Monday 22nd January 2007

Hi, things are going kind of ok with Forum stuff and very well with personal stuff.
In terms of the Forum, Professor Louis Appleby's office has been less than efficient in organising a date. They postponed our AGM date, the one they gave us because he had booked holiday!!! No wonder the Government is such a mess, when they can't even co-ordinate a National Directors holiday. Other-wise things are going ok. The membership is growing, going out and trying to meet people and also going to the mental health teams is proving to be successful. I am really aiming for as many people on ICPA in Bournemouth to be members, currently just over 1000. We have a growing number of professional joining including a fireman! The magazine is continuing to be a success, and we have been asked by the OT department of St Ann's to be involved in helping service users have an In-house magazine. This means that service users in hospital can get involved with DTP, design, printing, writing articles or experiences, taking digital photos and publishing them. The Forum can oversee and put their name to it, which allows service users to have their say without any problems Trust wise. This came out of the last Acute Care Forum meeting in which the Head of OT showed those present something a service user had done. The Chair was very pleased for it to happen but there were concerns raised about the wording and content. It was suggested that if the Forum published it, it would remain a service user voice and there would be no comeback on the Trust from the NHS.
I continue to campaign about the Mental Health Bill amendments, and went to the mass lobby of parliment in November. My local MP, Tobias Elwood has been very receptive to mental health issues. I will continue to campaign for better mental health services in the future, both locally and nationally.