The new Plans, part of the historic Mental Health (Wales) Measure, give service users the opportunity to take a comprehensive approach to their recovery from serious mental illness by recording all their recovery objectives and support needs (the eight life areas are: accommodation; education and training; finance and money; medical and other forms of treatment, including psychological interventions; parenting or caring relationships; personal care and physical well-being; social, cultural or spiritual; work and occupation).
Mental Health Service User Matthew Whiting said: “Achieving the long-term goals in my Care Plan has been crucial to my recovery from mental illness and very fulfilling indeed. For people beginning their recovery with the new holistic Care and Treatment Plans introduced earlier this month I’d say it’s important to remember that patience and hard work is necessary so they can reach their long-term goals and dreams.
“For those consulting on ‘Together for Mental Health’ the Government’s new Mental Health Strategy, I just hope they ensure that the new Strategy sets out a quality standard for Care and Treatment Plans that is to a higher standard than the legal minimum requirements in the Measure’s Code of Practice. It’s great we’ve got the new Plans at long last, let’s make the most of them!”
Earlier this week Hafal launched a new publication developed in collaboration with the Mental Health Foundation and Bipolar UK which is designed to help service users get the most from the new Care and Treatment Plans which were introduced on June 6th. The guide, “Care and Treatment Planning: a step-by-step guide for secondary mental health service users” was launched along with the Code of Practice for the Mental Health (Wales) Measure by Health and Social Services Minister Lesley Griffiths AM at the Pierhead Building, Cardiff.
Speaking at the event the Minister said: “I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate service users on the success of the ‘Movin’ On Up’ campaign which culminates in a climb of Mount Snowdon in September. It shows what can be achieved by service users and the vital supporting role played by carers, service providers and third sector organisations.”
The “Movin’ On Up” campaign is run by service users and carers and supported by mental health charities Hafal, Bipolar UK and the Mental Health Foundation. 22 weekly county events are taking place and the campaign will culminate, as the Minister stated, in a climb of Wales’ highest peak, Snowdon, in September. The campaign will also feature an interactive stand at the Royal Welsh Show and, on World Mental Health Day, at the National Assembly.
For more pictures from the event go to Hafal’s Facebook page.
• For more information on the campaign please visit: www.hafal.org
• To get the latest updates on Twitter please go to: http://twitter.com/#!/hafal_
• To download a copy of “Care and Treatment Planning: a step-by-step guide for secondary mental health service users” please visit: http://www.hafal.org/hafal/publications.php
• To download a copy of the Mental Health Service User and Carer Panel Response to the draft Mental Health Strategy “Together for Mental Health” please visit: www.hafal.org/hafal/draftstrategy.php