Because...

KICKS

There's No Health Without Mental Health!

Winter 2011

What's Inside...
World Mental Health Day Service User Stories

Annual Public Meeting 2011 Upcoming Events for 2012

Contents
3 Welcome from Mary & Dan 4 Our Governors 5 Why I am a Governor 6 Real Life Story - 40 years of Schizophenia 7 KICKS - Kids in the community kick stigma! 8 Real Life Story - Hate Crime 9 What weve been up to 11 Dates for your diary

7 9

Dear Member, Hello everyone. e is jamTheres been plenty going on! This issu nts, stories packed with news and pictures of eve and lots more. events. We hope to see you at our upcoming keep an Theyve not all been finalised yet but for more eye on our website or facebook page on 01245 information. Alternatively, contact me k if you 546481 or helene.samuel@nepft.nhs.u cific event has want me to let you know when a spe been finalised. s in the Something new is our KICKS page - kid very are community kicking stigma. Youngsters amazing aware of mental health issues and its , based how many have first hand experience doing on our visits to schools. And they are to raise suc h wonderful things in the community l health issues awareness and help those with menta feel they are not alone.

Helene Samuel
Editor Helene Samuel, Communications Team Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk Layout and design Tracey Mann, Communications Team Tracey.Mann@nepft.nhs.uk

Got something to say? Get involved Email: Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk

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Welcome
We would like to wish all our members a very Merry Chirstmas and a Happy New Year! There is unprecedented change in the NHS right now and we want you to be involved now, whilst this is all happening. First, the facts Last year we provided: * 512,000 pieces of care, up about 40,000 on the year before * 123,000 patient bed days * 442 patient bed days for the mother and baby unit * 85,000 appointments for the community * 23,000 crisis care packages * 70,000 phone calls to patients about their care But stigma and discrimination still exist (see Christine's story on page 8) Mental illness can be a life threatening condition and it's time we offered understanding and compassion. So we need you for two reasons. One to help us improve our services with new ideas, new methods and secondly to help us campaign for better understanding of mental health and the people who need help. What you can do * Tell us what you think * Contact your Governors with ideas * Become a campaigner * Invite us to speak in your community or organisations * Help us with interview panels, focus groups and staff training Mary St.Aubyn Chairman Dan Kessler Lead Governor

So join in!

Harry Young 1955 - 2011

Were very sad to report that Harry Young, one of the public Governors for Colchester, died in October. Dan Kessler, our lead Governor, paid tribute to Harry at a meeting of the Governors in November. Harry was very well known in the Trust and amongst services users and carers as a tireless campaigner against the scourge of mental illness, something he experienced himself. I last saw him at our Annual Meeting in September when, true to form, he asked questions about service user involvement and wanting more of it, immediately! One of his big priorities was getting better help for young people experiencing mental illness. His commitment was the very definition of public service and what contributing for others really means. He would pop up all over Essex to speak up and speak out about services going well and when they werent going so well! It was a privilege to know and work with him. Ill certainly miss him; Im sure we all will. At Harrys funeral in November a number of Trust Governors, Directors and staff attended. The family asked for donations to the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). Music was a big part of Harrys life and the ceremony started with Let it be and concluded with Go your own way - all very Harry! The Trust has dedicated a film about the stigma campaign to Harry.

Got something to say? Get involved Email: Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk

Our Governorsgold... worth their weight in

, a radio presentor from BBC Essex and Trust Governor for Media, was presented with an award at the June Council of Governors meeting. Mary St Aubyn, Chairman, said: You will always find Dave at the front and this is not because hes a show off, but Dave is always out in front. Unusually for a journalist, he has championed mental health and all the issues around it by featuring the stories and people it affects.
Dave Monk accepts his award from Mary Dave has been a terrific campaigner and raised his voice for St.Aubyn our cause for a very long time. Some of his fans tell me that he has been in this business for 25 years this year and we cant let that pass - were presenting him with this star from all of his friends here at the Trust as a small recognition of his outstanding work for mental health - a star for a star - well done!

Dave Monk

Pat Hamilton

Earlier this year, Public Governor for Harlow, organised a members meeting for the Harlow members. It was well attended and the presentation on the Derwent Centre update prompted much discussion. There was also a presentation by Andrew Geldard, Chief Executive.

David Bamber,

, Public Governor for Uttlesford, recently spoke on BBC Essex about mental health in rural areas. He said, I live in a rural area of north Essex. In the past I have been chair of our local MIND and a carer for someone experiencing an episode of mental ill-health. I am particularly interested in mental health in rural communities as Uttlesford Mind sponsored a research project on this subject with Essex University, under Dr Peter Martin (2003). This led to The Uttlesford Rural Network (TURN). You dont have to go to Northumberland or Mid-Wales to find rural communities.

Pat Hamilton

, Public Governor for Tendring: Im back from the Weeley Car Boot Sale where I had a stand to recruit new members. I talked to several people, but it was not as busy as usual because of the Tendring Show. Even so, I recruited two new members and so perhaps it's something that other governors may consider doing in their areas. There was no cost to the Trust either apart from a small amount of mileage, as I was allowed the pitch for nothing. Also, on 1 December, at the launch of the Friends of the Landermere Centre, I, as the Chair of the group was awarded with a cheque for 4,488.38 from the Landermere Daisy Chain Appeal. The Landermere Daisy Chain Appeal was established as a Charity in 1996 and raised funds to buy a minibus for patients at the Landermere Centre. The minibus was sold recently and the proceeds have been donated to the group to buy new memory aid equipment for patients.
Got something to say? Get involved Email: Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk

Angela Barnes

David Bamber

Angela Barnes

Why I am a Governor
Organisations (Colchester Mind)

Clive White, Goveror for Voluntary

I have been a Governor for the Trust since the very beginning. My recent Trust activities have been something of a mixture. I chair the Youth Matters Group and present ideas to the Council of Governors. Our main role has been to hear the plans for childrens services and feed in views of our constituents. We have worked on a number of areas that will allow greater input to the Board. It is still my view that we need to develop this input even more. To that end we have been working to get some young people invited into the Trust to provide their view on what we are doing. Whilst completely understanding the age limits on governors, it does mean we have to find innovative ways of getting views direct from young people. Inviting the youngsters seems to fit that innovation.

Mary Power, Public Governor for Chelmsford

My reason for becoming a Governor was to help improve local health services. I feel passionate about this and feel that local users deserve to have a quality service available to them. I am a carer to a family member who is a service user. I am aware of the stigma of mental illness and feel able to be empathetic towards service users. Some of the skills that I have developed during my working career are the ability to communicate with staff from statutory and voluntary services and members of the public, as I have spent my working career with the NHS covering positions in Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. I also completed a degree in Social Sciences and received inservice training from the Trust. One of the roles of a Governor is to act as an advisor. This is achieved by attending meetings with the Board of Directors and being a key community link to feed back views, information and news between the Trust and the community. Governors also work with the Board to set priorities for improvements and change. Our role is to carry this out in a positive, supportive manner. My best skill is in signing up new members for the Trust and I carry this out, some would say fanatically! Everywhere I go I look for an opportunity to sign people up as members. It is important that everyone is represented when signing up members. Some of the highlights of my short time in office include; taking part in the World Mental Health Day Walk in Chelmsford, acting as a Living Book in Chelmsford Library to engage with the public and becoming a member of Youth Matters as I have a special interest in young people. I am also chair of the Friends of the Rainbow Mother and Baby Unit, where at a recent fundraising event, we managed to raise over 640 to put towards toys for the unit. This was much more than the 500 we were aiming for, so thanks to all who came.
Got something to say? Get involved Email: Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk

40 years of Schizophenia
David Bamber tells his story
10 September 1973, aged 18, was a big day when I started an Honours Degree course at the University of Salford. Whatever the reason, this move triggered what I know now as the first lucid symptoms of schizophrenia. In the months following I heard voices in my head, had delusional thoughts, and many other frightening experiences. But I didnt know what the pursuing hell was, where to get treatment and, frankly, I was too ashamed to openly admit there was anything wrong. In October 1982 I was admitted to the then Hopkins Ward at The Princess Alexandra Hospital Psychiatric Department. The nightmare began. I would be in and out of this inpatient ward for the next three years, including one whole year as an inpatient. The worst day of my life was when my consultant told me I had a mental illness called schizophrenia. If cancer is to the body then being told this is the equivalent to the mind. But at last I had a diagnosis. I didnt need to hide it any more, or go round in agony not knowing what I was suffering from. I was schizophrenic. It was a shock to my family too, but we knew what it was now. In August 1983 I met my future wife and present partner in Hopkins Ward who, like me, suffers from schizophrenia. We married in May 1994. I re-trained in computer programming with the help of the hospital Occupational Therapy team to become a computer programmer. Another short spell in hospital after redundancy in 1995 and was convinced there was a plot to kill me. I was so convinced I repeatedly set off the fire alarm to fetch the fire brigade to rescue me from what I saw was the danger of the staff. One night I was so deranged and frightened I poured a bucket full of water down the back of one of those old type TV sets, while people were watching it, although I ought to have known of the danger. Then a miracle happened: they started me on a new drug called Amisulpiride, an atypical antipsychotic, which I am still on to this day. Within days I had vastly improved. Within weeks I was into a recovery ward, and off section. Well, out again into the open world in late 2005, and how have I been doing since then? Some ups and downs again, but not too bad, and Ive managed to stay out of hospital, and be reasonably stable mentally.

Then a miracle happened: they started me on a new drug called Amisulpiride

then some retraining for future work, whilst becoming financial director of the service user organisation, NEST for nearly three years. In May 2005 I was sectioned. The next six months was an extremely dark and very black period of my life when I was grossly unwell. I was convinced the medical staff, under direction of the Authorities, were trying to kill me, and specifically poison me. Every medication, every food, every cup of coffee, even fumes coming up the sink, I

Got something to say? Get involved Email: Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk

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Readersy tor

4 page Supplement

We met Celeste when she came along to one of our Poetry events in the summer, and she told us her story. Celeste agreed to share it with the Trust and all our members - you so here it is. If youd like to send your story in to us, please email foundationtrust@nepft.nhs.uk I was born here in Colchester in Sept 1966 and grew up beside the seaside in Clacton-onSea with two younger sisters and a much younger brother. My mum was young when she had me and was a full-time stay at home mother, always there after school with comfort and home-cooked meals. My dad was a self-employed electrician working locally and home every evening until I was 8 years old when he fell into a job as an electrical subcontractor working offshore in the rapidly expanding North Sea gas and oil industry. He worked two weeks on and two weeks off for the remainder of my time at home which was tough on my mum and tough on us kids despite the obvious benefits of a significant increase in our family income, such as moving from a council estate to a private house and holidays abroad instead of in the UK. My dad also came terrifyingly close to being on the Alexander Kielland, a Norwegian drilling rig which capsized in the North Sea in March 1980; a salutary lesson at the age of 14 in human mortality and the fragile nature of life - my first but certainly not my last. Luckily I had a close relationship with various family members (especially my nana) who also lived in Clacton, and I have many happy and positive memories of my childhood. And yet, I also felt like an outsider, I just didnt fit in anywhere because I felt so different from those all around me. I was troubled and angstridden even before I entered my teens and there are some very real and painful memories of running away from home at 11, getting into trouble with the police for shoplifting, being bullied at school, underage drinking and even self-harming from quite a young age. I stayed silent and retreated into a world of make-believe and books in order to survive. However, somehow I got through it all and at the end of 1985 at the age of 19, I left home and went to Chelmsford to do my three year SRN training. Once qualified I worked as a staff nurse in various places including general medicine, cardiac care and the Intensive Care Unit. Unfortunately I was very ill as a child and only found out this was due to a long-term chronic kidney problem at the age of 18. Although I completed my nurse training I gradually slid into complete renal failure which subsequently led to me being medically retired from the NHS in 1993 at the grand

I have many happy and positive

memories of my childhood. And yet, I also felt like an outsider

old age of 27. Dialysis soon followed for a couple of years but I was then lucky enough to receive a kidney from my mum at the Royal London Hospital in the summer of 1995. Since then I have been extremely well although I have to take loads of anti-rejection tablets daily and have regular blood tests and check-ups. My mum

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is doing very well on her remaining kidney and we usually celebrate our transplant day every anniversary, the 15th of August. I returned to nursing posttransplant in 1999 and worked on both intensive care and the regional burns unit which was very rewarding but extremely stressful. I nursed a survivor of both the Paddington rail crash and the Admiral Duncan pub bombing in Soho. Difficult times. I made the decision to leave my career in 2002 as it was starting to affect my physical and mental health and have subsequently let my nursing qualification lapse. I am in receipt of both incapacity benefit and DLA and, as a result, worry greatly about the possible impact that the present governments welfare reforms will have on me. The same week that I passed my nursing exams I also met my husband, Jamie, who was

one of my patients! He came into Broomfield on New Years Eve 1988 for an emergency appendicectomy and 3 days later left with me! We married in Sept 1991 and have celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary recently. Hes my rock, my right-hand man and my soul mate; Im so lucky to have met him and at least I didnt marry a doctor. That would

I am in receipt both incapacity of

benefit and DLA and, as a result, worry greatly about the possible impact that the present governments welfare reforms will have on me.

have been far too much of a clich! He also has suffered some mental health issues in the past decade, having been diagnosed with severe clinical depression and enduring several cyclic episodes, usually triggered by an increase in his work load, and therefore stress, in the yearly 3-month run up to Christmas when hes at his busiest at work. I should just mention here that he is a self-employed wall and floor tiler working from home as the sole trader of his own business. His illness has been compounded by other issues that I will mention later. When you hear about the difficulties we have had to face in our married life then you probably will be no more surprised than I was that he was heading for some sort of mental collapse at some point. It was like waiting for the proverbial accident to happen in that I saw it coming but because of my own issues found myself completely unable to intervene and do anything about it. The crisis eventually happened

and we had to react to it the best we could with the help of a psychiatrist and the continuing and invaluable support of our very competent and understanding GP. Having finally accepted his diagnosis Jamie is now more able to deal with his depression proactively. An increasing level of self-awareness leading to a better, less frantic work/life balance and getting the right drug therapy at the right dose and right time has worked small wonders and he is currently enjoying a long period of remission. Life has dealt us a few blows over the years, the worst being the death of our only child in March 1992 at the age of 10 days. Daniel was born about 10 weeks prematurely and weighed in at only 2lb 6oz. He fought so hard to live but sadly we lost him and the effects of that still deeply affect us today, as they were always bound to. The 90s were very difficult years for us with the loss of my career, my physical health, my

husbands job as a bricklayer in the recession of the early 90s and subsequent repossession of our house. The resulting mental breakdown I suffered in March 1995 led me to spend 3 months in the newly-opened Linden Centre as a voluntary patient. From that I was (wrongly in my opinion) diagnosed with depression resulting in years of therapy and long-term SSRIs. After a few attempts to come off the antidepressants it took another 13 years for me to reach crisis point. A psychotic episode just before Christmas 2008 finally led, five months later, to my diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder. Unable to go onto Lithium because of my transplant it has taken time and some imagination on the part of my GP and psychiatrist to get the drug regime right. Thanks to all the help Ive received from the CMHT, my CPN, the MDF Bipolar Organisation and Rethink (a national mental health charity), I now find myself well and in a more

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I have so much to thank

my present psychiatrist, Dr Bisdee, for.

stable frame of mind than I can ever remember. I have so much to thank my present psychiatrist, Dr Bisdee, for. Initially I asked to see him because of my perceived incompatibility with the doctor I was initially referred to following my psychotic episode. I saw her twice and felt I wasnt being listened to or understood. There was no trust there at all and I wasnt happy with her inability to explain why she was prescribing some heavyduty anti-psychotic medication or give me any hint of a diag-

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nosis. Putting to one side the fact that I was probably a little paranoid and delusional at the time and had been experiencing some visual and auditory hallucinations something just didnt feel right on the couple of occasions we met at the Linden Centre and so I exercised my patient rights and asked to see somebody else. Luckily my concerns were taken seriously and that is how I came to see Dr Bisdee for the first time in June 2009 when he gave me the totally expected (on my part) but still shocking diagnosis of Bipolar Affective Disorder. At last the years of madness had a name. I had spent a dangerous five months ultra-rapid cycling which is not a new Olympic event but the psychiatric equivalent of being on a very fast and out of control rollercoaster. I had got to the point where even I didnt have a clue about what I was going to do next so it was an immense relief to start treatment. Since then I have seen him regularly every 3 months and over time we have managed to build up a mutually respectful and trusting working relationship. In a similar fashion to how I have dealt with my renal problems over the years and due in no small part to that particular experience I have managed to work in partnership with him. When I see him we always seem able to speak openly and honestly about anything; suggesting and discussing treatment options, drug regimes and therapeutic options together. He is always happy to discuss new ideas and I feel that I can talk to him as an equal. His knowledge, professionalism, expertise, humanity, support and humour are invaluable to me and I am under no illusion that without his on-going support and input I wouldnt be as well or stable as I am at this present time. We work well together and its nice to know that should I feel I was relapsing into mental unwellness at any point in the future that seeing him for an assessment and/or help is only ever a phone call away. Life is pretty stable at the moment and I am presently managing my bipolar disorder well. I amuse myself by reading, watching TV, being a very hands-on aunty to various nieces and nephews aged from 5-21 years, cooking, keeping up with current affairs and generally trying to be the best that I can be. I started writing a journal in 1995 whilst in the Linden Centre (I have since shredded that in a moment of complete madness a few years ago) and have carried on writing fairly regularly since then when I have the time and inclination to do so. I have been told many times over the years that I have a talent for it but havent felt able to take it forward because of a lack of confidence in my abilities. I convince myself that people are only saying that to make me feel better etc....you know the sort of thing....such is the unpredictable nature of being bipolar. I write to express myself, for the sheer enjoyment and creativity of it and because its good therapy. Encouraged by having recently become a media volunteer for Rethink and meeting up with Mike again at a recent event I hope now that the time is right to take my writing forward with a modicum of confidence in my abilities. I am under no illusion that I will become rich and famous because of it but only hope to challenge peoples ideas and preconceptions about mental illness. I am passionate about helping to end the stigma, the fear, the prejudice and ignorance surrounding a subject that affects roughly one in four of the adult population to some degree. Chances are that if you are sitting listening to this with 3 of your colleagues, or friends, or family memberswell, I guess you can do the maths! And so if my writing and speaking to groups such as yours in some way changes the way one person thinks or approaches mental ill-health then that is enough reward for me. As the Rethink poster so succinctly puts it my problem is bipolar disorder. Whats yours? (Thank you) Celeste E Thompson Autumn 2011

KICKS - Kids in the community kick stigma!

5QP

e recently set up a group called 5QP made up of youngsters in work, school and who have used our services. Their job is to meet with teams throughout the Trust, ask them questions about the service and look around the unit. They then feed back to Andrew Geldard, chief executive, their views and ask pointed questions when necessary. The first trip was to Harkenwell, our child and adolescent centre in Maldon, where they were impressed with the staff and the unit but had questions around the number of staff available. Thank you to Ben, Ceri, Emma and Jess (and Clive White our Trust governor).

tudents from the Chantry High School in Ipswich presented a Memory Blanket to the Trust on 13 July at the Defoe Day Centre, Kings Wood Unit in Colchester. Helen Comer, from Chantry High, led a delegation of students and staff to Kings Wood where the blanket, made specially to raise awareness of dementia, was presented to Chairman, Mary StAubyn, Lead Governor, Dan Kessler, Dr Mary Kennedy, Nurse Consultant for Dementia and clinical manager, and Denise Cracknell, Ward Manager.

helmer Valley School and Cedar Hall School (Benfleet) also sent a number of cards from 30 students about dementia. Andrew Geldard, our Chief Executive, said, Well done to these students. With numbers rising, most families will know someone with dementia. There is no cure but we do believe in living well with dementia. These students are fabulous because they show their caring sides, and we know it has an impact on them too. This kind of action is a very practical way of showing they care

oap Sence 2011 kicked off with a performance by Boswells School in Chelmsford. Inspired by the NHS, this play arose from one of the awareness sessions the Trust recently made at the school.Interpretive dance takes you through a family death and the subsequent demands, and depression of, a young man. The drama is drawn out with the whole cast speaking statistics about mental illness, with the closing line being that only 1 in 4 who need help get it because of stigma and the taboos around it, as well as reasons such as the side effects of some medications. Mike Waddington, Associate Director of Communications commented A great, moving performance. Go to page 10 to find out more.
Got something to say? Get involved Email: Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk

Hate Crime

Christines story
Comments where shouted in the street, you mental health bitch and people like you are scum, while children would throw things at her front door. Equally distressing was that neighbours Christine had known for thirty years would ignore her and cross the road. This all led to Christine not daring to leave the house. After some incidents the Police became involved but felt that their intervention could make the situation worse, a judgement Christine now accepts although she feels improved police liaison in cases like this would be helpful. Although the family at the centre Christine is very keen to thank all the staff at The Lakes for the care she has received from them. They have helped a lot and have always been good to me. She was also full of praise for the ongoing support she has received from the crisis team. Ive hidden behind my mental health but Ive got to speak out she said. Im feeling well now and I want to fight back. Having suffered the negative affects of stigma, Christine feels this is often spurred on by negative stories in the media. Having a Mental Health problem doesnt mean you are evil, or nasty she says. I wish there was better understanding of those suffering with mental ill health and I wish the people who have been abusive could know what it feels like.

any people with mental health problems say that the biggest barrier to getting back on their feet is not the symptoms of illness, but the attitudes of other people. The stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness can make it difficult for people to maintain friendships, get a job or get involved in their community. Despite attitudes about sexuality, ethnicity and other similar issues improving, and despite some improvements since the launch of Time to Change, discrimination against people with mental health problems is still widespread. Christine (not her real name) recently spoke to us about her own experiences. In 1998 Christines health deteriorated to the point where she needed inpatient treatment and spent fourteen weeks at The Lakes in Colchester. The police were present when she was taken into care. She smiles now saying at the time I thought I was going to a fancy dress party!. On her return home from hospital she began to suffer a campaign of verbal abuse by neighbours, particularly from one family.

A Mental Health problem doesnt mean you are evil, or nasty

of her torment were evicted in 2008 (for unrelated reasons) Christine still occasionally sees the women in town and she looks daggers at me. But she says, I am no longer afraid; it took some courage but I said to her, if you have a problem, talk to me. She didnt but I am not afraid.

On Wednesday 29 February 2012 were leaping against stigma in Colchester. Go to page 11 for more info.

Join our campaign; it is Time to Change and that time is now!

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Got something to say? Get involved Email: Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk

e been up to What wev

The Mary St.Aubyn Centre
Work on our new CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) unit is well underway and we cant wait for the opening next year. The Centre - expected to be operational in June 2012 - has been named after Mary St.Aubyn, the Chairman of the Trust, who stands down in one years time after 10 years at the helm. Mary has been a firm champion of young peoples services and is delighted with the honour.

In June we kicked off World Mental Health Day with our Hopping Mad campaign. Trust governors, including Dave Monk from BBC Essex who led the charge, hopped around Central Park to highlight the stigma that still surrounds mental ill health.

Over 200 people took part in the Extra Mile walk on World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2011 in Central Park, Chelmsford. The event was organised by North Essex Partnership and supported by Virgin Active, Dorset Cereals, Britvic and Time to Change. The purple plaster, No Health without Mental Health, was worn by service users, staff and members of the public to raise awareness and stop mental health discrimination.

A groundbreaking partnership has been formed between the military, North Essex Partnership and Combat Stress to look after the needs of veterans with mental health problems. The partnership, which works under the slogan A United Approach, held a conference at the Weston Homes Community Stadium in Colchester on 18 October, to explore the services already available for veterans locally and improve links between organisations.

Stuart Ayris, Team Manager for Maldon Adult Community Mental Health Team, has finished his second book, a novel called Tollesbury Time Forever. The novel is about

a man with schizophrenia/alcohol problems and his efforts to be reunited with the wife and son he abandonned 24 years earlier. The book celebrates the spirit of people suffering with mental

health problems, fighting stigma and showing that suffering from a mental illness does not stop someone being the hero of their own life.

Got something to say? Get involved Email: Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk

Annual Public Meeting A

round 300 people attended the Trusts Annual Public Meeting on 14 September 2011 at the Central Baptist Church, Chelmsford. Bruce Calderwood, Director of Mental Health and Disability at the Department of Health was the guest speaker and he spoke about the Governments mental health strategy, No Health without Mental Health and the future of mental health services. Three local schools, (St Cleres School, Stanford-Le-Hope, Clacton Coastal Academy and Boswells School, Chelmsford) performed their plays about mental health. The plays were written especially for a drama competition which was organised by the Trust to highlight mental health issues and end stigma.

The winner was St Cleres School the students were presented with a trophy by Mary St Aubyn, Chairman. Boswells School was the runner up and Clacton Coastal Academy was highly commended. Feedback Linda Pearson, Staff Governor: The plays - well they spoke for themselves didnt they - what a wonderful idea that was. I do wish all our staff could have seen them. It was an excellent APM.

Dan Kessler, Lead Governor: Congratulations - our best APM to date.

Students performing from St Cleres School

Coming Up
Schizophrenia

The National Inquiry into Schizophrenia is about to launch the questions its seeking views on - We are planning three meetings around Understanding Schizophrenia and will include service user and carer stories as well as medical and nursing opinions. Want to get involved? Then get in touch!

The Trusts Mental Health Drama competition for schools has been launched and this year also includes a public speaking competition on the theme, OMG I cant believe what you just said about mental health - want to get involved? If so let us know!

2012 Drama & Speaking Competition

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Got something to say? Get involved Email: Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk

Dates for your Diary

December

22

Clacton Christmas Carers Event

Freeland Court Day Hospital in Clacton is holding its annual carers at Christmas event on Thursday 22 December between 12noon and 3pm. It will be an open door event for carers and the people that they care for to come and find out about services available to them locally. It is also a time for carers to meet each other and have a mince pie and a bit of Christmas cheer.

We are looking for people to stand for election as Governors of the Trust (elections take place between January and March 2012, by postal ballot). We're looking for Governor candidates in ... Tendring, Colchester, Braintree, Epping and Uttlesford

Governor Elections

18&25
January

We're also holding two events where you can chat with some Governors, to get a better feel for what's needed and whether you want to give it a go! These will be held on Wednesday 18 January at 6.30pm - 8pm, and on Wednesday 25 January at 1pm - 3pm. Both gatherings will be held at Trust HQ, Stapleford House, Stapleford Close, Chelmsford, CM2 0QX

February

29

World Mental Health Day Launch

On Wednesday 29 February 2012 were leaping against stigma in Colchester. We will be launching a conference about stigma that day to build up for a magnificent World Mental health Day on Wednesday 10 October 2012. If you want to be part of the leaping (not bungee jumping!) but are prepared to go the extra few feet for mental health - please us know.

Brain Teaser
If you would like more information about our upcoming events or have you got something to say? Get involved! Contact: Helene.Samuel@nepft.nhs.uk or call 0800 169 1625

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1 7 4 2

Get Involved!

For our next issue we want to feature your favourite recipes, the ones that make you feel good. Send us your best recipe, your reasons why its your favourite and pictures to: Tracey.Mann@nepft.nhs.uk.

We want to know your recipes!

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Your Governors
Contact u can There are two ways yo : contact your Governor Secretary, By letter. C/O Trust ce, NEPFT, 103 Trust Secretarys offi sford, CM2 Stapleford Close, Chelm 0QX ntrust@nepft. By email to foundatio nhs.uk s is below. A list of our governor clude the Please remember to in /s you wish name of the Governor essage. to contact in your m

Your Governo rs cant cant deal with pers onal complain ts or concerns a bout the Tru st or your care and treatmen t. For this, you should speak to your Care Co-ordinator or call the Patie nt Advice an d Liaison Servic e (PALS) on 01245 546433 b etw and 4.30pm, M een 9am onday - Frida y.

Public Governors:

Braintree: Mikey Henderson, Matt Mills, Valerie Sach Chelmsford: Mary Power, Steven Pruner, Cathy Trevaldwyn, Brian Winder Colchester: Annette Bright, Peter Cheng, Lucy Taylor East Herts: Michael Waller Epping Forest: Sheila Jackman, Andrew Smith, Brian Spinks Harlow: David Bamber, Terrie Harris Maldon: David Pickles, David Williams South Essex: David Fairweather Suffolk: Moshud Ali Tendring: Angela Barnes, Dan Kessler, Hugh Thompson

Stakeholder Governors:
Essex County Council: HM Prison Chelmsford: Media: Primary Care Trusts: TACMEP: Universities: Voluntary Organisations:

Cllr Michael Skeels Robert Davis Dave Monk - BBC Essex Qadir Bakhsh - W Essex, David Barron - M Essex, Tim Young - NE Essex Nick Ntiako Brown Allen Senivassen - Anglia Ruskin University Claire Lance - Alzheimers Society, Hazel Ruane - Essex Respite Assn, Clive White - Colchester Mind

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