PPlog

At worst, they lie; at best, they are incompetent or unconsciously defensive. Hospital boards of directors, executives and senior managers are prone to clutching at and caressing their vested interests. Their processes are immersed in the business model and that is notorious for deceit and wheeling and dealing. Basildon and Thurrock Hospitals were “inspected” by means of self-reporting: the hospital is asked a series of questions to which it provides answers. If those those answers are in the affirmative to the overall question “ is your hospital meeting all the standards it should?” then it passes the inspection - their word is taken that everything is all right. Since April 2008, in each local authority area, there has been a safeguard against this kind of naive gullibility. That safeguard is called Local Involvement Networks (LINks). LINks are set up by law to provide a service user, carer and general public voice to protect standards in health and socia...

I've always had a little quirk. The first time I saw the road sign "Ramp Ahead" my first thought was 'How do I ramp ahead?' Good verb though - I can see the instructor: "Right lads, get it right this time. Steady now - get prepared.....and.....RAMP." So it came to pass that when I saw the title of our Manchester conference I immediately thought it was an Alexander Armstrong catch-phrase resulting in the Sun headline: "Shoot All Service Users." Ironically, the use of understandable and unambiguous words and language was a consistent topic at the seminar. Ah well! All in the/my mind perhaps! But the seminar was a terrific success. People, a majority of mental health service users, from: Birmingham Manchester Oldham Berkshire Leeds London Anglesey Norfolk Durham Sandwell Merseyside Cumbria Stoke on Trent Bromley All warmly talking to each other, learning from each other, making links with each other, sharing experiences with each other. Organisati...

The Welfare Reform Bill is in its report stage in the House of Lords and the final amendments are being debated. Amendment 18, to ensure that staff dealing with disabled people - especially those with learning difficulties and mental health problems - have the proper competencies, was by Baroness Thomas of Winchester and in her own words: "We have tabled these amendments to acknowledge the widespread concern expressed in Committee about the competence of those in positions of authority in the offices of Jobcentre Plus and the outsourced companies." Unfortunately the amendment was talked down by Lord McKenzie of Luton who insisted that Job Centre and Department of Work and Pensions staff are already well trained and competent in disability equality awareness and understanding mental health and learning difficulties sensitivities. As is the usual course of things here, he persuaded the good Baroness to withdraw her amendment. If anyone wants to try to rescue Lord McKenzie from ...

About time I started a log for this circus - I know! It’s personal but what the hell, it’s got issues for us minnows..........and minnows are sensitive to being bounced back and forth...... 16th February 2009: After 8 years of gradually increasing pain, referral by my GP to the James Paget University Hospital Pain Clinic. 23rd April: Seen by Consultant at the JPUG Pain Clinic - Said he couldn’t deal with my leg pains and to go back to my GP to ask for a referral for this - to take Paracetemol regularly (I was already taking Co-codamol regularly which didn’t touch the pain) - Arranged an X-ray which showed a couple of my lumbar vertebrae with no disc material left and a bloody great spike (an osteophite) sticking out of my spine. Told me an MRI scan wasn’t necessary and referred me to Physiotherapy. He, a pain clinic consultant did sweet f - all about the pain. June 12th: 1st appt. with Physio. Lovely friendly woman with no airs and graces - and ski...

And trampolining over the moon! And it feels really good to be able to write something positive here - and what is a refreshing antidote to the Time to Change posting I got out of my system (see below): Last Wednesday I was invited to ‘lunch’ at the National Survivors Users Network (NSUN) headquarters. I wasn’t told if it was a dress occasion but I went in mufti anyway. It was delightful; a chance to meet a couple of members of the Management Committee and a some of the staff of NSUN and Catch-a-Fiya over a pizza and a coffee. No ceremony. No airs and graces. No side - and lovely people, including Caroline from Kent who arrived in parallel with me and for the same purpose: a chance to look at them and them at us in an affable and informal atmosphere. Tina (one of my heros) Coldham, MC Chair, Sarah Yiannoullou, NSUN Manager, the lovely Amma Djan - a powerhouse administration and finance officer - the hub of the organisation, Carolyn Anderson from Kent, doing the sam...

Why is it backward? Whim really - but it could signify the backwardness of the Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in their attitude to service user involvement. One of their flag wavers is their ‘Service User Council’ but this, in my opinion and that of other users - members of the Council, is tokenism of the worst kind (although all kinds take their place on the cusp of fraud). I have some inside knowledge as I was an ASW representative on the original group in the mid nineteen nineties. It was always chaired by a member of hospital management but the intentions were then, for it to become a true user led and run Council. What I’m told (by a Council member) happened in the interim is that a new senior manager at the hospital took over the running of the group and since then it has been tightly led and controlled by the trust with one or two compliant members going along with it all. In fact, the Council only debates and acts on agen...

Harsh words, but as far as I and the community I live in are concerned it is true. On their website they say: “We aim to work with all sectors and communities to tackle a lingering taboo and one of the greatest social injustices.” Their latest e mail bulletin says “Get Moving Week is Here” and: “ If you aren’t organizing an event or haven’t found an event to attend yet go to http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/get-involved/whats-going-near-you to find out what’s happening near you. Well, go there and type in ‘South Norfolk’ like I did - and what do you get: “Sorry, no events found.” From the setting up of Time to Change/Open Up I’ve been trying to point out to them they are neglecting rural areas and the needs of people with mental health problems in rural communities, many of which are different from those in urban communities. They take no notice and continue to discriminate in real terms. I...