Mental Health Charter gathers momentum with London event

There is a deep and continuing crisis in mental health services: austerity driven cuts in welfare, oppressive government benefits ‘reforms’, the growing gap between the richest and poorest in society. Practitioners and service users alike struggle with high caseloads, reduced resources and a target culture underpinned by market ideology and privatisation. The SWAN Mental Health charter calls for an end to the cuts and proposes radical alternatives.

After successful conferences about the charter in Liverpool, Bristol and Oxford earlier this year, an event entitled ‘The Crisis in Mental Health Services’ will be held in London on Saturday 8th November this year. A poster for the London event is attached – plese circulate this widely. It wil feature speakers including Peter Beresford (Professor of Social Policy and Chair of Shaping Our Lives), June Sadd (Survivor Trainer and Researcher), and Disabled People Against Cuts, among others. It will take place at the John Barnes Library, N7 0JN; the nearest tube station is Caledonian Road.     

List of signatories to the SWAN Mental Health Charter:

Michelle ADHEMAR NHS, London  
Abdi AHMED
Jan AINSLEY  Norfolk/Suffolk Mental Health Campaign
Jacqueline AKHURST, Professor of Community Psychology, York St John University
Jan AMSLEY  Norfolk/Suffolk Mental Health Campaign
N. ANGUS ,  Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
Dick BANKS    PCS- DWP s
Ro BARKSHIRE  service user   Sheffield  
Sian BARTLETT    N. Yorkshire
Terri BEHRMAN   service user  London
Jody BEKHOUKH  social work student, London
Peter BERESFORD Chair, Shaping Our Lives, Professor Social Policy, Brunel University
Julie BEVAN
Rachel BEVAN      Derbyshire
Martin BLANCHARD  retired mental health practitioner worker and academic, north London
Tulane BLYTH
Tanya BODEN   
Sarah BOYCOTT  Liverpool Mental Health Organisation
Chrissie BRADBURY   Probation Officer  London
Alex BRADLEY   service user  Bristol
Andy BRAMMER   social worker  W. Yorks
G. BRODY   support worker   London
Carla BROWN, youth worker, Scotland  
Peter BROWN  outreach worker   London
Alan BURGESS   service user  Portsmouth
Jennifer ‘Spadge’ BUSH,  Sheffield UKuncut, Freedom Ride Campaigner
P. BUTLER ,  Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
S. BUTLER   ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Mick CALVERT,  ex-teacher
CANTERBURY AND WHITSTABLE STOP THE CUTS GROUP
Deborah CARLAN  Advocate, London
E. CARR    Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
John CARR  support worker, people with learning difficulties, Liverpool
Neil CARTER, London
Helen CASEY  University of Durham
Paula CHAMPION NUT and part of Lifeworks Campaign, Cambridge  
P. CHARLTON   Durham Miners’  Gala, July 2014  
Julie CHASE  NUT/psychologist/service user, Essex
Joseph CLARK   unison member   London
Marisa CLARKE  Merseyside  
K. CLAYTON   Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
Jane CLEMENTS   psychodynamic counsellor, Northhampton
James CLEVES-GARNER, service user
Rachel COHEN, UCU, London
Paul COOPER,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Jenny CORNWALL   Preston
Pete COWARD  service user
Jack CRAN
Clare CROFT-WHITE   London  
Dr John CROMBY, Loughborough University
 Steve CULLEN   United Service User Committee
Ryan DARNELL   Chesterfield  
Ismay DARY student
Craig DAVENPORT   service user, Coventry
Sera DAVIDSON  W.Mass Recovery Learning Community
Michelle DEANE   adult nurse  Leicester     
DEFEND WHITTINGTON HOSPITAL CAMPAIGN
Konstantine DIONYSOPOULOU  mental health social worker, Greece
Anna DOBIES,     Peterborough
Laura DONEGANI, London
Rosalee DORFMAN
Elaine DORMON, social worker, London
Barbara DOUGLAS,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Pam DREVER   social worker  Essex
Andrew DRUMMOND   retired psychologist, Lancaster  
John DUFF     community worker  Swansea
Rose DUNKLEY
Martin DUNN,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Peter DURRANT    ex service user  
J. EARLEY  ,  Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
Mary ECCLES , carer, London Shirley FRANKLIN
C. EDWARDS ,  Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
Karin FLEMMINGS  CPN, community psychiatric nurse, Salford
Ian FLETT,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Isabella FLORENTIN
M. FLYNN,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
I. FODOR ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Barabara FOSTER  retired social worker, London
Louis FOX  engineer Brighton
Colin FROST-HERBERT,  SRU, Lewes  
G. GARTH  name added at the Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
Mimi GASHI
Katherine GIDBASHIAN   London
Ian GIDLEY   Nurse/Psychotherapist
Gillian GILLESPI,  Careleavers service
Evan GOODCHILD W.Mass Recovery Learning Community
Beth GREENHILL, psychologist, Liverpool University
Gwen GREY,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Yasmin GRIFFITHS-WILLIAMS  Swansea
Rex HAIGH , Consultant Psychiatrist in Medical Psychotherapy
Peter HALE
M. HALL,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
L. HARDY ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
G.O. HARES  Birmingham
Eleni HATZIDIMITRIADOU, Clinical/Community Psychologist, Kingston University and St. Georges University
M. HAYES,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Mags HIGGINS    Glasgow
E. HILL,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Joel HIRSH   London  
Donna HOIJORD-BEARD Liverpool John Moores University
Ian HOOD   voluntary sector worker  Edinburgh
Sajid HUSSAIN   W. Yorks
Clarence JACKMAN  Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group
Rhian JOHN  service user, Swansea
C. JOHNSON,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Malcolm JONES, Unison Shop Steward (pc)     
Tamara KAHORN
Sue KELLY    counsellor  Glasgow
Richard KENDALL-BUSH
Beth KERSLAKE
Sue KILROE  Protect our NHS
Faye KIRK   Liverpool Hope University
Stephen KIRKBY ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Michelle KISBEE   Dorset
John KLOSINSKI  Second Step, Bristol
Zahra KOSAR   social worker with adults, Bristol
Jake LAKE
Paul LANGTON
Alain LEMA  Norwich
Cathy LEWIS   homeless support worker  Leicester
Roger LEWIS, DPAC, Disabled People Against the Cuts
Marian LIEBMANN
Michael LILLEY  MyTime CIC
Jon LONG
Francis LYONS  Surrey
Joyce McANDREW   UCU,  Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
Clare McCHRYSTAL  AMHP, approved mental health practitioner and anti-cuts campaigner, Stockport
Des McDERMOTT  social work lecturer, Ruskin College, Oxord, UK
John McDERMOTT   social worker
J. McDONALD  ,  Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
Bob McGOWAN  ICCM
Ian McKENDRICK  RMN, Oxford
Peter McLINDEN  carer,  Liverpool
Angela McMANUS
Michael McMANUS
Glenn McPARTLIN service user, Nottingham  
Janet MAIDEN,   nurse, London
Tracey MALLONEY   Samaritans listening volunteer
C. MAY   Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Julie MAY   social care worker  Liverpool
Chris MEARS  Unite, Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014  
Diane MIDDLEMAN Healthwatch
Jackie MILLER   health care  worker, Bristol
Kate MILLER
Lawrie MILLER  advocate   London
Annie MITCHELL, Clinical Director/Assoc. Professor, Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Plymouth University
Paul MOLONEY, psychologist, member Midlands Psychology Group
Geraldine MONAGHAN   London
John MOORE,  Ashfield Axe the Bedroom Tax, Notts.
A. MOSES,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
V. MOSES ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Rich MOTH, lecturer in Social Work, Liverpool Hope University, UK
Rameri MOUKAM  Pottigift Therapy CIC
W. MURRAY    Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
Phillipa NAYER    S.U.A.C, service user, Surrey
Jenny NEW
Nigel NEWTON-SMITH   GMB, Freedon Ride Campaigner, Sheffield
D NOLAN mental health social worker, anti-cuts campaigner, Manchester
Tony NUTTALL retired, formerly a mental health commissioner, member UNISON/UNITE Barnsley
A.N. Onymous, civil war artist and service (ab)user, Bath
Francis O’REILLY   Dublin, Ireland
Helen O’SULLIVAN   social worker, children, Cardiff
Niamh O’TOOLE   Teeside
Heidi OWEN
Peter OWEN
Geoffrey PACHENT  Ipswich
Bruce PAENSON   Germany
Jill PANES  service user
M. PATTERSON,  carer,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
T. PATTERSON ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
A.J. PEARSON  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
James PETTEFAR  London
Lesley PHILLIPS   NUT   Suffolk
Jeff PIPER   Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Jean PIPER      Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
E. POOLE    Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
A.E. POTTE   Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
(Dr) Penny PRIEST, Clinical Psychologist, Staffs & Shropshire.
Chris PRICE  adult social care worker  Portsmouth
Paul QUIRK   service user, Liverpool
Emily REID        NUT  London
Douglas REID   service user, London
Kate REIGATE   retired teacher  London
A. REED   Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
John REES     carer, N Notts
reVision Liverpool   
Paul RIMMER reVision
Dell ROBERTS   Southwark Benefits Campaign, London
John ROBERTS
Kate ROBERTS   unison member  Sheffield  
Victoria ROBINS   nurse, Guildford
Sophie ROBINSON
J. ROSS-BLAKLEY,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Estelle RUSSELL  service user, Birmingham  
June SADD   survivor trainer, researcher, consultant
Janet SANG  Sussex Defend the NHS  
Carolyn SARGENT LJMU
Noami SALISBURY  development worker, Bristol Crisis Service for Women
Pater SANDERS
Janet SANG   Sussex Defend the NHS
Lydia SAPOVNA   UCC, Cork. Ireland
Carolyn SARGENT Liverpool John Moores University
Nicola SCOPE  Derby  
John SEARLE
Johannah SEKUDA, senior lecturer, social work, University of South Africa
T. SHADFORTH  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
SHAPING OUR LIVES
Graham SHARP  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Alison SHARPE    Health Visitor, Devon
Elaine SHELTON, Unison, Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Chris SHEPHERD    student mental health nurse  Chesterfield
K. SIMPSON ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Sanni SISAY   London  
Peter SKROBAK
Roddy SLORACH, Disability Advisor, London
Chrissy SMITH
J. SMITH  ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Lisa SMITH     Derbyshire
Vincent SMITH
C. SONDERGAARD  4Wings
M. SPEARS, Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Sheila SPOONER, London  
Georgie STAGG  ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Liz STOKES
Patricia STOLL  reVision
Nick STONE   
George SULLIVAN
Thomas SUTCLIFFE Asperger’s Support Group
SWAN,  the Social Work Action Network
Dr Angela SWEENEY
P. SYKES  ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Sue TALBOT    AMHP, Approved Mental Health Practitioner, Wakefield
Anthony TANG  psychiatric nurse  London
B. TAYLOR    Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Neil TERRY  West Yorkshire
Kieran THOM    service user  London
G. THOMAS
Philip THOMAS, former Consultant Psychiatrist, currently Hon Visiting Professor, Bradford.
Emma THOMPSON
Gabrielle THORPE   Service user, Kingston
Alison TIERNEY
Anne-Marie TIERNEY  Portsmouth NN
Wendy TRAYMOR  Young Persons Advisory Service  
Phil TURNER, Journalist, Sheffield  
Margaret TURNER  sec’ty: Soteria Network
UNITED SERVICE USERS COMMITTEE (USUC), Salford
Judith VARLEY  University of Liverpool
Carole VINCENT  Friend of service users, London
Ursula WALKER   West Midlands  
Verity WALKER-SHERRIFF  social worker, Manchester
Marian WARNER  psychologist, West Midlands
D.WALTERS ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
H. WALTERS    Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Jessica WEAVER  Liverpool John Moores University
David WEBB
Olga WEINBERGER   Linkswende, Austria
Jeremy WEINSTEIN, psychotherapist
Dave WELTMAN, mental health social worker, Bristol
S. WENN   London
Russell WHINCUP    service user  London
D. WHINHAM ,  Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
Frederica WHITE  Suffolk
V. W. WHITTINGHAM    London
Pete WIDLINSKI    Justice First, Durham Miners Gala, July 2014
Susan WILD    South Yorkshire
Erica WILDGOOSE
Huw WILLIAMS
Darren WILLIAMSON  reVision  
E. WILLIAMSON    Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Tim WILSON reVision
Kevin WINGFIELD   service user    Suffolk
Daniel WINTERBURN Liverpool John Moores University
K. WOOD  ,  Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014
Willow WOOD     Dorset
Henny WOODS   student Portsmouth
Jenny WOODS   PCC worker  Portsmouth
Jon WOODS    social worker   Portsmouth
Karen WOODS  mental health social worker, Merseyside
Dave WYATT  AMHP, approved mental health practitioner, Wolverhampton
Isobel YEOMANS  Acupuncturist  London
J. YOUNG   Durham Miners’ Gala, July 2014  

Stories from the Frontline

I read this article and the experiences of the people within it with a familiar feeling. While the examples in this article are UK specific, the general experiences that people highlighted bear similarities to those of people I meet through my daily work here in Ireland. As social workers we are more often than not the one’s who support people in accessing their basic rights to food, shelter, income and education, to name a few. I wonder if any of you have any (anonymised) examples of the bureaucratic nightmares people here have to go through here in Ireland in order to secure basic income, basic services, food, clothing etc? I have plenty I could share. Maybe some service users would like to share their experiences themselves? If so, feel free to send any and all stories to socialworkactionnetworkireland@gmail.com. It would be great to gather a snapshot of people’s experiences of trying to access their basic rights here in Ireland and what social workers are doing to support people in this. The article here should give you some idea of what you could contribute.

 

Link to article: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/05/even-the-sight-of-a-cv-would-give-me-an-anxiety-attack-guardian-readers-on-benefit-sanctions