Draft LPMG minutes published

Draft minutes of the January 2012 South West Kent LPMG meeting have been published, with an interesting presentation about the Gateway services and a discussion about mental health "clustering".

Hitchhikers Guide to the Recovery Journey - coming soon for Mental Health Carers!

Carers FIRST’s next training programme will introduce carers to the key drivers that are shaping mental health services and give an overview of the interventions and treatment that people can expect to receive. The aim is to provide relatives and friends with the knowledge and understanding to better support their loved one on their recovery journey.

The programme will focus on

• Payment by Results
• NICE Guidance and Standards
• Alternatives to Hospitalisation
• Personalisation

 and include sessions on

• Mental Health Nursing
• Psychological Interventions
• Crisis Interventions
• OT Interventions 

There will also be a stand-alone workshop on Brokerage which may be booked separately.

Sessions will be delivered over 4 consecutive Friday mornings in March (2 sessions per morning) beginning on Friday 9th March, with venues alternating between Tonbridge and Maidstone. There is no charge to attend.

To request a programme giving further details or to book please email

vivienne.hall@carersfirst.org.uk or fiona.baptie@carersfirst.org.uk

St John's Centre in Sevenoaks to close

According to this piece in This Is Kent, the ongoing redesign of services provided by the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), the St John's clinic will close in September.

New post at Sevenoaks Area Mind

Sevenoaks Area Mind have announced the creation of the new post of Development Co-ordinator, and invite applications. Details on their website.

Rethink Mental Illness (Sevenoaks) newsletter

Click here to download the January newsletter of Rethink Mental Illness in Vine Court Road, Sevenoaks.

West Kent Patient Consultative Committee (PCC) meeting

The Patients Consultative Committee provides an opportunity for service users and carers to work in partnership with the Kent and Medway Partnership Trust (KMPT). The next West Kent PCC meeting will be on 17 January, from 11am to 1pm, at

Kingswood CMHT
180/186 Union Street
Maidstone ME14 1EY

at which Kim Solly, Liason Psychiatry Service Manager, will be talking about handling mental health presentations at A&E.

Please contact Louis Dereham on 0800 587 6757 to let us know if you are coming.

SW Kent Recovery Team - Newsletter

The Recovery Team, based at Highlands House in Tunbridge Wells, have published the January edition of their service user newsletter "Head Lines". It contains a comprehensive and useful piece about Advance Statements/Directives, together with other interesting items about the Recovery Star, paid Peer Support work, ESA assessments and more....