Get involved in the new mental health and dementia website
People in Warwickshire who are affected by mental health issues and dementia are being encouraged to help shape the future of an online resource.
Warwickshire County Council’s new mental health website aims to give service users and their carers a place to go to for support and to share their experiences. From 10am-12pm on Thursday 20 August people are invited to share their views at an informal drop in session.
The consultation session is being held at Adult, Health and Community Services, Saltisford Office Park, Warwick CV34 from 10am-12pm, Thursday 20 August, or ideas can be emailed to adultplanningteam@warwickshire.gov.uk by 28 August.
Online resources are increasingly the first port of call for people affected by mental health issues as stigma and a lack of confidence often hold people back from asking for help and advice. The consultation session is being organised so that the end user can influence the way information is provided in the future and make it more relevant to their needs.
Warwickshire County Council has also recently secured Department of Health funding to develop a social networking site for people who are affected by dementia as part of a specialist dementia advisor project.
Research from the mental health foundation shows that in the UK, 1 in 6 people experience depression and 1 in 7 people experience anxiety, and rates could rise as people find themselves facing unemployment, debt and housing worries as a result of the economic crisis. Such circumstances can lead to extreme stress, depression and anxiety. Added to this, there are approximately 6,800 people suffering from dementia in Warwickshire.
Kim Harlock, Head of Strategic Commissioning & Performance Management
at Warwickshire County Council, said: “We cannot underestimate the power of the internet when it comes to people seeking help and support and it is our aim to meet people’s needs in the best way possible. The social networking side is also very exciting as we have the potential to join people together who may have been feeling very isolated in the past but haven’t had the confidence to speak to someone in person.”
If you would like more information about the drop-in session please contact Parmjit Dhaliwal or Sharon Crisp on 01926 745 375. For more information on mental health services in Warwickshire visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/mentalhealth
Entities for this story
- Department of Health
- Warwickshire County Council
- Kim Harlock
- Sharon Crisp
- head
- advisor
- Governor
- Head of Strategic Commissioning & Performance Management
- mental health services
- social networking site
- social networking side
- depression
- dementia
- www.warwickshire.gov.uk/mentalhealth
- adultplanningteam@warwickshire.gov.uk
- United Kingdom
- Saltisford Office Park