Whats your views on the proposed changes to mental health services in North Warks?.

Should all inpatient care be moved from Avenue Clinic in Nuneaton to the Caluden Centre at Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry?

This article was published in the Nuneaton weekly Tribune on April 24, 2008.

A campaign to stop changes to mental health provision in north Warwickshire is just around the corner.

Voices 4 Choices says the axe is hovering over Nuneaton's Avenue Clinic.

And they're not prepared to let it go without a fight.

The group, which gives a voice to service users, says it is convinced the clinic is under threat, despite assurances from Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust that no decision has been made.

Heather Clelland, chief executive of Voices 4 Choices, said: 'We understand there is a need for change but all the changes seem to be being in north Warwickshire'.

 'If Avenue Clinic goes there will no beds at all in the north of the county'.

'There are real concerns as to how that would impact on patients care'.

'It would be harder to get people to admit themselves voluntarily and also very hard for their families'.

'Avenue Clinic also has the only women only ward in Coventry and Warwickshire'.

'The trust is saying there are no fixed plans but we believe they will close Avenue Clinic within two years and that it is likely they will transfer services to the Caluden Centre in Coventry'.

'That has already happened in Rugby, and it has caused difficulties. It would be even harder for our service users here'.

'We think it would damage the recovery process'.

'We are going to have our say with the trust but we are already working on a campaign to save our beds'.

Colin Merker, the trust's director for mental health services, said no decisions have been taken on the future of the clinic.

He said: 'We are looking at the best way to provide adult inpatient mental health services in our area'.

'We went to talk to Voices 4 Choices members because we wanted to make sure they were fully aware of the discussions now taking place'.

'Its our job to meet the needs of local people by providing the right mental health services for the whole of our area. We have still to agree with our NHS colleagues and others the best way of providing local services'.

'But if we were to propose any major change to existing services, we would first conduct a formal public consultation'.

Avenue Clinic is on the Manor Hospital site off Manor Court Road.

It is one of three in patient adult mental health units in Coventry and Warwickshire. It has four wards including a psychiatric intensive care unit.

The idea is that people go to the clinic for a short time for assessment and treatment.

A spokesman for the partnership trust said, 'The vast majority of people who use our services receive help in their own community, usually in their own home'.

It also provides some outpatient care.

Nuneaton Carnival 2008 will be on 15th June around the town centre at 12.30pm.

Voices 4 Choices are pleased to anounce that we will be entering a float in the carnival, will keep you posted on progress.

Anyone wanting to be involved, contact the team on      02476 700356

Voices 4 Choices are pleased to announce the success in winning the 'Supporting People, Empowerment and Advocacy' contract for 2008. see job vacancies.

Would you vote for an MP with a mental health background?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/poll/2008/jan/23/poll.mentalhealth

I would be very grateful if you could forward this e-mail to organisations who may wish to join in the debate following Stand to Reason's parliamentary reception with Mr Bondevik the former Norwegian PM at the House of Commons on Monday, who talked candidly about taking time off sick with depression while running the country. It would be great if people feel free to cascade to their members as they see fit.

If you missed it, you can see Mr Bondevik again in a package which
includes an interview with Matt Cooper a member of Stand to Reason. The video is top of the recommended list on the site.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7200000/newsid_7201600?redirect=7201614.stm&news=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1&bbram=1&nbram=1

Jeremy Paxman starts the blog by saying:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/2008/01/bravery_in_the_face_of_mental_illness.html

"I know we're supposed not to be partisan, or to pass judgement on those we interview. But I have to say that of all the many politicians it has been my occasionally painful) duty to interview over the years, Mr Bondevik comes pretty near the top.

It's so rare to find man talking with such frankness and courage about such a charged and sensitive subject."

The Guardian are also running a related blog which is focussed on the related question "Would you vote for an MP who has a background of mental ill health?"

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/joepublic/2008/01/would_you_vote_for_an_mp_with.html

Stand to Reason is campaigning to remove restrictions on people with mental ill health entering Parliament and similar laws which affect company directors, partners, insolvency practitioners, magistrates, jurors.

Please contact info@standtoreason.org.uk if you would like to help fight
the campaign.

In August 2007 the Drug and Alcohol Joint Commissioning Group agreed a recommendation made by the DAAT manager ' to undertake a review of services provided at Woodleigh Beeches, particularly drug and alcohol services'. As part of the review, Voices 4 Choices have been asked to review out of county service facilities. We have visited a number of detox/rehabilitation units accompanied by service users and will shortly be putting a report together which will review these facilities. We have also been given access to service users in Woodleigh Beeches, where we have been speaking to service users about their treatment in Woodleigh. Service users there have the opportunity to fill in a short questionnaire which will be useful in feeding service users views back to the DAAT. There will be a final report handed to Warwickshire Safer Communities Partnership in February 2008.

CONGRATULATIONS to Warwickshire DAAT for winning the CSIP Highflyers Award for Information Sharing - joining health and social care.  The DAAT offer a range of information about alcohol and drug misuse.

Substance misuse alert

We at Voices 4 Choices are campaigning against the governments plans to ban smoking in acute inpatient units. We believe that a crisis is not the time to be told to quit. We have been gathering names on a petition that will be taken to the Houses of Parliament.

Anyone wishing to get involved can contact us for more information on 02476 700 356.