Stockton User Representative Group for Empowerment

1. Stockton User RepresentativeGroup for Empowerment Have Your Say about Mental Health Services. S.U.R.G.E for short. www.mhserviceweb.info

2. About SURGE Started in 1999 • Covers the whole of the STOCKTON BOROUGH area. • A local voluntary organisation • Helps service users to have a voice and help shape local mental health services. • Is now recognised and respected by local mental health professionals. www.mhserviceweb.info

3. Contact Details SURGE Norton Community Resource Centre, Somerset Road, Stockton-on-Tees. TS20 2ND 01642 647744 Email: surge_stockton@hotmail.com www.mhserviceweb.info

4. Why is involvement so important ? • It can produce different insights • It can make a positive difference to people’s lives • Service users are more likely to engage with something that they feel is relevant and considers and respect their opinions, rather than having things imposed upon them • Some members find they gain more confidence in themselves. • Some service users find that their levels of self-esteem have risen. • The more involved people are, the more likely they are to understand the treatments being offered to them If you know a service user/ex service user who is interested in becoming involved please make sure they are aware of SURGE. www.mhserviceweb.info

5. Concentrating on one of our major achievements. USER VOICE. SURGE members visit outreach groups, hospital wards and day centres to ask service users for their views, both positive and negative about their care. These views are then summarised and brought to meetings held on a quarterly basis with senior managers and staff within the area. The opinions are voiced anonymously . These meetings are not the place to bring individual grievances but to discuss important issues with the aim of improving things where possible. The meetings are open to anyone who has an interest. We are hoping to develop User Voice by getting opinions from a far wider cross section of service users. Any help or advice as to how to achieve that would be appreciated! www.mhserviceweb.info

6. More achievements • We have recently moved to difference office premises with full access for people with disabilities. • SURGE members have :- • Attended Mental Health First Aid training. • Assisted by consultation , in the development of an (NHS Trustwide ) , contacts leaflet that will be made available to all service users and carers. • The TEWV, Trust devised a procedure and strategy on how to effectively engage with service users and carers. We were actively engaged with the discussions and our comments were heard, which lead to certain changes. • Contributed to research being undertaken by the Mental Health Foundation regarding service users’ experience of discrimination. www.mhserviceweb.info

7. … And it hasn't stopped yet!! SURGE members :- Some members sit on local committees such as :- • L.I.T. • CPA • Pharmacy reference Group Help in the training of 5th year medical students. And have been involved with NHS Staff interviews As a result of funding from “Awards for All” we have purchased a Laptop and projector to aid us with our presentations. We have also recently received some money from “Comic Relief” towards Running costs, maintaining the website and office equipment. www.mhserviceweb.info

8. So what are some of the comments people have made ? Through “User Voice” We can convey to the staff our joys and concerns The outreach groups give us a safe environment, where we can meet and chat with others, in a social setting. A shortage of ADVOCACY locally Thank you for giving us information about how to get free bus travel. Help us to find out Information from other agencies www.mhserviceweb.info

9. And finally • Thank you for listening. If you have enjoyed this presentation, please tell others (and us) We are happy to do a presentation about SURGE and/ or about mental illness to your group. • If however, you have not enjoyed it, please also tell us, so that we can learn from our mistakes. • Please be extra patient with us at the moment, as the involvement worker who helps us is on maternity leave !!!! • And remember we ALL have Mental Health www.mhserviceweb.info

10. MYTHSABOUTMENTAL ILLNESS Isn't schizophrenia a split personality? Mental health problems only happen to other people All they do is sit at home. Most of them are mad. Don’t trust them. They are dangerous and should be locked up. People with mental health problems are STUPID

11. Myths regarding mental health MYTH: People with mental health problems are violent. FACT: High Profile and sensational media reporting perpetuates this myth, in truth most people suffering , are more likely to hurt themselves than anyone else. MYTH: Only weak people have mental health problems FACT : So what about Winston Churchill, Alistair Campbell, Annie Lennox, Frank Bruno, Ruby Wax, Monty Don, Stephen Hawking ? Just to name a few. MYTH: You can “will” depression away. FACT: Depression cannot be willed away any more than any other illness like heart disease or diabetes. It is caused by chemical changes in the brain and needs treatment. www.mhserviceweb.info

12. Myths regarding mental health MYTH :Depression is no different from getting the “blues”- and this is just a normal part of life. FACT: Equating depression with the blues is like saying that a common cold is the same as pneumonia. Everyone gets the “blues”, usually in reaction to disappointment, or an upsetting event, or even a rainy day. Depression, on the other hand, can last a lifetime, and the illness is much more persistent and disabling. No one commits suicide because they have the blues. MYTH :Isn't schizophrenia a split personality? FACT: No. Too many people have the idea that someone with schizophrenia can appear perfectly normal at one moment, and change into a different person the next. This is not the case. MYTH Depression does not affect children or teenagers.-It is just part of growing up. FACT: We’d like to think all children have a happy childhood! Needless to say, that is not always true. Studies show that 1 in 33 children and 1in 8 adolescents are depressed in any one year. SURGE www.communigate.co.uk/ne/surge

13. Myths regarding mentalhealth MYTH: People who talk about suicide never attempt or complete it. FACT: People who talk about their suicidal thoughts often do carry them out. Many people who complete suicide have told someone about their suicidal feelings in the weeks prior to their death. MYTH :Doesn't schizophrenia make people dangerous? FACT:People who have schizophrenia are rarely dangerous. Any violent behaviour is usually sparked off by street drugs or alcohol, which is similar to people who don't suffer from schizophrenia. MYTH Self harm is attention seeking behaviour. FACT. Rarely, because many people actually hide their injuries. When someone harms themselves it is usually because they feel overwhelmed by recent or past events .Verbal expressions of how they feel can be too difficult, so they find other methods. www.mhserviceweb.info

14. And finally • Thank you for listening. If you have enjoyed this presentation, please tell others (and us) We are happy to do a presentation about SURGE and/ or about mental illness to your group. • If however, you have not enjoyed it, please also tell us, so that we can learn from our mistakes. • Please be extra patient with us at the moment, as the involvement worker who helps us is on maternity leave !!!! • And remember we ALL have Mental Health www.mhserviceweb.info