Notes to The Care Forum South Gloucestershire Mental Health Voluntary Sector
Network Meeting
Tuesday 10 September, 10am – 12 noon at The Vassall Centre, Gill Avenue,
Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2QQ
Key Meeting Points
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Drugs and substance misuse was the main topic of the meeting.
There was an update on council capital and revenue grants plus health and
wellbeing grants.
Kinergy has a long waiting list. The drugs and alcohol team offered to consider
exploring options for funding to accompany referrals at the meeting, but felt that it
was unlikely that extra funding would be possible.
There is still a vacancy for a VCS rep on the mental health partnership.
Three new reps have been sought for the Avon Criminal Justice Health and
Social Care Group.
Introductions and Welcome
People introduced themselves. See appendix one for a full list of attendees and
apologies.
Joy Rodwell of Kinergy explained that they have a waiting list of over a year and have
closed their waiting list. They tend to have 80 cases open at any one time. They have
been attending modernising mental health meetings in Bristol and hoping to be involved
in this.
Kevin Jordan of Relate reported that Relate Avon is about to start delivering a service
via the Any Qualified Provider (AQP) scheme. They will be counselling couples where
depression (for one or both partners) is an issue.
Brian Gardner circulated fliers on South Gloucestershire Council’s new Exercise SG –
group activities for positive mental health. He noted that World Mental Health Day is on
10 October and that new groups will be starting throughout that week.
Meriel Woolmore of National Autistic Society provides on to one support and supports
two groups held fortnightly in Yate for women.
Kate Tilbury of LIFT Psychology explained that the service started in November 2012.
She will be on the agenda for the next meeting to give a full update.
Will Bee, Equality Coordinator, South Gloucestershire Council announced the Disability
Equality Network (DEN) AGM and conference on 11 October at Vassall Centre, Gill
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Avenue, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 2QQ from 11am – 3pm with lunch. The theme of the
meeting will be ‘Disabled People and the Criminal Justice System’ with a particular
focus on the issue of disability harassment. The business of the AGM will include the
proposal of a new constitution for the DEN which clarifies the aims of the DEN and role
of the Committee now that we are independent of South Gloucestershire Council. The
The DEN is looking for more input around mental health and for someone with
experience of dementia on the committee.
John White, Mental Health and DOLS (Deprivations of Liberty Standards) Lead for
South Gloucestershire Council explained that they provide advice and support for
council workers and outside bodies around DOLS.
Berkley Wilde, Diversity Trust, explained that they are running a health needs survey for
people who identify as LGBT. The deadline is end of December.
Nichola Frampton, Elim Housing Association, supports single people aged 18-65. They
are looking for opportunities to network.
Heather Pugh of Life Cycle UK spoke about Bike Minded in Bristol and surrounding
areas.
Paula Meek and John Hesketh explained that South Glos Council is launching their next
round of revenue grants on 14 October. They would like to identify groups who have not
applied before. They would give more detail later on in the meeting.
Jane Kilpatrick had sent her apologies, but had emailed The Care Forum information
about forthcoming health and wellbeing grants of £100 - £1000. There is more
information on the news pages of The Care Forum’s website. The closing date is
Monday 7 October.
Representation update
Caroline mentioned that there was still a vacancy for a VCS rep on the mental health
partnership (formerly LIT) and encouraged people to approach her during the break if
they were interested. She circulated a report from the most recent meeting.
Representatives receive six-monthly group sessions, support from The Care Forum and
travel expenses.
Three new voluntary sector representatives have been recruited for the Avon criminal
justice health and social care group and are inviting any comments to be sent to them to
take to meetings. These can be channeled through Caroline:
carolinemcaleese@thecareforum.org.uk
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South Gloucestershire Drug & Alcohol Team’s Services - Sarah Telford, Drug and
Alcohol Treatment Coordinator
View the presentation at: www.thecareforum.org/pagesouth-gloucestershire-adultsevents-archive.html
Q: Do you provide training?
A: Yes basic one day and advanced two day drug and alcohol training sessions are
available throughout the year.
Q: Is there much support for people addicted to cannabis?
A: Our Criminal Justice Intervention Team provide a cannabis group programme at
various locations (including UWE) this is a four week programme.
Q: Kinergy works with a lot of clients who have experienced sexual abuse that now
misuse drugs and alcohol. Is there some chance that the referrals from the drugs and
alcohol team could be done via spot purchasing or some extra funding to support the
referrals?
A: In an ideal world, yes. However, funding is tight and it is difficult to carry funding
across. It feels unlikely. Sarah Telford agreed to take this back to explore and respond
to Joy Rodwell.
Action on Addiction Services – Sarah Small
Sarah circulated packs on Action on Addiction, the largest addiction support
charity in the UK. It is their 30th anniversary this year. She explained that services
include:
Action on Addiction Services – Sarah Small
Sarah circulated packs on Action on Addiction, the largest addiction support charity in
the UK. It is their 30th anniversary this year. She explained that services include:
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Hope House, London. Female only. 12 weeks average stay. 22 Beds.
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Day treatment, Sharp, Essex. 8 weeks.
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Sharp, Bournemouth and Liverpool. Services include working recovery: bike
workshop, woodwork group, counseling, day programme.
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Research and marketing departments.
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‘The Brink’, a drug and alcohol free bar in Liverpool.
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Clouds House, a residential treatment centre. Six weeks treatment. Up to 38
beds. A large proportion of people who go to Clouds House have dual diagnosis
and other issues often transpire once people have began to deal with their
addiction, including eating disorders and mental ill health. Clouds has a 24 hour
medical centre with mental health and general nurses. Support is given for drug
detox, alcohol detox and a psychiatrist is available. The programme is an intense
six weeks based on a community programme. It includes one to one and peer
support.
Referrals for all services are taken from drugs and alcohol teams via the admissions
team: 01747 832070.
Council Grants, John Hesketh, Equalities & Third Sector Team Leader, South
Gloucestershire Council
View the presentation at: www.thecareforum.org/pagesouth-gloucestershire-adultsevents-archive.html
Q: What time scales are the grants?
A: They are a one off sum of money. With the capital grants organisations pay for their
capital and are then reimbursed. With revenue, organisations receive funding upfront.
Payments are made within ten working days.
Capital grants must be spent by 30 June.
AWP NHS Trust Intensive Support Service – Karen Hillier
Karen explained she had a background in social work. She now works in the AWP NHS
intensive home treatment team. This was formerly known as the crisis team.
There is22 staff in the team based at Blackberry Hill hospital.
The team responds within four hours to someone with a mental health crisis. The main
focus is home treatment. The team includes mental health act assessors.
People can be visited up to three times a day at home.
There is currently no crisis house in South Gloucestershire. Karen expressed the need
for one and the meeting agreed.
Q: Are you only operating in South Glos?
A: Yes.
Q: Does the modernizing mental health programme in Bristol affect you?
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A: No, we are not expecting to see any changes as a result of this.
Q: Are you anticipating keeping 13 beds at Frenchay?
A: There does not seem to be an intention to commission this at the moment. Fewer
people go into voluntarily now under the act.
Comment: bed numbers have been reduced from 23 to 13.
Any Other Business
Berkley announced that postcards are available for the LGBT survey.
Caroline encouraged people to let her know about topics they would like discussed at
future meetings. This can be written on evaluation forms or suggested to her by
email/verbally.
Appendix one: Attendees
Emma Eve
The Care Forum
Jill Panes
South Gloucestershire Over Fifties Forum
Brian Gardner
South Gloucestershire Council
Sarah Telford
South Gloucestershire Council
John Hesketh
South Gloucestershire Council
Will Bee
South Gloucestershire Council
Kevin Jordan
Relate Avon
Meriel Woolmore
National Autistic Society
Kate Tilbury
Lift Psychology
Heather Pugh
Life Cycle UK
Nichola Frampton
Elim Housing Association
Berkely Wilde
Diversity Trust
Karen Hilier
AWP NHS Trust
Derek Dominey
Alzheimers Society
Sarah Small
Action on Addiction
Paula Meek
South Gloucestershire Council
Peter Hale
Rethink/Time to Change
John White
South Gloucestershire Council
Joy Rodwell
Kinergy
Rose
The Care Forum (minutes)
Caroline McAleese
The Care Forum
Apologies: Guy Stenson, South Gloucestershire Council; Leone Seaborne, County
Community Projects; Fiona Stedman, The Kingswood Centre with The Maple Suite; Jan
Tyrall, Bristol Area Stroke Foundation; Elaine Stott and Ann Walker, South Glos
Fibromyalgia Support Group; Una Corbett, Battle Against Tranquillisers.
Appendix two: Evaluation and Monitoring Form Summaries
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1) What was the most significant outcome of the meeting for you?
 Improved understanding of the role of the intensive support service
 Putting faces to names
 useful presentations
 Opportunity to network (7)
 Information exchange
 Learning about other organisations and services that will support mutual
clients
 Being able to promote work we do and see wher ei links with other VCS
groups
 Making connections, especially with South Gloucestershire Drug and Alcohol
Team
 very informative
 Increasing my awareness of what services are available (fairly new to role
and very sheltered until now!)
 To make connections and network with services in South Glos and find out
more about them
 Information on grants (4)
 Opportunity to talk directly to people who may need to know about grants
2) Please circle the appropriate number for each element of the network meeting
knowledge
start
end
Organisation
pre-event
information
Faciltiation
On the day
Sessions
2.6
3.9
4.2
4.8
4.9
Speakers
Other
4.3
Access
Refreshments
Standard of room
4.9
4.7
4.9
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3) Are there any particular topics you would like to see covered in future
meetings?
 MCA/MHA interface
 ADHD
 Mental health and discrimination
 Funding
 Commissioning
 Partnership/networks
 Service users’ opinions of services accessed
 Older people and mental health (aside from dementia)
4) Are there any other comments you would like to make?
 Informative and well structures forum. Not too sure if mental health forum is
completely appropriate for our organisation. However, a great insight to be part of
how future forum presentations will be run.
 Very useful morning - thanks
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