End the Care Crisis: Lobby 2012

Today we've heard the news that disabled people (including people with a mental illness) could be forced to work for free or face a cut in benefits. The clause is part of the welfare reform bill currently working its way through Parliament and applies only to individuals placed in the Employment and Support Allowance 'work related activity group'. If you are unsure whether this applies to you, talk to you benefits advisor. If you think you have been placed in the Wrag group incorrectly, contact the Rethink Advice and Information Service.

As well as changes to the welfare system, government is also reforming our social care system. On 6th March, Rethink Mental Illness is organising a lobby of parliament to protest against some of the changes. Participants will meet in Westminster at 12pm, where you can participate in a Rethink Mental Illness ‘lobbying your MP’ training session. We’ll have lunch. You can then take part in a media photo opportunity, if you want to.

We’ll then head off to the Houses of Parliament at 2pm, so you can meet your MP at a time we can arrange for you. The day will end at 5pm. If you'd like to take part in the lobby you can register here. You need to register by 20th February at the latest.

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Update on closure of MRI inpatient services

The NHS North West Board has approved the capital funding for Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust's Inpatient Pathway Redesign (IPR) Project. See the Trust's website for more information about this . This means that the Trust will now proceed with plans to relocate its inpatient services to two sites from the current three. The change will result in the inpatient beds that are currently at Edale House at Manchester Royal Infirmary being relocated to Park House on the North Manchester General Hospital site. The Trust says: "This will give us unprecedented opportunities to improve care to our service users and their carers." When the Trust announced its intention to close the inpatient unit at MRI we wrote to the Manchester Evening News to express our concerns about the extra burden this would place on some carers in terms of extra travelling time. The Trust's latest communication about the IPR states that: "The work in addressing concerns about ...

What an inspiring evening!

We had our 'Bring and Share' event tonight and as well as eating too much chocolate (again) I've come away feeling really inspired. We talked about all the skills, experience and knowledge that we've gained by either coping with having a mental illness, or though caring for a loved one who has been very ill. You can see all the ideas we jotted down from the discussion - from coming to understand your limitations (and that these can change), to developing patience, coping strategies and learning how to think positively. We understand how mental health services work and different illnesses themselves. It struck me, particularly from the people in the room who themselves have to deal with what can be devastating mental illnesses, that we're a pretty skilled bunch of people. For some, mental illness forces a process of self examination - and eventually self awareness - that is painful but hugely illuminating. It's a process that many of us won't have to go throu...

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As readers of this blog may know, Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust is in the process of relocating psychiatric inpatient services from Edale House at the Central Manchester Hospital (MRI) site to Park House at North Manchester General Hospital. We've always been concerned about the impact that this move will have on carers and service users in terms of increased transport times. A representative from the Trust came to our meeting last month to update us on plans for transport and the Trust's latest newsletter contains the following update on the service user and carer transport sub-group: "The group last met on 6 February and it was decided that another visitor questionnaire should be undertaken to make sure that we make the right decisions about transport. It was also agreed that more engagement and communication with service users is necessary and the service users and carers who attend the meetings will support this....

Rethink Mental Illness Manchester Group

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