Published by Redbridge Concern for Mental Health

Closing the Gap

Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, launched the Governments new action plan on mental health. Ambitiously entitled "Closing the Gap", this document sets out a series of positive and welcome targets that if achieved will vastly improve the lives of people living with mental illness and poor mental well-being.

The document sets out 25 priorities for change. It details how changes in local service planning and delivery will make a difference to the lives of people with mental health problems in the next 2 or 3 years.

You can read and download Closing the Gap here

Need Disability Related Welfare Benefits Advice?

It's important to make sure that you get all the help that you're entitled to.

So if you need help with disability related welfare benefits advice such as: DLA, PIPs (Personal Independence Payments), Blue Badge Applications, Carers Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance then please contact our Welfare Benefits Advisor.

The Welfare Advisor works on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9.30am to 2.30pm BUT by appointments only

To book an appointment please call or email Indi:

t:
e:

RUN-UP Newsletter

Read and download the latest RUN-UP newsletter and find out more about the Bedroom Tax 'farce'.

Service users encouraged to have their say on community mental health services

More than 850 patients who have received mental health services from North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) over the last year are to be asked about their car

During the coming weeks the national community mental health survey will be posted to a random selection of service users aged 18 and over in the four north east London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest who were treated between 1 September 2013 and 30 November 2013 by NELFT's community mental health services.

Jacqui Van Rossum, executive director integrated care (London) and transformation, urged mental health service users to complete the survey if they receive one. "Obtaining feedback from service and taking account of their views and priorities is vital for bringing about improvements in the quality of care," she said. "Our community mental health services scored well overall in last year's National Community Mental Health Survey.

Find out more here

Next Steps Taster Day, 5 March 2014

Start: 11:00
Finish: 14:00

Come along and speak to current participants in The Next Steps project. The project is all about developing and promoting the skills, confidence and capacity of people with lived experience of mental health problems - in particular to promote a mental health 'voice' in the community

Developing 'Your Voice'
We provide training and one to one support to enable you to attend meetings and forums and
promote mental health

Support
Peer support plays a vital part in the development of the project. Peer support includes: Listening and sharing first-hand knowledge about living with a mental health problem

Free Training including:
Confidence building, making meetings work, public speaking, IT training, tackling stigma and
discrimination.

Venue: Gloucester Room, Redbridge Central Library, Clements Rd, IG1 1EA
Contact: Jon or Regina
Organisation: Redbridge Concern for Mental Health
Tel:
Email:

New recommendations for better psychosis care

New guidelines have been published that describe what the best treatment and care for people with psychosis and schizophrenia should be like. Although health services do not have to follow these recommendations, they are seen as the 'gold standard' of care.

Find out more here

Have Your Say - Redbridge Housing Plan, 2014-2019

Redbridge Council want a housing plan that can handle the issues and changes we are facing. We listened to the people who live and work in Redbridge, to make sure that the plan covered the main issues.

The Housing Plan for 2014 to 2019 has now been finished. It covers all housing in the borough including private housing, Council housing, sheltered and supported housing. It shows what the Council will do to make sure there are enough new, affordable homes and to deal with issues with homes we have.

The Council is very keen to hear your views and is doing this up to the 28th March 2014. As well as this form, there will be a series of events and all the feedback will be looked at by the Council's Cabinet in April

To find out more about the consultation and how to respond visit Redbridge i

Do you need extra help to pay your rent or council tax?

It's normal to feel worried, anxious or down when times are hard. Job insecurity, redundancy, debt and financial problems can all cause emotional distress

Are you receiving Housing Benefit but still struggling to pay your rent in full? Are you finding it hard to pay your Council Tax even though you receive a Council Tax Reduction?

There is extra financial support which may be available to help you

Find out more on how to access Discretionary Housing and Hardship Payments on Redbridge i

Alternatively, email Redbridge Council
or call 020 8708 5690 and we can send you a form

Help available through the Redbridge Emergency Support Scheme

The scheme will provide financial help in two ways, but ONLY where there is no alternative help available:

Firstly, where urgent short term help is needed in exceptional circumstances, for example after an emergency or disaster, or to prevent serious risk to a person's or their immediate family's health or safety.

Secondly, where a person needs help to establish themselves in Redbridge after being in institutional care, as part of a planned resettlement programme, for example after leaving prison or residential care.

Please note: No cash payments will be made unless exceptional circumstances apply.

To find out more about the scheme and how to apply for emergency support click here

Is someone hurting or upsetting you because of who you are? We're here to help.

Redbridge Concern for Mental Health is now a Hate Crime Help and Referral Centre. We offer a safe, confidential environment for anybody who has experienced crime, harassment or abuse because of their: race; religion; sexuality; disability; age; gender identity or mental health condition.

Talk to us and we'll tell you about the wide range of options and support available to you. You can contact us on or email:

For more information about Hate Crime Help and Referral Centres visit Redbridge i

Web Site Editor

Jon Abrams
Redbridge Concern for Mental Health
98-100 Ilford Lane
Ilford, Essex IG1 2LD
Web Site: rcmh.org.uk
Email:
Telephone:

Company Limited by Guarantee No.3115971
Registered Charity No. 1065770

A big thanks to our funders: the London Borough of Redbridge and NHS Redbridge

Disclaimer

All links in the Concern for Mental Health's enews bulletin have been selected using a standard links protocol. Links are provided for information and convenience only. Redbridge Concern for Mental Health cannot accept responsibility for the content of sites linked to, and any links do not represent an endorsement by Redbridge Concern for Mental Health. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over the availability of linked pages.