NEWS LETTER

Help & Events Around

The County
Building Carer Friendly
Communities.
On Thursday 10th
September
An OPEN EVENING was held in
Ferndown, all mental health carers
were welcome. Nick Plumridge
gave a talk on Care Quality
Commission Inspections. Nick goes
round mental health
establishments with a team
inspecting the care and its quality.
It was interesting and at times
amusing.
Carers came from not only
Ferndown, but Weymouth,
Dorchester, Poole and Christchurch.
It was good to see carers from
different areas of Dorset getting to
know one another.

On Thursday 10th
December
Carers are meeting up for a
Christmas Lunch provided by the
DMHCP at ZIZZI in Dorchester at
12-30. There may still be a few
places left, if you wish to find out
please phone Joy or Nigel, phone
number at the bottom of the page.

Carers Teas
Every third Thursday of the
month tea
and cake is being served in Forston
Clinic
canteen with Peer carers and acute
staff
or members of the crisis team to
offer
carers support.
Start at 4-00pm. Do come if you
want to
Talk to someone, we are there to
listen.

Carers Rights Day

On Friday 20th November it was
Carers Rights Day, and events
were held around the county.
Carers Lead West with DMHCP,
Rethink and NHS had stands in the
West, with information and support
in Weymouth, Dorchester and
Blandford Libraries. There was also
information support and
refreshments at Forston Clinic.

one
All About Me
My name is Karen Baker. I have been
Wishing
diagnosed with Post Natal
Depression, I
Everyone a Happy
Carers
are vital partners in the
have been a carer to my grandad
provision
of mental
health
and
who had
Dementia
and I am
a social
Christmas.
care registered
services. Mental
ThereHealth
are 1.5
million
Nurse
who
For any further information, please
contact:works
at care
Melstock
House
people
who
for someone
with a
Joy or Nigel Ford on telephone numbers
01305
East
& 01202
on Forston
Clinic
in
Dorchester.
mental
illness
in340045
theSite
UK.
373305 West
or email dorsetmentalhealthcarersproject@yahoo.com
Carers
kind
to that
yourselves.
I am be
proud
to say
I have been
or send a message via Facebook:- nursing
There
no such
thing
good
forisover
20 years
of as
myalife
and carer
still
Dorset Mental Health Carers
Project
or bad
carer, they are just people
have
a passion
commitment
to theand
thrust
into anand
extremely
difficult
oftenNHS
demanding position. The person
andsupports
for peopleis
inan
general.
I think that
a carer
individual,
and
my
evenown
twolived
people
with
the
same
experience of Mental
diagnoses
Health will be affected differently.
The illness
present
itselfindifferently
made a can
massive
difference
my
approach
in each
person. One may also go into
to those
that I than
now care
for. I can
recovery
sooner
another.
This has
reflect
nothing
to do with how you the carer
now on the difficult time that my
has supported
a person, but more to
family had
the degree
of the illness
and the affect
as they watched
me becoming
it hasdepressed
had on an individual.
but refusing to acknowledge this or
Try not
to compare yourself to how
accept
another
copes
and
acts.
help.carer
I feel that
I now
have
an You
knowempathy
the person
with you are supporting,
families
who
need
information
and the
odds
are
what
you are and
doing is
answer thing for your own
the correct
to questions and concerns that
situation,
if you have any doubts on
nursing
that,staff
talkmay
to the
health team
or
feelmental
are not relevant.
I
your dont
GP. Dont
think be so hard on yourself,
remember
an impossible
that youyou
canare
everdoing
underestimate
the
importance
listening
ear and
an
job to
the best of
ofayour
ability.
Be kind
acknowledgement
of
someones
to yourself, you would not judge some
else worries.
in your position so harshly, so
The over anxious relatives who just
realise
you are doing really well.
wants
to know Mental
if their loved
oneCarers
slept and
The Dorset
Health
has
Project.
Is run by a group of carers and
eaten today. The difference a phone
people
in supporting carers.
callinterested
to
We act
as the
voice
of are
theyou
carers,
a carer
to ask
How
today?makes
listening
to what they say and
a massive
difference
in building
reporting
positive
and negative
relationproblems back to the Carers Lead in
ships and working towards the
the West
and East of the County where
clients
Professionals,
recovery. Third Sector

Organisations and Carers work

I am enormously
of being
one
together
to improveproud
mental
health
of thefor everyone. If you would like
services
carers
leads atget
Melstock
House
and
to join
us, please
in touch,
wed
being involved in the DMHCP. I am in
love awe
to meet
you.
of the

dedication
andto
passion
that
the
Big Thank
You
Karen
Baker,
for
carers
taking time out from her work and
bring often in difficult circumstances.
life, Ito tell us about being a Carers
Lead.
One
manythat
dedicated
feel
that of
it isthe
important
we
people
I have
continue
to met since being part
work towards getting right. We
of DMHCP
actively
encourage feedback from carers to
help us
improve our care at Melstock House.

When not working, I am a Wife,

Daughter, Mother and outstanding
skittles player. I
won a trophy last year, and happy
to tell
you all about it.

DORSET MENTAL
HEALTH CARERS
PROJECT
Working to improve
mental health for
carers and their
families throughout
Dorset

WINTER 2015

R-E-A-C-H

A program of events around

the county
For people you are
supporting, who are looking
for some where to go and
meet up with likeminded
people.
REACH is a sports and
leisure program that
is led and managed by
Dorset Mental Health Forum
Peer Staff. It is open to
anyone over 16 years old
and promotes fun, exercise,
and social, within a
welcoming friendly
environment.
congiorgi@dorsetmentalhealthfo
rum.org.uk

reach@dorsetmentalforum.o
rg,uk

Computers4Carers

Computers for full-time unpaid carers. Would a laptop

computer be helpful to you?
Would you find it difficult to
afford to buy a computer
yourself? Please contact us
for more information and
discuss your needs. Carers
can contact us directly, or a
friend, relative or social
worker can get in touch on
their behalf.
Dorset Computers4Carers
16 Insely Crescent,
Broadstone, Dorset BH218
9EA. Telephone 07931
804999.

RECOVERY EDUCATION
CENTRE.

The New REC Prospectuses

will be out in the New Year.
Why not call and have a copy
sent or E-Mailed to you.
Browses through and check
out the courses, not only for
you but there may be
something thats helpful to
the person you care for or a
family member. There are
two courses specifically for
carers but there are other
REC course that could be
helpful in a supporting
someone. Have a look

through its worth a look and

its all free.
Phone-07787836708/01202
584478
Recovery.educationcentre@d
huft.uk

Work Wise

A dedicated team of
Employment Coordinators
(ESCs) has been appointed to
work with primary care mental
health services, employers and
individuals throughout Dorset.
The Service includes
Information and Advice,
Support,
Signposting, Referral,
Training.
Helping people with common
mental health problems to
remain in work or regain the
confidence or gain the skills to
return to working life.
www.dorsetmentalhealthforu
m.org.uk
Phone 01305 257172
Please be aware that all team
members work
Part-time and may not be
available immediately.

2014, which seeks to strengthen the

rights of carers and build a greater
level of consistency of support
across England. The strategy opens
with commitment to work in
partnership with carers to build
better services and healthier
communities. It also acknowledges
the core fact that people do not
recover in isolation and that carers
play an essential role in peoples
recovery. It is also recognized that
caring responsibilities often have a
considerable impact on the
wellbeing of people in caring and
supportive roles.

Central to the strategy is the work of

the Dorset Mental Health Carers
Project which, through engaging
with a wide range of carers groups,
is helping provide feedback on the
things that we are doing well and
also areas that we need to improve.
This feedback will take place at two
levels, within Dorset Health Care, at
senior management level, but also
at team level. It is important to us
that the strategy is not just words on
a page but actually translate into
improvements in how carers are
engaged in services. We are now in
the process of turning the strategy
into clear action points and this
includes Dorset Health Care signing
up to the Triangle of Care, which
Message from Dorsets
provides a framework to benchmark
Carers Lead.
services against standards
developed by professionals and
Dorset Healthcare are delighted to
carers. By working closely with the
have relaunched their carers
Carers Project and carers we can
strategy over the summer. In
draw on their expertise and they can
particular, we are grateful from all of
provide us with a link ensuring we
the involvement of carers in
are turning good ideas into tangible
developing it and trying to base it on
actions. With Thanks To Phil
what people are telling us is
Morgan DHUFT. NHS.
important not just what the
professionals think is best. At the
. HAPPY CHRISTMAS
centre of this was the request from
EVERYONE
people who access services and
their carers and supporters is that
people want to be able to recover
and rebuild self-esteem and
confidence to engage in open and
trusting relationships with
professionals and to be treated as
equal partners with recognition of
peoples expertise by experience.
In addition, the Strategy has been
updated in line with the new
legislation laid out in the Care Act

Prevention is better than cure

The apparently alarming statistics

meted out by Government in respect
of reductions in funding for Child
and Adolescent Mental Health
Services, belie the progress being
made in Schools and Colleges
through enhanced training and
awareness in Education
Professionals. Awareness of mental
Health issues in the young has never
been higher than at present.
Teachers have long been responsible
for the moral, spiritual and
ethicacare. Welfare of pupils and
students in their care. Teachers have
been charged with delivering better
awareness of all aspects of sound
Health through PHSE lessons and in
their choice of materials to teach.
The Teachers and Lecturers
Professional Associations have gone
one step further in putting Mental
Health in Schools and Colleges at
the front of their agenda. Training
for their members in recognizing,
mentoring where appropriate, and
promoting practices conducive to
sound mental health is being

provided at no cost to members.

Open debate around issues such as
healthy body image in boys and
girls, self-harming and recognizing
stress, is driving the formation of
Healthy Minds policies in
Educational Establishments.
All too often the anxious 8 year-old
or tense 13 year-old has become the
young adult who has developed a
more serious illness in late
adolescence or early adulthood.
From small beginnings grow big
changes and the current training
undertaken by Teachers and
Lecturers in awareness and
prevention alongside bodies such as
Young Minds, Rethink and
independent Specialist Therapy
Clinicians supporting Young People
and Families such as ASC, is a step
in the right direction.
Thanks to a DMHCP member for
this article
www.adolescentsupportclinic.co.uk

Living Well Courses for

your Wellbeing

Working to improve the

wellbeing of local people
across Dorset. If you are
over the age of 19 years and
are struggling with your
emotional wellbeing, or want
to learn more about building
on your personal resilience
to stressful situations these
courses may be helpful.
Living Well Foundation.
Courses exploring essential
components to support your
wellbeing and recovery.
Living Well Creative &
Active. Workshops exploring
creativity through a range of
art and exercise forms.
Living Well Refresh. For
those who already have
completed some courses and
would like to refresh some of
their skills.
If you are interested you will
need to register you can
apply on line at
www.skillsand
learningbdp.co.uk
Or call on 01202 262300