The Point Issue 28 - Scottish Association for Mental Health

sUmmER 2oo9
ISSUE 28
who caReS
foR The
caReRs?
Scotland's silent army speaks
out during Carers' Week 16
ALSO INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
Shereen Nanjiani's Talking Points 4
The Scotland-Malawi Mental
Health Education Project 12
Smoking in Psychiatric Wards 26
2
3
Welcome
4
6
conTenTs
Talking Point: Shereen Nanjiani
News
10 The state we’re in: Mental Health in Scotland today
12 The Scotland-Malawi Mental Health Educatoin Project
15 To the Point
16
Who cares for the carers?
20 Whose Evidence is it Anyway?
22 End of Life Choices
24 The Naked Bird Watcher Writes On
26 The Burning Issue
28 The Facts
30 Augmenting Arbroath’s Mental Health
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3
weLcome
As I write, the sun is flooding through my window,
the office is experiencing a rare moment of calm and
I’ve just returned from a wonderfully relaxing week’s
holiday. It all makes it rather difficult to think about
anything more solemn than where my next ice cream
is coming from. But reading through the articles in
this issue has begun to get my brain going again:
and in particular, prompted me to muse about
choices, rights and personal responsibility.
Not very summery, I know, but glance through
the pages of The Point and I think you’ll see what
I mean. Our main feature is inspired by Carers’
Week, which runs from 12-18 June, and highlights
the experiences of those who care for people with
mental health problems. When researching this
feature, what struck me was how willingly
individuals take responsibility for looking after the
people they love, and how little they receive in
return. Carers Scotland estimates that unpaid
carers save the Scottish Government £7.6 billion
each year: and yet our article highlights a lack of
respite, finance or recognition.
We also hear from Dr Johan Leuvennink, a
founding member of the Scotland-Malawi Mental
Health Education Project. The members of this
group learned about problems with mental health
education in Malawi, and did not choose the easy
option of simply tutting and moving on. Instead,
they did something about it, and their successful
project is now in its third year.
Our report on the Scottish Government’s recent
consultation on banning smoking in psychiatric
hospitals is all about choices and responsibility.
Should people be able to choose to smoke in
psychiatric hospitals, and to take responsibility
for the consequent damage to their health?
Or do the rights of staff and non-smokers, and
the lower life expectancy of people with serious
mental health problems, mean that the
Government has a responsibility to act?
Chris White explores similar territory in his article
on Margo MacDonald’s recent consultation on a
proposed End of Life Choices Bill. There can be
no more fundamental question about rights than
when, or if, anyone should be able to choose to
end their own life, and Chris’s article provides
a useful summary of the debate.
And finally, in this edition’s Talking Point, TV
presenter Shereen Nanjiani talks about the
methods she chooses to manage her own mental
health: including having an occasional scream in
her car! It sounds very therapeutic, but probably
best not to try it when the traffic police are nearby...
I hope you’ll enjoy this edition of The Point.
By the time it reaches you, the sun may be long
gone, but the topics we’re covering in this issue will
undoubtedly still be current. Have a great summer,
and don’t forget to tell me all your news, views and
suggestions for future subjects you’d like to see
featured in Scotland’s mental health magazine.
Carolyn Roberts
Editor
SAMH produces The Point magazine in order to promote discussion and debate.
The views expressed in The Point do not necessarily reflect those of SAMH.
5
Talking Point
In this regular feature, we talk to Scottish celebrities about their own
experiences of mental health. For this edition, we spoke to TV and
radio broadcaster Shereen Nanjiani.
What does mental health mean to you?
Good mental health for me these days is all
about achieving the right work-life balance,
having a good diet, and getting plenty of exercise.
For years I didn’t get the balance right and ended
up strung out and knackered every weekend.
What do you do to protect your mental wellbeing?
When I first started reading the news I joined
a gym. It was a great way of dealing with the
stress of the job. It was either that or go to the
pub! A few years ago I discovered yoga and
it has really changed my life. As well as the
benefits of the exercise I find some of the
breathing techniques incredibly helpful to
calm me down after a stressful day. Going to
the movies or having a good laugh with friends
also helps. Laughing is important.
If you have ever experienced a mental
health problem (including stress or anxiety),
how did you deal with it?
I’ve been lucky enough not to have experienced
any serious mental health problem but I’d like
to think I would talk to my partner or friends about
it and seek help before it went too far. I’ve had
plenty of practice at dealing with stress though
and I’m a great believer in the power of a healthy
diet and exercise. Someone told me recently that
having a good scream once a day is a great
stress reliever – not easy if you don’t want to
draw attention to yourself. I tried it a couple of
times in the car. I got a few funny looks from
other drivers but it was very therapeutic!
Is being a celebrity helpful or harmful to
your mental health?
I suppose it can be harmful if you take yourself
too seriously. Living in Glasgow there’s never any
danger of that. You wouldn’t get away with it!
6
news
GOVERNmENT
LAUNCHES ACTION PLAN
FOR mENTAL HEALTH
The Scottish Government’s Public Health Minister has launched its long-awaited
action plan, Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland.
First consulted on in early 2008, the plan was
finally launched in May 2009 and sets out six
priorities and 22 commitments for Scotland’s
mental health. The commitments include a
three-year mental health promotion project
aimed at students, a review of the suicide
prevention programme Choose Life and
a promise todevelop health improvement
information for people with mental health
problems.
The plan was broadly welcomed, but SAMH
pointed out that, though it includes a commitment
to “develop referral criteria and information
systems that would support the creation of access
targets for psychological therapies”, this is far
from the firm commitment to guaranteed
maximum waiting times that is required to bring
mental health into line with other areas of health.
The Scottish Government will now hold a national
stakeholder event in June, at which it will set
out the next steps in implementing the plan.
AUDIT SCOTLAND FINDS
PROBLEmS wITH mENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES
An Audit Scotland report has found that people
are experiencing long waits to access some mental
health services. Its report, Overview of Mental
Health Services, found particularly lengthy waits
for services aimed at younger and older people,
and a lack of out-of-hours and crisis services.
Published in May, the report said that up to 850,000
people experience mental health problems at any
one time in Scotland, and that some people are at
higher risk, such as those living in deprived areas.
Audit Scotland’s research identified NHS annual
expenditure of around £930 million on mental
health services but said that this is likely to be an
underestimate. Astonishingly, it was not possible
to find out how much money councils spend on
mental health. The report cited previous SAMH
research, which found that the social and
economic costs of mental health problems
stood at £8.6 billion per year.
7
mEN’S HEALTH wEEK
GETS UNDERwaY
National Men’s Health Week runs from 15-21 June,
and this year is themed around access to services.
Men’s Health Forum Scotland hopes that the week
will change men’s health-related behaviour, not
least in terms of increasing their willingness to
access health care and reducing the risks they
take with their health, but also to promote men’s
awareness of wider lifestyle issues that can have
an impact on health. The fourth 10k for men will
take place on Father’s Day, 21 June, with other
events across Scotland.
See www.mhfs.org.uk for details.
VETERANS’
mENTAL HEALTH
HIGHLIGHTED
In May 2009, SAMH and Poppyscotland
hosted
a conference to raise awareness of
the mental
health problems faced by veterans in
Scotland.
Entitled Uncharted Territory – the Men
tal Wellbeing of Scotland's Veterans, the even
t was
the first of its kind and was sponsore
d by the
Scottish Government. Alex Neil MSP
also used
the occasion to launch 'Life Force', a
guide for
those who come into contact with veter
ans
through their work. The guide was writt
en by
SAMH and Combat Stress and was
funded
by the Scottish Government.
The aim of the conference was to raise
awareness, share expertise and help
develop
services for veterans and their families
throughout
Scotland. The organisations involved
highlighted
the range of complex psychological
issues that
a number of ex-servicemen and wom
en face
after returning from the Forces. Spea
kers also
gave guidance on the kind of support
and mental
health care that these veterans requ
ire. Two
veterans addressed the conference
and shared
their own experiences of mental heal
th problems
such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Earlier in the month, the Scottish Gove
rnment
announced funding of almost £3 millio
n aimed
at improving mental health care for
war veterans.
The money was expected to help incre
ase access
to Combat Stress’s dedicated veterans'
treatment
centre in Scotland, as well as strengthe
ning
community outreach services.
CHRIS HOY LAUNCHES NEw
SPORTS AND PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY PROGRAmmE
Sir Chris Hoy has helped SAMH to launch a new
national programme which asks people across
Scotland to ‘Get Active’ to improve their mental
health and wellbeing. The programme aims to
ensure that everyone, regardless of where they
live, their age or income, is aware of ways to
improve their mental health by participating in
physical activity and sport.
Billy Watson, SAMH Chief Executive said: “Get Active
isn’t just another marketing campaign; it’s a way
of life. For years Scotland has hit the headlines for
all the wrong reasons such as high levels of antidepressant prescribing, poor health, high mortality
and appalling diets. It’s time for us to turn the tide
and become recognised as a nation that takes
pride in our physical and mental health.”
The five year plan involves a national awareness
raising campaign, a community development
programme and training and education for
coaches and instructors. SAMH plans to evaluate
the improvements people make to their mental
health and well being through getting active as
well as measuring the money saved by the NHS.
Phase one of this programme of work will cost
£400,000 and SAMH is currently seeking funding
for this initial stage.
National hero and SAMH ambassador Chris Hoy
said: “If everyone in Scotland changed just one
aspect of their lifestyle, such as walking to the
shops instead of taking their car, it could make a
huge difference to their physical and mental health.
I would like to encourage everyone to Get Active.”
GALA IN THE
GROVE FOR wEST
END FESTIVAL
SAMH will be holding a fundraising Gala in the
Grove as part of the West End Festival on Saturday
27 June from 11am-4pm. The event will be held in
Kelvingrove Park at the Royal Terrace Entrance, and
will feature inflatable adventure courses, Gladiator
jousts, bungee runs and much more.
All funds raised will help with SAMH’s mission
to achieve mental health and wellbeing for all.
More details are available from
[email protected]
news
9
PARLIAmENT PASSES
HATE CRImES BILL
The Scottish Parliament has passed the Offences
(Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Bill, otherwise
known as the “Hate Crimes Bill”. Introduced by
Green MSP Patrick Harvie, the Bill creates new
statutory aggravations to protect victims of crime
who are targeted as a result of hatred of their
actual or presumed disability, sexual orientation or
transgender identity. The Bill, which now becomes
an Act, gives the police, prosecutors and Courts a
tool to handle those disability-related offences more
effectively, without detracting from the flexibility of the
justice system or the independence of judges and
sheriffs to decide sentences. It will allow hate crimes
to be recorded as such, meaning that victims can be
supported accordingly, sentences can be appropriate,
and repeat hate crime offenders can be identified.
Patrick Harvie told The Point: "I am delighted that
Parliament backed my Bill unanimously. It takes
Scotland a small but useful step towards the
elimination of hate crimes. Even one attack on
someone with a mental health problem is one
too many, yet these offences are far more common
than many would imagine. This legislation will now
both help deter offenders and help the police track
their efforts to tackle the problem."
ROYAL EDINBURGH
HOSPITAL REVIEw
BEGINS AGAIN
NHS Lothian has decided to go back
to the drawing
board with its review of services prov
ided at its
Royal Edinburgh campus, which inclu
de mental
health services. The review began in
2007, but
faced a serious setback in late 2008
when the
Scottish Government advised NHS Lothi
an that
its options appraisal outcome was unso
und.
In early 2009, the previous project spon
sor
Heather Tierney-Moore left and was
replaced by
Jackie Sansbury, the incoming Director
of Strategic
Planning and Modernisation at NHS
Lothian.
She told The Point: “We have an oppo
rtunity to
completely rethink how we care for peop
le with
mental health issues and it’s important
that
we don’t rush things, and that we fully
consider
and involve as many people and relev
ant
organisations as possible. The processe
s set
by the Scottish Government for deve
loping new
healthcare facilities have been altered
from those
in place when we first started [the revie
w].”
“We’ve been extremely grateful to man
y people for
their participation in the process so far
and want
to reassure them, your readers and
the general
public that improving services provided
from the
Royal Edinburgh campus remains an
important
priority for NHS Lothian. It is very impo
rtant that
we take the time required to get this
right.”
The state we’re in:
Mental Health
in Scotland today
Aidan Collins provides an update on SAMH’s most recent biannual Forum.
SAMH Forums are open to anyone with an interest
of mental health and related issues. They included
in mental health or the broader work of SAMH.
mental health service users, representatives
The intention is to raise participants' awareness
from the Scottish Human Rights Commission,
of current issues and encourage discussion and
the Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health,
debate to help inform SAMH’s future work.
the Scottish Government, NHS Health Scotland
The most recent SAMH Forum was held in April:
entitled ‘The State We’re in: Mental Health in
and the Scottish Poverty Information Unit, to name
just a few.
Scotland Today’. This particular Forum focused
A particular concern to emerge from the day’s
on all things mental health related; asking where
discussions was related to the current provision of
we are today, where we would like to be in the
mental health services. In particular, concern was
future and how we might get there.
raised over the existing approach to contracts and
Mental health is an issue which can affect anyone,
re-tendering and the impact that this is having.
of any age, in any number of ways. Mental health
Contracts which have recently been put in place
no longer sits neatly in a ‘health box’, it stretches
by local authorities have often been framed with
into all spheres of public and private life –
a fixed end date, typically 3 or 5 years. Delegates
education, employment, criminal justice and
were worried that some local authorities are failing
the economy. We therefore invited participants
to involve service users and their families when
to customise their day by choosing from a range
these contracts come to an end. This carries
of parallel sessions exploring topics such as
significant implications for those receiving support;
human rights, assisted suicide, employment,
who are left uncertain as to whether support will
stigma, child and adolescent mental health
be ongoing – or indeed, if they may be left with
and the effects of the credit crunch and debt.
no support at all.
We brought together 20 speakers to take part in
Participants were shown a short film produced
the Forum; these were experts from a range of
by Sense Scotland: ‘My Life Is Not a Three Year
backgrounds, with lived or worked experience
Contract’. In this film, service users and their
11
families express their feelings about the services
resolve situations such as those discussed above
which they or their relatives are likely to need for
in relation to contracts and re-tendering, and
many years. They also explain the uncertainties
prevent them from developing in the future.
and anxieties that the current approach to
contracts and re-tendering is causing them.
Many of our delegates commented that it has
become all too easy to forget the very real impact
that this situation is having on real people.
One of the day’s workshops also explored the
key issues for mental health and human rights
in Scotland. This built upon the work of SAMH’s
human rights campaign – Respect Protect Fulfil –
which was launched 6 months ago. Our delegates
discussed how human rights are a vehicle for
freedom: we all have the right to good quality,
accessible health services and to the highest
attainable standard of physical and mental health.
Despite the fundamental importance of human
rights, delegates highlighted that they are not
being used to influence the development of mental
health services. The overwhelming message was
SAMH Forums are not just about identifying where
things might be going wrong, but rather about
bringing people together to share experiences
and find tangible solutions.
The overall sentiment was that Scotland’s
mental health is improving in a number of areas.
For example, delegates felt that the ‘see me’
campaign has been particularly successful in
dispelling the stigma associated with mental
health problems. Others commented that good
work is ongoing to help people gain and sustain
employment, as well as work to promote inclusion.
However, our delegates also felt that much more
remains to be done. Mental health in many areas
is not being afforded the priority it deserves, while
factors such as the recession are putting Scotland’s
mental health under increasing pressure.
that people must be made aware of their human
This was our most ambitious Forum to date and
rights and how to claim them: this could help
the event generated a great deal of interest from
a diverse range of organisations and individuals.
This reinforces our belief that people are keen to
engage with the issues and that more and more
people are beginning to connect with the mental
health agenda.
We very much hope to see you at future SAMH
Forums and that you will join us in campaigning
for mental health and wellbeing for all.
SAMH's Chair David Denton addresses delegates
Check our website at www.samh.org.uk
for details of future Forums.
The
Scotland-Malawi
Mental Health
Education Project
Dr Johan Leuvennink is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Adult Mental Health
Lead Clinician at Crichton Royal Hospital in Dumfries, and co-founding Steering
Group member of the Scotland-Malawi Mental Health Education Project.
13
For over a hundred years, Scotland has had
links with Malawi, most notably through the
work of Scottish Presbyterian pioneer and
medical missionary, Dr David Livingston.
Malawi is a sub-Saharan African country with
a population of around 13 million, roughly twice
that of Scotland. Though beautiful and spacious,
Malawi has suffered from a cruel set of
circumstances. A fragile economy combined with
a devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic has led to a life
expectancy of just 40. Add to this a lack of health
workers – there is one doctor for every 50,000
inhabitants – and it becomes easy to understand
why Malawi has some of the highest global rates
of infant and maternal mortality, malnutrition and
infectious diseases.
In 2005, the Scotland-Malawi Partnership was
founded by the two governments. The International
Development Unit of the then Scottish Executive
visited Malawi in April 2005, and this led to the
development of a menu for Scottish involvement
with the country. A major focus of this was
healthcare – including psychiatry.
Malawi Mental Health Services are provided
mainly at 3 psychiatric hospitals, St. John of God
Hospital in the North, a small mental health unit in
Lilongwe and Zomba Mental Hospital in the South,
amounting to 400 in-patient psychiatric beds for
the entire population. Community mental health
services are very sparsely developed and run by
psychiatric district nursing staff. Clinical officers
provide the backbone of clinical service provision.
At Zomba Mental Hospital there is one consultant
The grounds of Zomba hospital
Every year, around 50 to 60 medical students
qualify at Malawi’s College of Medicine in Blantyre.
Psychiatric training in the undergraduate medical
curriculum is of much importance as, after
qualification as doctors, they would be responsible
for the vast majority of psychiatric service provision
in the community, alongside district nursing staff.
Secondary care psychiatric services are usually not
able to provide medical input at this level, as they
are mainly based at the in-patient unit. There was
therefore a clear need for external support of the
teaching and assessment of medical students
in psychiatry.
Four Scottish psychiatrists saw this as a new
partnership opportunity. We believed that
Scottish psychiatric trainees would benefit
from the opportunity to help design a formal
undergraduate teaching block and a clinical
teaching block, and to plan and execute a written
examination and clinical assessments. We also
believed that teaching and observing psychiatry
in a cross-cultural setting would better qualify
them for work in an ever increasingly multicultural
United Kingdom.
psychiatrist, one other doctor, four clinical officers,
one occupational therapist and nursing staff.
continued over
continued from previous page
Nurses and medical students gathered for
a teaching ward round
The project aimed to be governed by the specific
needs in Malawi, rather than the perceived needs
from Scotland. The only state psychiatrist in Malawi,
Dr Felix Kauye, welcomed the initiative and we
formed a Steering Group which included the four
Scottish Psychiatrists, working in close collaboration
with Dr Kauye. Thus the Scotland-Malawi Mental
Health Education Project (SMMHEP) was born.
So far, Scottish-based consultant psychiatrists and
higher trainees have supported undergraduate
psychiatric teaching in Malawi for 3 years.
The ultimate aim is to support Malawi to become
self-sufficient in this area. We committed to an
initial five-year programme, but we hope that the
Project will be sustainable beyond this period.
Every year, five higher trainees and one or two
consultant psychiatrists are recruited to take part
in the project.
They then regularly meet with the SMMHEP Steering
Group, which is in close contact with Dr Felix Kauye,
as well as Dr. Robert Stewart, a member of the
Steering Group now based in Malawi as lecturer
at the College of Medicine in Blantyre. During these
meetings, the undergraduate curriculum is used to
design a formal teaching block, and subsequent
clinical teaching at Zomba Mental Hospital.
Volunteers are trained in teaching and examination
methods. Teaching materials, including audiovisual
and DVD formats are designed/collected. Any
lessons learnt from previous volunteers’ experiences
are discussed. There is a strong emphasis on crosscultural issues, such as different perceptions of
mental illness in different cultures, issues about
religion and psychiatry, cultural issues in teaching,
and general sensitivity to the needs and perceptions
of a different culture. The volunteers then go to
Malawi to deliver the teaching and examination.
We were fortunate to receive a grant from the
Tropical Health and Education Trust to support
the initial setting up of the Project and further
grants from the then Scottish Government as well
as private donations. This allowed for travel and
accommodation expenses as well as teaching
materials to support the undergraduate training,
such as textbooks and training DVDs.
Many people have contributed to this project
and we are grateful to the Scottish Division of the
Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Steering
Group members: Dr. Leonie Boeing, Prof. Douglas
Blackwood, Dr Ben Baig, Dr Robert Stewart and
Dr Johan Leuvennink.
In 2008 the Project formally became a charity,
and you can find out about our activities at
www.smmhep.org.uk
Dear Editor
unt of the
I read Graham Morgan’s acco
he cited
Mental Health Act in which
t class
firs
a
have
we
that
ent
a comm
of
land
a
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ion
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d NOT
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our
for
not
ed
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form
has been
benefit
benefit so much as for the
implement
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al health
As a member of a local ment
ders
(Bor
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BVCC
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group called
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Voluntary Community Care Foru
I have
I have heard it all before.
and
been witness to the endless
we have
needless roundabout efforts
ovement
made to try and get the impr
ed for
of services that we have need
now.
time
long
,
a long
s times
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what
,
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to
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d
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we
what
d like
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one of
to have and to see. But not
the brightly documented
ly
recommendations in those high
ly
glossed up brochures has real
.
tice
prac
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been put
y to
Where did they get the mone
s and
ment
docu
sy
glos
e
thos
produce
tions
put on those elaborate func
and redecorate their Offices?
y to put
Why didn’t they use that mone
ons
dati
mmen
reco
e
into practice thos
about?
and services we were asked
ices
This is the reality of serv
compared to the reality of
n of
legislation! If the provisio
as good as
locally based services was
t mental
the legislation written abou
out.
left
be
d
woul
ne
no-o
health,
endure
and
Those of us that live with
would
ties
icul
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th
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our mental
rate
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be catered for with
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e
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and
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gh
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the costs involved and prov
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where necessary. The legislat
e and a
elin
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a
as
then serve only
back seat,
legal requirement taking a
which is where it should be.
written
I wonder whether what has been
in
with
ge
chan
a
ct
affe
ly
will real
s, with
our circumstances and our live
tical that
something tangible and prac
?
help
real
of
be
ally
will actu
ls
Mr Michael T Arnot, Galashie
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Want to comment on something in this issue?
Send us your views, comments or suggestions for future articles to:
The Point, SAMH, Cumbrae House, 5 Carlton Court, Glasgow G5 9JP
Email: [email protected]
wHO CARES
FOR THE
CARERS?
Carers’ Week runs from 12th–18th June. Carolyn Roberts examines what life
is like for people caring for someone with a mental health problem.
We are all carers at some time or another.
If someone you love breaks a bone, gets the flu
or has a back injury, then we look after them until
they are better, and then, with relief, we go back
to our normal lives. But there is a mostly-silent army
of people for whom caring is a constant feature of
life. It’s not an easy life, and it’s not a well-publicised
one, but its existence saves the Scottish Government
an estimated £7.6 billion every year.
Across Scotland, there are 35 carers’ centres
affiliated to the Princess Royal Trust for Carers.
Some support all carers while others specialise
in mental health. These centres provide advice,
information, support and training to people caring
for someone. Drew Lindon is the mental health
lead for the Princess Royal Trust for Carers.
He explains that one of the Trust’s priorities is
to bring about the reform of Carers’ Allowance.
“It’s a major issue: it’s an extremely small benefit,
and it’s a particular concern for people caring for
someone with a mental health problem. If the
person is in a psychiatric hospital for more than
28 days, then their Disability Living Allowance stops,
which means that Carers’ Allowance also stops.”
Fiona Collie of Carers Scotland agrees:
“The number one issue is in relation to benefits
and finances, and what carers are entitled to.
Carers’ Allowance is the lowest benefit of its kind –
it’s just over £50 and you have to care for over 35
hours a week. We’ve been pushing and pushing
and the Westminster government has promised
a review of carers’ benefits.”
17
The Princess Royal Trust is also worried about
confidentiality, and this brings us to one of the
central difficulties faced by social care and medical
staff. Undoubtedly, care and treatment should be
about the recipient, and they should have the right
to decide what information is shared with others.
But some carers feel that professionals are too
quick to decide that respecting confidentiality
means sharing no information whatsoever.
Drew says: “Carers are not being given enough
information to care effectively and safely. They
are often not offered general information about
mental health, the Mental Health Act etc, which
they need to support themselves as carers. Staff
often misunderstand what they can share and
under what circumstances. Often there is a barrier
to getting information: carers are always entitled
to general information that is not specific to one
person’s case, but professionals are loathe to
discuss with mental health service users what
personal information they’re happy to share,
under what circumstances and with whom.”
“Confidentiality principles are vital to all health
systems but they are not being applied in the
way that they should. If the carer knows what’s
going on, they can provide care better and more
consistently which can only improve outcomes
for the individual.”
One of the services that carers often seek is respite.
This is a service which will care for people for a short
period – usually a few weeks – allowing the carer
to take a break from their responsibilities.
However, in Scotland there are few services
available for those who care for people with
mental health problems.
Drew says: “There is a lack of specialised respite,
particularly in Scotland where a lot of carers may
be rurally isolated. There is a severe lack of
enabling or supportive services for the person
being cared for, and a lack of trained staff who
can work with mental health service users. The
respite services that do exist are generally sitting
services for parents whose children have learning
difficulties. These are not appropriate for adults
with mental health problems who have a whole
range of needs and capabilities.”
Fiona Collie points out that it’s not just respite that
is poorly provided, but services for carers generally.
“Often carers aren’t really getting what they need –
not enough or not the right sort of support.
Eligibility criteria between local authorities
differ, as does how long it takes to get a carer’s
assessment: it can be anything from a few weeks
to a few months. People who phone us are often
not aware that they are entitled to anything,
and don’t see themselves as carers: they see
themselves as a parent or family member.”
As always when you talk about mental health
problems, the subject of stigma eventually comes up.
continued over
continued from previous page
Drew explains: “There have been excellent
campaigns like ‘see me’ but stigma doesn’t just
affect the person, it affects the carers as well.
They may feel unable to speak about the issues
they’re facing or be afraid of bringing prejudice
against the person they love. Stigma even exists
within families – it can be difficult to get support from
family and friends because of misunderstandings,
particularly around bipolar disorders.”
Children and young people can sometimes find
themselves caring for parents who have mental
health problems, and Drew explains that they
can face desperate choices.
“There are serious issues around them not
wanting to ask for help because they are afraid
of the consequences: will it mean that they
on your own mental health. You must continually
question your own view of what is normal, your
view of the world, and you come under pressure
to maintain your own mental health.”
Fiona Collie echoes this view, “Carers’ priority is
the person they’re caring for. Sometimes that is
to the detriment of their own health. Often, caring
is very isolated and there is a great deal of
emotional pressure. You might have to give up
your job or lose friends, and your relationship
with the person you’re caring for changes.”
Carers already deal with many difficulties, but
Drew is concerned that the changing economic
climate could make things even tougher.
“The concern in harsh economic times is that
when there are substantial cuts in health and
wellbeing services, mental health is always the
“Carers’ priority is the person they’re caring for.
Sometimes that is to the detriment of their own health.”
become separated from families? The key
challenge is that despite improvements, services
for adults and children still don’t work together
very well. Adult mental health services don’t
always do a good job about asking people
whether they have children, which would help
identify young carers and their needs.”
It’s inevitable that caring for someone constantly,
without respite or sufficient financial support,
can impact on the carers’ own mental health.
Drew says: “A high proportion of carers are
suffering from depression and anxiety. We
estimate that people caring for someone with
a mental health problem do so for an average
of 60 hours per week. Because part of your
role as a carer is providing a stable foundation,
being a rock for someone, that puts pressure
first to get cut. But you’re not just reducing support
to people directly involved: you’re reducing it for
carers as well, because they’re forced to take on
more work, which will affect their own mental
health, which becomes a cycle.”
We contacted the Scottish Government to ask
what progress had been made since the launch
of its 2005 report, Care 21: The Future of Unpaid
Care in Scotland.
Public Health Minister Shona Robison told us:
“This year has seen us put in place extra short
breaks for carers, carer training, and measures
to improve recognition of carers and their needs
for support. Next year we will launch a new
national carers strategy for Scotland and in the
meantime we will be listening to the views of
carers on what will be the best support for them.”
19
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We often hear th
at there is not suffi
cient evidence to
treatments, but w
fund non-drug
e think the eviden
ce
is
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t there in the form
experiences. In ea
of people’s
ch edition, we take
a
lo
ok
and ask: just who
at a different trea
se evidence is it,
tment
anyway?
We hear more and more about the importance
of “talking therapies”, but it’s not always clear
exactly what this term means. There are in fact
Isobel regularly works with people experiencing
many different types of talking therapy: in this
mental health problems, and says: “I am
edition of The Point, we’re taking a look at
constantly in awe of people’s ability, without
person-centred counselling.
any direction from me, to start listening to and
trusting in themselves. To see people facing
Isobel Gibson, who became an accredited
and overcoming huge challenges in their lives
person-centred counsellor two years ago,
is a real honour.”
explains: “Person-centred counselling offers a
chance to deal with problems and find out more
Person-centred counselling is used in the NHS,
about yourself by speaking with someone who
by many voluntary organisations and increasingly
will listen, understand and accept you as you are.
in schools. Like many talking therapies, availability
You, not the counsellor, are the expert in your own
is limited by the number of counsellors available,
life, so the counsellor doesn’t offer advice or direct
and in some areas it may be hard to access.
what will be talked about. The counsellor aims to
However, GPs should be able to refer you if
be a genuine companion to support you to find
services exist in your area, and person-centred
your own way toward healing. It is the relationship
counsellors are listed at www.pctscotland.co.uk.
that is at the heart of the work.”
If you have a suggestion for a future "Whose Evidence Is It Anyway?"
contact us at: [email protected]
?
Y
A
W
Y
N
A
T
I
S
I
It forced me to look inward for the answers.
So I persisted, and I’m so glad I didn’t give up.
So can person-centred counselling actually
I expected to cry about my Mum for eight sessions
help? One client talks about their experiences.
and then all would be fine. In reality, although
When my Mum passed away I felt many things,
I did talk about my Mum at times, the counselling
but the most prominent and lasting emotions
primarily helped me to find myself. I think I was
were numbness and fear. Three years on,
lost under all the pain and grief from losing my
rather than moving forward, I felt completely
Mum and also many other experiences in my
overwhelmed and unable to cope with my life.
past which had shaped me. I learned how to
listen to my heart and trust in myself. I learned
I took time off work and visited my GP regularly.
to let go and be open to life’s possibilities.
I started on an anti-depressant and was referred
I got to know myself.
for counselling and also to my local stress
management centre.
Person-centred counselling was a very spiritual
experience for me. I’m not a religious person in
I knew a little about person-centred counselling,
the commonly accepted perception of this – I think
but had no personal experience. For me, the
the only way I can explain it is to say, it helped me
counselling was completely different from my
find my place in the world.
expectations, much more positive than I could
have imagined.
Of course, I still have days where I feel down and
unsure. But I think it’s supposed to be that way.
Of course, it was not easy. I had eight sessions
and I would say that certainly three of them made
me want to run a mile. I had never let my pain out
before now and I was terrified. It took me a while
to grasp what person-centred actually meant.
Now, I try to welcome these days, ask myself
why, then take it from there. I see person-centred
counselling as the start of a process for me.
I believe the benefits are only just becoming
apparent and will continue as long as I put the
effort in. I feel blessed to have had this experience.
I was looking for advice and direction from my
counsellor. When it didn’t come, I really struggled.
But that’s the whole point.
e of
ly thre
in
a
t
r
e
c
ain
y that
t my p
a
s
le
r
ld
e
u
v
I wo
d ne
ns and
ile. I ha
io
m
s
s
a
e
s
n
eight
t to ru
ied.“
e wan
“I had
m
e
s terrif
d
a
a
w
m
I
and
them
re now
o
f
e
b
t
ou
End of Life
Choices
Chris White provides an update on recent attempts to introduce
an Assisted Suicide Bill in Scotland.
In January this year, actress Julie Walters starred
in the BBC drama “A Short Stay in Switzerland”.
Based on a true life story, it followed Dr Anne
Turner as she was diagnosed with a rare
degenerative brain disease and travelled to
Switzerland to end her life with the help of
euthanasia organisation Dignitas.
Assisted suicide is a very topical and emotive
subject which has recently been receiving a
great deal of publicity. In March of this year,
following a series of high-profile legal cases,
former Westminster Health Minister Patricia
Hewitt failed in her attempt to introduce
MSP Margo MacDonald
changes that would have protected people
from prosecution if they helped friends or relatives
travel to other countries where suicide is lawful.
The present position in Scotland is that anyone
who assists another in the act of suicide could be
held criminally liable of recklessly endangering
human life or of culpable homicide. Late last year
MSP Margo MacDonald, who herself suffers from
Parkinson's disease, launched a consultation on the
End of Life Choices (Scotland) Bill on assisted suicide.
The assisted suicide debate generally focuses
on people diagnosed with terminal illness or
a degenerative condition, or where someone
has suffered an injury that has made their life
intolerable. The End of Life Choices consultation
included all of these areas, but there were
concerns that the Bill also introduced a right to
seek assisted suicide on the basis that someone
was finding their life intolerable – raising the
possibility that people with mental health problems
might be entitled to seek help to take their own
lives. SAMH submitted a response to the
consultation, pointing out this potential effect
of the Bill and urging caution in its introduction.
Assisted suicide and mental health was debated
at the SAMH Forum in April. Speakers from the
national user involvement group VOX (Voices Of
23
eXperience), the Royal College of Psychiatry,
Care not Killing and Friends at the End led a
fascinating and emotive debate on the issues.
During the debate, some people expressed concern
that assisted suicide for people with mental health
problems would go against the ethos of recovery
and could mean giving up on people when they are
at their most vulnerable. However, others felt that if
the same rights were not extended to people with
mental health problems, then this could be seen
as discrimination.
Margo MacDonald plans to introduce her Bill to
the Scottish Parliament towards the end of the
year. However, the Bill will now only introduce a
right to seek assisted suicide for people who are
player left paralysed from the chest down following
a training accident at 22 years old. Following
the accident he attempted suicide on several
occasions before travelling to Switzerland to end
his life. Supporters of assisted suicide believe that
people in Daniel’s situation should have the right
to seek the help they need to die in the time and
place of their choice, but opponents believe that,
given the right support and help, people can
recover and rediscover a purpose to their life.
Ethical, moral and spiritual arguments surround
the whole subject of assisting someone to die.
The right to life is a fundamental human right
enshrined in law, but should this also include the
right to die? Whilst many doctors support the right
to die, for others this contradicts their Hippocratic
The right to life is a fundamental human right enshrined
in law, but should this also include the right to die?
terminally ill, suffering from a degenerative
condition, or unexpectedly incapacitated
through accident or injury.
This seems to close the door on people with
mental health problems requesting assisted
suicide but other mental health and well-being
issues continue to exist for people who may at
some stage wish to end their own life.
Being diagnosed with a serious degenerative
condition, or acquiring a major physical disability
following an injury or accident is likely to have a
devastating effect on a person’s life and outlook.
It should come as no surprise that in the following
months, a person can experience a major episode
of depression and feel that they want their life to
end. Daniel James was a promising young rugby
Oath to promote and maintain life. The General
Medical Council states that patients must be able
to trust doctors with their lives and health: how
easily does this rest with the notion of physician
assisted suicide?
There are no easy solutions to the assisted suicide
debate and it looks as though it will not go away
anytime soon. But whatever our thoughts and
views are, people lie at the centre of this debate.
Being in a situation where you are faced with end
of life choices means having concerns over the
loss of autonomy, dignity and respect, and feeling
unable to participate in activities that make life
enjoyable. It is also a decision which has an effect
on those involved in a person’s care, from family
and friends to doctors and nurses. We await the
next stages of this debate with interest.
THE NaKED
BIRD waTCHER
wRITES ON
Suzy Johnston Syrett was diagnosed with bipolar disorder whilst still at
university. Since then, she has become an author, musician and mental health
advisor. Here, she describes the experiences that led her to write her latest
book, The Snow Globe Journals.
Tap…tap…tap. That’s how it feels y’know – when
bipolar disorder lands on your head, it’s kind of like
Chinese water torture endlessly chipping away at
your sanity. Do I get scared? Definitely! But I have
learned over the years that there are ways of
managing my illness, staying focused and positive.
Yes, the condition puts
limitations on my life
but I relish and enjoy
what I can do –
I don’t waste time
being bitter or
counting my
regrets. We all
have crosses to
bear in life, be
they mental
illness or
something
else, and how
we deal with
them is up
to us.
When times are rough? I use coping strategies
and self-management – and I write. I write about
what’s going on in my head. I write about how
I feel. I write about anything and everything.
The fruits of these labours have been two books,
my autobiography The Naked Bird Watcher and
now The Snow Globe Journals, a harder hitting
account of living with psychosis, hospital and
recovery. Hopefully it is a ‘living illustration’ of
psychosis.
My other great outlet – music! I play guitar and
find thrashing about with my electric guitar on
high volume very therapeutic indeed! I also enjoy
writing songs and have formed the band Bad Alice.
Our songs are about living with mental illness and
the social issues affecting today’s young.
I first became ill when I was in sixth year at school
and it felt as though thick glass surrounded me –
I couldn’t communicate with anyone and had this
overwhelming feeling of deadness inside. That
little episode lasted about a week and I almost
managed to convince myself that it was a one off.
25
But then BAM – in my first year at uni, it not only
If I had to make a choice, I would say that the
came back, it had become an uncontrollable
suicidal and paranoid thoughts that I experience
monster parading around inside my skull. I ended
are the most terrifying and damaging of all of the
up dropping out of uni in second year when things
symptoms that I get. Imagine for a second that you
were getting really quite bad. I was hallucinating
are in a locked hospital ward and you are CERTAIN
fairly frequently, having increasingly suicidal and
that the nursing staff are plotting to kill you and are
paranoid thoughts and self harming too. The
also faxing copies of your notes to faceless doctors
hallucinations were normally of giant insects
in another part of the hospital where they too are
floating in the air above me, but sometimes they
coming up with ways and means of harming you.
would crawl on me which used to freak me out.
I lived like that for 4 months. How did I get through
However, gradually I learned that if I stared hard
it? Fantastic nurses, appropriate medication, good
at them they would dissolve and vanish and as
doctors and a loving family, friends and my brilliant
such whilst their appearance still shocks me I feel
husband – none of whom were ever swayed by
as though I have some kind of power over them.
my confusion and accusations.
I returned to uni and finished my degree but
My husband, Michel, also has bipolar and we give
I couldn’t communicate with anyone and had this overwhelming
feeling of deadness inside. That little episode lasted about a week
and I almost managed to convince myself that it was a one off.
afterwards I lost my way a bit. My symptoms
presentations and workshops to patients, carers,
were getting worse and this led to my first of seven
the medical profession and students on living with
psychiatric admissions, varying in length from
mental illness and managing recovery.
three weeks to six months. The psychiatric ward
that I go to is the Christie ward in the Vale of Leven
hospital and to say the staff there have saved my
life is no understatement. The humanity, empathy
and understanding that I have experienced from
both staff and patients in that ward has been
incredible. It has ranged from a patient who
didn’t even know my name buying me a cup of
“This too shall pass” is the mantra I hold onto to get
me through the worst times. If it helps – please feel
free to borrow it; if not then find something healthy
that does. And remember, if all around seems
dark it’s not REALLY dark – you’ve just closed your
eyes for a second. Take a deep breath, open them
and, in time, the light will flood in once again.
coffee for no reason other than I looked as though
I was having a bad day, to a nurse showing me
a hedgehog out of the window at 2.00am to help
me get through a bad psychotic episode.
www.thecairn.com
www.badalicemusic.com
G
N
I
N
R
U
THEB
The ban on smoking in public places came into effect in 2006, and has been hotly debated
ever since. But a recent consultation on extending this ban received very little media coverage.
Earlier this year, the Scottish Government launched
a consultation entitled Achieving Smoke-Free
Mental Health Services in Scotland, seeking views
on removing the current exemption for psychiatric
wards and hospitals.
The Scottish Government received 324 responses
to the consultation. While we at The Point are
dedicated to accurate reporting, we are prepared
to confess that we haven’t read each and every
single one of them. However, many respondents
expressed concern that a total ban in both the
grounds and buildings of psychiatric hospitals
and units was unfair and possibly unworkable.
There was greater support for a ban in the
buildings but not grounds of hospitals, for a
number of reasons. The Royal College of
Psychiatrists (Scottish Division) pointed out
“Patients who are de-toxing from drugs or alcohol
would find it difficult to give up smoking in addition.
If patients had nowhere to smoke this might
prevent them coming in for a detox programme.”
The Mental Welfare Commission’s response raised
the possibility that a total ban on smoking for
people who need prolonged periods of care could
be contrary to human rights legislation requiring
respect for private and family life.
What has emerged from the consultation is a
dichotomy between the generally accepted need to
reduce smoking rates, which have for decades been
noticeably higher among people with mental health
problems, and the need to allow people to make
their own choices. SAMH faced the same quandary
in preparing a response to this consultation. In order
to inform the response, SAMH ran a survey on its
website and also held a focus group.
Over half of the respondents (52%) said the Scottish
Government should take no action, while almost
30% said that the Government should encourage
people in psychiatric wards and units not to smoke,
but not change the law. Just over 13% believed that
the Government should make it illegal to smoke
anywhere in psychiatric wards and units.
Several people pointed out that smoking has
traditionally been used as something akin to
therapy in psychiatric units, and that this would
need to be replaced if smoking was banned.
One respondent said: “Whilst smoking is not healthy,
effectively forcing a person to stop during a mental
health crisis could have serious negative affects”.
And another commented: “A lot of psychiatric
service users increase their level of cigarette
smoking when in hospital, because of boredom
and institutional habit.
27
GISSuE
They should be offered support and therapy to help
them stop, and cessation groups should be on offer
in the units for those who wish to stop or reduce
their use of tobacco”.
Given these results, SAMH debated the position it
should take for some time. In particular, SAMH was
aware that for people who are not permitted to
leave a hospital, a smoking ban would essentially
remove their ability to smoke: a position in which
no other group in Scotland currently finds itself.
However, people with mental health problems
do experience poorer physical health than others.
People with serious mental health problems are
more likely than others to die prematurely, more
likely to have strokes and coronary heart disease
before the age of 55, and more likely to die from
a smoking related disease.
SAMH therefore chose to support a phased
introduction of a change in the law to ban smoking
in the buildings but not grounds of psychiatric
hospitals and units, if certain conditions were met.
These conditions were:
1. Real investment in smoking cessation services
for people in psychiatric wards and units.
2. Particular support for people who are detained
under the Mental Health Act and who are not
able to leave the buildings in order to smoke.
3. A lead-in period comparable to that which
preceded the implementation of the initial
smoking ban.
4. A requirement for psychiatric wards and units
to fully involve patients in these changes.
5. A change in policy so that prisons are subject
to similar laws. SAMH understands the practical
difficulties associated with this but believes that
it is unacceptable for people who are detained
because of a health issue to be unable to choose
to smoke, whilst people who are detained
because they have broken the law can do so.
It is unusual for SAMH to survey the views of people
who have mental health problems and then to
take a position which differs from the majority of
respondents. However, the organisation took the
view that in order to address the severe and
enduring health inequalities that people with
mental health problems experience, action is
required to address the culture of smoking in
mental health services.
For too long, smoking has served as an addition
to and in some places a substitute for psychiatric
and emotional support. Outlawing smoking is only
a part of the action that is needed: there must also
be an end to the prevailing culture of boredom
and inactivity that is too often the hallmark of
psychiatric units. Reducing smoking is a beginning,
not the end point, in helping people with mental
health problems to improve their health.
In each issue of The Point, we look at one of the most common queries
received by the SAMH Information Service.
Q. I’m caring for someone with a mental health problem. What are my rights?
A. There are 6 million carers currently in the UK, with 481,5791 of those living in
Scotland. 100,000 are young carers.2 Three in five people will be a carer at
some point in their lives.3
When someone becomes a carer, it can become
apparent that caring for a loved one will have
a wide and far-reaching impact on their lives,
for being a carer can mean that suddenly they
find that they are solely responsible for providing
that care at all times and sadly, for some, with
little support.
Carers find that along from coping with
someone’s illness, they have additional stresses
of maybe having to give up or make alternative
arrangements for their job and the financial
implications that can arise from this, or having
to relocate to be nearer someone they care for
or have someone move in with them. They may
find that they cannot get information regarding
someone’s treatments or that decisions are
made about their loved one without any
consultation with them.
Carers do have rights and entitlements and it
is important as soon as they become a carer
to enquire about what assistance is available.
Carers can get help from Social Work by getting
assessed as someone who cares for another.
The Community Care & Health (Scotland) Act 2002
entitles someone to ask for a Carer’s Assessment
in order for their needs to be assessed. This can
be done at any time but if the carer is under 16,
their assessment should be requested when the
person they care for is assessed.
29
It is also important to remember that the person
needing care can have their needs assessed
again if their circumstances change or condition
deteriorates.
Employers should be informed if someone is a
carer. It can make it easier for them to offer help
when carers are needed more at home. A change
in working conditions may be needed such as
flexible working hours. Carers have employment
rights under The Work and Families Act 2006 and
the Employment Rights Act 1996. (Northern Ireland
legislation – The Work and Families (Northern
information on money, benefits and your rights.
You can also contact a carers or disability
organisation.
Carers may find that they face obstacles regarding
gaining information about the treatments that
their loved ones are receiving. If someone with
a mental disorder has no named person, the
principle carer will become the named person.
Under the principles of The Mental Health
(Care & Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, carers
should receive appropriate information and advice
about their loved one’s treatment and have their
Carers have additional stresses of maybe having to give up or make
alternative arrangements for their job and the financial implications
that can arise from this...
Ireland) Order 2006 and The Employment Rights
(Northern Ireland) Order 1996).
If someone is a young carer, it is important that
teachers are informed. Additional support can
be put in place to support young carers especially
around exams and absences from school.
GPs should also be informed if someone becomes
a carer. GPs can offer support and be aware of the
circumstances should the carer become unwell.
Carers may be reluctant to even acknowledge
that they are feeling under the weather because
of the obligations they have.
Carers can be entitled to benefits and this is
a complicated matter. There can be huge
financial issues when someone becomes a carer.
It is important that anyone thinking of claiming
a carers’ benefit, should contact an organisation
with expertise in the benefits system. The Citizens
Advice Bureau provides comprehensive
views and needs taken into account. Having
regular information enables the carer to give
(and receive) the appropriate support.
Finally it’s important that carers look after their
own health – physically and psychologically. If you
feel that you are becoming unwell it is important
that you keep in touch with your GP: they can offer
support as well as treatment.
Useful contacts
www.youngcarers.net
Telephone: 0141 221 5066
www.carerscotland.org
Telephone: 0141 221 9141
www.carersweek.org
0845 241 2582
www.carers.org
0141 221 5066
1. Census 2001, 2. 2004 survey of young people in Scotland (Scottish Government), 3. Carers Scotland
aUGmENTING
aRBROaTH’S
menTaL HeaLTH
Jennifer Cooper is an aspiring writer/eco warrior/photographer who runs
a weekly fibromyalgia support group at the mental health charity Augment.
I work with Augment in Arbroath. As editor of
our monthly deliberation, MAD News, it’s my
job to inform the people of Angus what’s going
on with regards to the world of mental health
services. Funded by NHS Tayside, Augment has
been in operation for the past decade, constantly
increasing in strength and with a firm eye as to
where we want to go next. Our core aim is to
create a supportive environment where both
mental health service users and ex-service users
can not only be involved with the planning and
provision of future services, but also be able
to develop their abilities with the hope of
moving on into further education, employment
or volunteering. We provide the support for
people to gain or increase their skills, be it via
collaborations with the college, or working towards
the goal of an SVQ and other training within
Augment, right down to therapeutic activities
such as crafting, all in a friendly environment.
One of our projects is Collective Advocacy and on
11 March 2009, Augment hosted an Open Space
event titled Mental Health Services in Angus.
This was attended by 50 people, both service
users and providers. Key topics included a desire
for more alternative therapies to be available
and an increased availability to support groups.
Everyone wanted better communication and
fair and equal services for all.
We have also recently been involved in the
development of a series of Recovery workshops.
Devised by both members of Augment and the
Community Mental Health team, these focused
Jennifer Cooper, Augment
31
on the concepts and principles of recovery, looking
at how each individual might apply these concepts
and principles to their own path of recovery.
After the positive success of these trial workshops,
we’ve already got more on the horizon.
Augment staff members have also been involved
in facilitating a number of extremely successful
Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) training
sessions to NHS staff and individuals. By training
more people, we’re giving them the knowledge
and insight to then help them and their patients
develop their own WRAP. We believe that everyone
should have one and shall definitely be holding
more sessions in future.
We are currently involved with two very different
peer pilot projects. Firstly, we’re working in
partnership with NHS Tayside to deliver peer
support work in Dundee for the first time. Workers
based within Dundee Community Mental teams
use their own experience of overcoming mental
health challenges to aid others to do the same.
We are now in the second year of the two year
pilot and the outcome and evaluation of this
wonderful project is eagerly anticipated. The
other pilot that we’re involved with is our Peer
Outreach Volunteer Project. Having just started
on 1 April 2009, this project aims to support
individuals through a short-term goal orientated
relationship. Peer outreach volunteers will work
with individuals to enable them to participate in
activities that will promote their mental well-being
and social inclusion.
Part of Augment is the A.C.E. (Angus Community
Enterprise) project. A.C.E. is an employability and
resettlement project which successfully supports
people back into further education, volunteering
and employment. Currently A.C.E. is Lottery
funded; we are two years in and have three
funded years left. To ensure the continuation
of A.C.E. and Augment’s other projects, the
organisation is working to become self
sustainable. In order to achieve this, Augment
staff and members are working to ensure the
organisation becomes a force to be reckoned with
in the field of social enterprise. Social enterprises
are businesses that run along the exact same lines
as a regular business: the difference is that profits
are used to better the organisation rather than
going to shareholders. Through uniting the talents
of Augment staff and individuals, we will be
providing a training and consultancy service.
Mixing business with creativity, we have Selkie
Crafts, the crafting arm of our company. Selkie is
the Orcadian dialect word for “seal” and mythical
folklore tells of the Selkie folk as gentle creatures
with the ability to transform from seals into
beautiful, lithe humans. Like the Selkie, we at
Selkie Crafts take unwanted “junk” – clothes,
beads, curtains, bedding, you name it – and
create stunning individual pieces. A.C.E. also
runs a very successful catering kitchen and
café providing high quality home cooked buffets
and meals at competitive prices.
Last but not least, Augment has been selected
by Hand Pict Productions to be featured as part
of a BBC documentary looking to challenge the
stigma around mental health, especially for
young people in Scotland. With the working
title of “Teenage Minds”, the programme will
be delivered to the BBC in October, with
transmission expected shortly afterwards.
www.augment.org.uk
IF YOU ENJOYED THIS mAGAZINE,
wHY NOT GET INVOLVED wITH
SAmH?
SAMH works to support people who experience
mental health problems, homelessness, addictions
and other forms of social exclusion. We provide direct
services, including accommodation, support, training,
employment, outreach and structured day services.
good practice in service user involvement,
commissions research and challenges stigma
and discrimination. The Centre needs your support
in order to achieve SAMH’s ambition of mental
health and well-being for all.
The Point is produced by SAMH’s Centre for
Research, Influence and Change. The Centre works
to shape and influence mental health legislation,
policy and practice. It also provides a national
information and welfare benefits service, promotes
You can help us to do this:
• By making a donation
• By getting involved in fundraising
• By becoming a member of SAMH
For more information, to join SAMH or make a donation, please call: 0141 568 7000,
email: [email protected] or visit: www.samh.org.uk