Bristol Rethink Mental Illness Carers Service Newsletter Spring 2021 However, we are providing a lot of phone support, and carrying out carers assessments this way too. Remember that you can arrange for us to phone you on a certain day and time. We have some new introductions to make. Our new service manager Abraham Sanyang Photo:gardeningknowhow.com joined Rethink Bristol in December, and we would also like to welcome Josh, Issy, Dear All, Danielle and Sarah to our community team. Its been a long cold lonely winter for many, but Kazuri has also done some great research the spring bulbs are coming up, and we are and helped with producing this newsletter on a looking forward to emerging from behind our voluntary basis, see p 5-7. home desks. We would like to thank staff and colleagues in It has been a very busy year for us, as you mental health teams who have generously would expect with so many different reasons given their time to help us improve services for and new ways for family and friends to be carers. As well as co-facilitating support stressed. Whether you are trying to find groups, they have worked with us on planning stability for everyone in a small house, or and delivering workshops which have received worried about someone you can’t visit, it can excellent feedback, see p3. be hard to find peace. Lastly, if you have used Early Intervention for Life for those of you who don’t use computers Psychosis services recently, please check p11 is narrower, with many services now available only online. Our support groups are still online Very best wishes, only, and our workshops on Zoom are very Karen and Margaret well attended, but we are aware that these are not options for everyone. www.rethink.org/bristolcarers For Mental Health Staff What is Rethink Carers Service offering currently? • Individual phone support secure services at Fromeside & Wickham • Carers Assessments & Carers breaks • Finding information and specialised services • Newsletter locally • Workshops online • Linking with mental health teams and GPs & ensuring carers are involved in planning • Online group Support • Digital access: help to get online • Individual support for Family & Friends using Carers Support Groups Rethink Community Support Our support groups are still running online, The Bristol community support service is rather than in very warm rooms with welcoming referrals for individuals complementary cups of tea and biscuits. We experiencing mental health issues. We are don’t know when that will change, so in the presently providing support remotely rather meanwhile, why not try one out? than face to face which can be over the You are welcome to attend our monthly phone, on whatsapp, zoom or skype. online support group, which is held the Individuals work with an allocated Recovery second Wednesday in each month in the Coach who will support them throughout their evening. We are also offering an afternoon placement. Support begins with an group during lockdown. individually tailored recovery goal, followed The group is facilitated by a Rethink worker by weekly sessions taking manageable steps and there is often a staff member from towards the goal. Some examples of support mental health services as well — thanks to we offer include: building coping strategies to Jenna, Bethan and Grace. manage your mental health, improving self - care, increasing activity levels, building The next dates are: structure, and signposting. Wednesday 10th March, 6.30 – 7.30pm Wednesday 31st March 3pm – 4pm We are developing a groups programme that Wednesday 14th April 6.30—7.30pm will complement the one to one support, which will be available in the next couple of Please contact Karen for joining details. months. Contact us on 0117 9031801 to discuss support options and referral. How to refer a carer to us Just email or call us with the details of the carer and we can complete the referral over the phone. Or give them our details if you think they will seek support. Margaret Price, Service Co-ordinator (Mon—Thurs) 0796 7811146 [email protected] Karen Allen, Carers Outreach (Tues—Thurs) 07918 162 523 [email protected] You can also find our referral form here and send it password protected. www.rethink.org/bristolcarers 2 Workshops in 2020 & 2021 Our particular thanks to Jane Brown, Suzanne Gerrish, Paul and Sally, and Nicky Noble for For 13 years our Caring and Coping course, their help in making these workshops such a designed to help people in the first months and success. years of caring for family members and friends Some feedback from workshop participants: with mental health issues, has been a fixture in our year. Often run twice annually with the help “I really enjoyed the workshop and thought it all of local mental health professionals, it has went very well, professional and helpful. made use of their knowledge of what is Feelings and emotions did resurface but in a currently available to users of mental health good way.” services in Bristol. “Hearing other's experience was helpful and Now, with their help and the feedback of the knowing that you're not on your own is such a many family members and friends we talk to, reassuring comfort.” we are redesigning it so that we can explore the most popular topics in workshops and offer “I've learned about some tips and had the them online. chance to listen to other people and how they In 2020 we chose 3 topics: dealing with difficult have dealt with stressful situations.” emotions, communicating with someone experiencing symptoms, and how to help “I did find the structured approach to our discussions helpful.” recovery from mental illness. All the workshops were fully booked, and we “It opened my eyes to more solutions to found that dividing the workshop into two approaching difficult conversations…” sessions, with a few weeks in between, worked well. This makes it possible to try out any “I liked when we talked about phrases you can practical suggestions and techniques between use when you feel stuck…” the first and second parts, and stimulates useful discussion particularly in the second “Hearing Paul’s first hand experience and what session. helped him (an arm around his shoulder and This year we introduced the topic of gentle kindness) was very moving and so real.” understanding motivation and change, and we will be offering Boundary Setting as our next “What a great course. So lovely to get away workshop in March, followed by one specifically from targets and goals etc.” for carers with (or supporting those with) black or minority ethnic heritage. “I think the mix of presented material and small group work was about right. I found the You can find more information on our webpage demonstration at the end really helpful as it www.rethink.org/bristolcarers brought the style of interaction to life and I find or by emailing [email protected]. this the most useful way of learning.” Carers Assessments and breaks If you are over 18 and care for an adult with mental health issues who lives in Bristol, What is it, and how would I get one? Rethink Carers Service can carry out a carers It helps you to find out about things that could assessment on behalf of the City Council. help you in your caring role, to consider your When care needs are more complex, we will own health and wellbeing, and how caring refer you on for a more comprehensive affects other parts of your life such as work and assessment. You can do a self assessment family. online, but it takes much longer to process. It isn’t an assessment of your ability to care What does it involve? and it doesn’t affect other benefits or income Just contact us to make a phone appointment, you may be receiving. It can help to identify it usually takes 40—60 minutes. You can find a other needs you may not have thought about, checklist of the kind of information we will ask or don’t know how to get help with, and may you here: include financial help. www.bristol.gov.uk/social-care-health 3 Mental Health Act Reform: Consultation phase The government has published a White Paper “Specifically, we're pleased to see a clear emphasis on improving outcomes for the showing how they plan to modernise the disproportionately high number of Black people outdated Mental Health Act, which hasn’t and people from other ethnic minorities who are changed significantly since 1983. Here's the detained under the Act. We're also pleased with reaction of Rethink CEO Mark Winstanley: increased patient involvement in treatment plans, improved carer and family involvement, “This is a hugely significant milestone in a long and greater legal weight for advance decision- struggle for change. The White Paper sets out a making. vision and direction for the reform of mental “Despite its faults, the Mental Health Act is a health inpatient services, law and practice. lifesaving piece of legislation. It protects people Many people will take for granted their right to when they are very unwell. But now nearly 40 have choice and control over the medical years old, it is desperately out of date and treatment they receive. But thousands of people doesn’t reflect how a modern society thinks every year who are severely affected by mental about mental illness. The White Paper is a big illness and who are detained under the Act lose step towards change. In the coming days and those rights and temporarily their liberty. The weeks we will be encouraging people that have proposals set out in the White Paper, all been affected by the Act or who may be in informed by the Independent Review of the future to respond to the consultation, and will be Mental Health Act, give real hope for a more engaging with our supporters and beneficiaries person-centred and principled Mental Health in the hope of seeing major reform to the Mental Act.