential to live our lives fully. The peer relationship offers a unique environment and powerful way of promoting hope and optimism. It is possible to learn and grow from challenges and setbacks.

Expeerience counts could benefit you if you are over 16 living in North Lanarkshire, experiencing or recovery from mental health problems.

Contact us on T: 01698 265659 or E: [email protected]

Eileen Quinn, Service Manager, 62 Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, ML1 1TA

Take control of your recovery

The 13th Lanarkshire Links Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on Wednesday, 24th September 2014, at the Alona Hotel, Strathclyde County Park. We were delighted to host the launch of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival (SMHAFF).

At the AGM, The new Management Committee was elected for the upcoming year and Alan Cunningham of Alexander Sloan Chartered Accountants, confirmed that the charity’s Accounts comply with the accounting Regulations specific to Scottish charities. After the business of the AGM was completed, Francis Fallan, MBE, announced that the SMHAFF launch would begin. Kevin O’Neill, from NHS Lanarkshire, welcomed everyone to the SMHAFF launch and announced that this year’s theme for the Festival is Power and spoke about the power of the Arts.

Susan McMorrin, NHS Lanarkshire, then gave a short presentation on the background of the Festival.

Next it was time for the performers, and The Mark Docherty Expeerience took to the stage. Mark from Expeerience Counts, and the live band, performed a song which Mark wrote about his own recovery. There might even have been some swaying and singing from the audience!

Lanarkshire Links Committee Member Jean Boustead was next on the stage. Jean read out some passages from her book ‘Out of Clay’, which Jean advised was about her own personal journey and in particular, how her faith has helped her in her own experiences of mental illness. Some copies of Jean’s book were available for attendees to purchase, if they wished.

Margaret Moncrieff was welcomed to the stage to introduce the play ‘From Darkness to Light’, a play about depression. Performed by students on the Health Issues in the Community Course gave a heartfelt reenactment of the struggles of depression, and how if you received the correct treatment and care from the medical profession, there can be light at the end of the tunnel.

Comedy was next on the agenda, as John Boyle from A Stage for You, took to the stage for his stand up comedy routine. In addition to this, John gave us and Elvis Pressley impersonation, which had the room singing along!

The Digital Recovery Story of Matt Muircroft was then shown, which chronicled Matt’s experiences of dealing with his wife Julie’s dementia. After the Recovery Story had finished, Matt was presented with some flowers, on behalf of Lanarkshire Links.

Sharon Gusman led the North West locality ambitious project to develop a video to demonstrate the collective movement for change going on across Lanarkshire and their locality to eradicate stigma and discrimination. This has included a local band from Abronhill High School, called Falconhoof writing a song exploring mental health, stigma and recovery, to close the Festival, the ‘see me’ song was played for the audience, an uplifting tune which ended the day on a high.

Racheal from the Hope Café who has been supporting people to participate in a group upcycling clothes at the LAMH shop in Hamilton, provided a display of the groups work. - Article by Catherine Reynolds

Lanarkshire Links supports the development of independent local mental health issues groups. If you would like to join in your area contact us on 01698 265232. Come along and talk to like minded people about the local issues in your area. Groups are facilitated by Sheena Hamilton.

Your Issues will be fed back directly to the statutory service providers though the locality planning groups in North Lanarkshire and the locality teams in South Lanarkshire.

Moving Forward Together, Pilgrim Community Centre, Victoria Place, Airdrie on the 2nd Monday of the month at 1.30pm

The Well Forum, Dalziel Building , 7 Scott Street, Motherwell, 1st Wednesday of the month at 1.30pm

Friends in Recovery, Community Room, ASDA, Newmains, 1st Tuesday of the month at 10.00am (9.30am for tea and coffee).

Clydesdale Mental Health Issues Group, Kirkton Parish Centre, Station Road, Carluke on the 1st Monday of the month at 12.30pm (meet for a chat in the café at 11.30am)

Bellshill Mental Health Issues Group, Orbiston Neighbourhood Centre, Busby Road, Bellshill on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 10.00am(come and meet for a coffee in café from 9.30am)

Coatbridge Mental Health Issues Group, Buchanan Centre, Coatbridge on the last Tuesday of the month at 3pm

Hamilton Mental Health Issues Group, Conference Room, Uddingston Library, Bellshill Road, Uddingston on the 3rd Monday of each month at 1.30pm

The Recovery Team, Meeting Room 1, Wishaw Library, Academy Street, Wishaw on the last Friday of the month at 1.30pm (come and meet for a chat in the café from 1pm)

The Coffee Club, COSTA’S, Antonine Way, Cumbernauld on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 10.00am

East Kilbride Issues Group, East Kilbride Baptist Church Centre, East Mains, The Village, East Kilbride on the 1st Friday of the month at 1.30pm (come and meet for a chat in the café from 1pm)

Rutherglen & Cambuslang Mental Health Issues Group, Meeting Room, Rutherglen Town Hall on the last Monday of the month at 2pm