Voices Of eXperience - a new Scottish mental health service user organisation

September 2006. Please see our introductory newsletter below:

 

 

 

                                                                        Voices of eXperience

                                                                        c/o The  Mental                                           Health Foundation

                                                                        Merchants House

                                                                        30 George Square

                                                                        Glasgow

                                                                        G2 1EG

 

                                                                        13.09.06

 

Dear Friend

 

Userforward (the forerunner to VOX) organised an Open Space event, which was held in Dundee 2004. The event was attended by 150 service users from across Scotland and as a result of the ideas shared there a clear mandate was given for a national, user-led organisation to represent mental health service users in service design and delivery matters at a national level. As you know (or can imagine!) it has taken quite a lot of behind the scenes work to get to where VOX is now, and we still have a way to go to get to the point where we will be properly established and able to provide an inclusive, national voice for service users in Scotland. In this work we are aware that service users need to have co-ordinated and often challenging voice!

 

We sincerely hope that our work will complement and support all the ongoing hard work being carried out by service users and local networks that are already involved in design and delivery of mental health and related services across Scotland.

 

First of all, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you. I’m Lindsay Johnson, the new development coordinator with VOX. Our office is based at the Mental Health Foundation’s Glasgow office. The postal address is provided above and VOX’s telephone number is 0141 572 1663. You can also visit our website at www.voxscotland.org.uk . Our website is updated regularly with news and progress that relates to the mental health community in Scotland.

 

At present we are working part-time hours so please bear with us, however this will soon be increasing to full-time hours when our new development worker comes on board. The development worker post is being advertised this week and we hope some of you will be interested in applying! It’s being advertised in the Big Issue and Third Force News (from Thursday 14^th September for 1 week).

 

VOX will also be holding its inaugural Annual General Meeting on Monday 11^th December and we hope to see you there. We will contact you with details about venue, travel arrangements, etc. as they unfold. This will be free of charge for service users.

Also, as usual there are lots of opportunities to get involved in a variety of national developments and events that we will tell you more about in our forthcoming newsletter. In the meantime, here are a few things that might be of interest to you:

 

• The Mental Welfare Commission (MWC) will be consulting with service users, carers, advocacy and other interested services and organisations on the impact of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 so far.  Roadshows will be held by MWC to carry out these consultations in Glasgow on 31^th October, Perth on 7^th November and Edinburgh on 30^th November. Further details can be found on the Mental Welfare Commission website: www.mwcscot.org.uk/web/site/Diary/Events.asp

 

• See me Scotland is currently carrying out research into its anti-stigma campaign and wants to hear the views of service users via its website: www.seemescotland.org.uk/  . 

 

• Section 26 relates to how local authorities provide care and support to help people on their journey to recovery in relation to the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. To let people know that this help should be available and how to get it workshops are being held in Glasgow on the 4^th October, Dundee on 2^nd November and Edinburgh on 3^rd November. Applications, invitations and programmes can be found on our website:

www.voxscotland.org.uk   

 

• In partnership with service users the Scottish Executive Mental Health Department is developing a Mental Health Delivery Plan for Scotland. As part of this process it is also holding an event for service users and providers at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Glasgow on Friday 8^th December. The closing date for applications 1st November and the event is free of charge, however places are limited. Application forms can be found on our website:

www.voxscotland.org.uk   

 

• The Mental Health Foundation and the Camelot Foundation are launching their self-harm inquiry report in Edinburgh on 6^th October. As this conference plans to pull together a report to take to the Scottish Executive on what action should be taken to move these issues forward in Scotland. There are free places for service users on a first come first serve basis. Please contact Marsha Parsons on 0141 572 0125 or email: mparsons@mhf.org.uk

 

Please note that if you don’t use the Internet and want more information about the events above then please contact us and we’ll get that information out to you ASAP. If there’s nobody here when you get in touch please leave us a message.

 

Last but not least, just to let you know that VOX will be visiting mental health service user networks and interested organisations across Scotland in the very near future. The aim is to make sure we learn about local services and what way you want a national organisation to help. We also want to make sure that everyone will be able to put faces to the name of VOX.

 

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is anything more you’d like to know.

 

I/we all really look forward to meeting you soon.

 

Best wishes, 

 

 Lindsay Johnson

Development Co-ordinator - VOX  

Thank you!