Warwickshire News Mine

That was the message from Warwickshire mental health service users to planners, managers and commissioners of mental health services at the Mental Wellbeing event at the Trident Technology and Business Centre in Leamington Spa on 1 April. 

The aim of the event was to measure how well community-based resource cafes are doing in meeting the needs of the Warwickshire population – in particular in attracting and supporting people with common mental health problems like mild depression, anxiety and phobias. 

The event was organised by Warwickshire County Council in partnership with the Strategic Health Authority, the Care Services Improvement Partnership and the Inukshuk Consultancy.

Traditionally the seven resource cafes have catered for people with varying degrees of mental ill health and have been integral in supporting services that enable people with severe mental ill health to live at home by offering socially inclusive activities in each locality.

Whilst service users appreciated the social interaction and one to one support that the cafés had provided, they identified involvement and participation as one of the things that had really helped improve their overall recovery and wellbeing. 

As a result of the workshop event, the new Wellbeing Centres will now be working to promote the new centres to people who don’t know how to access information or services increase opportunities for involvement through decision making or skill sharing tackle inequalities so that people who are not using the centres as much as others such as young people, ethnic minorities and women can benefit from greater access to them

Dr Graeme Betts, Strategic Director of Adult, Health and Community Services at Warwickshire County Council, said: "This is a great example of how services can be modernised to ensure that they are geared up for the real needs of service users and carers in Warwickshire. 

"By directly engaging with our customers we have gained a real insight into what services they need and want for the future.  We will continue to work together with Warwickshire NHS Trust and other partners to ensure that these insights are translated into action".

Everybody who needs information or support in coping with their own or a family member’s mental health problem is welcome at the Wellbeing Centres and will be offered a cup of tea whether they are just popping in for a piece of information or are looking for longer term support. 

Please ring your nearest centre for opening times or find information on the website: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/mentalhealth

Information on mental health and Wellbeing Centres is also available from your local library.

Link to WCC