The Plymouth Whole Life
- Whole Systems Strategy
Sharon Claridge
Nick Pennell
Plymouth Mental Health Network
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The Network
◦ What is it – informal network
◦ Who is it - a unique group of individuals and
organisations, dedicated to improving mental health
across Plymouth
◦ Why – develop and share common goals and
objectives
◦ When did it start – April 2008
The Story So Far
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Why – no strategy across the city /
organisations
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How – Stakeholder days / working groups
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What – Whole Systems Approach /
supported by IMHCN / local & national
strategies & needs
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For the people of Plymouth by the people
of Plymouth
The Strategy
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Life Domains
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Art, Culture and Spirituality
Education
Occupation and employment
Friends and Family
Housing and Accommodation
Social Networks
Sports an Leisure
Treatment, Therapies & Alternatives
Informing the Strategy
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Art, Culture, Spirituality
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Education
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Occupation & Employment
◦ High importance for service users
◦ Not cracked spirituality
◦ Individuals
◦ Professional / organisational
◦ Public
◦ Considerable scope to develop scale, range and
alternative opportunities – social firms / cooperatives
◦ Healthy workplaces
Key Learning Points
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Friends and Families
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Housing and Accommodation
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Social Networks
◦ Local good practice – independent service user/
carer organisation
◦ Carers feel marginalised – more work to be done
◦ Support for developing a tenants’ charter
◦ Educating landlords
◦ Recognition of the importance of self help initiatives
◦ Current approaches didn’t recognise the importance
of social networks to individuals
Key Learning Points
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Sport and Leisure
◦ Recognition of links between good physical and
mental health
◦ More services to include healthy lifestyles in
their programmes
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Treatment Therapies and Alternatives
◦ Need to change local thinking, practice and
systems to embed recovery
◦ Up streaming resources to prevention and early
intervention
Key Learning Points
Took two years
 Universal sign up
 15 Recommendations
 Strategy Implementation Group – 4 key
initial areas
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Training across everyone – Learning Sets
CUES – carer and user expectations of services
Alternatives to Admission
Arts and occupation
The Strategy
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Change the thinking
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Change the practice
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Change the system
Intent