The International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) conference ended three very positive days of presentations, discussion and debate in Old Trafford, Manchester last week.
The final day witnessed some moving and impassioned presentations from leaders and expert clinicians from around the world, including contributions from next year's host nation, Canada.
Our Care and Support Minister, Norman Lamb, gave the closing address in which he championed recent government and sector partner initiatives to promote and protect high quality mental health services.
He also praised the IIMHL as a forum for sharing ideas, with the common purpose of enhancing the lives of the estimated 450 million people across the world living with mental health problems.
Your roving Social Care News reporter, armed with his smartphone and audio recording app, was there on the final day to capture a few words from the Minister and other speakers, including IIMHL Chief Executive Fran Silvestri and the charismatic chair of the Lambeth Black Health and Wellbeing Board Commission, Jacqui Dyer.
Click on the links below to listen:
- Norman Lamb, Care & Support Minister
- Jacqui Dyer, Chair, the Lambeth Black Health and Wellbeing Board Commission
- Dr Anand Chitnis, Chair and Clinical Lead for NHS Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group
- Fran Silvestri, Chief Executive, International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership
Our duties as host nation over, the baton has now passed to Canada. After a warm video message from Vancouver City Mayor Gregor Robertson, delegates received gift bags, each containing this cute little bear.
No doubt a symbol of all mental health professionals and elected leaders' desires to create the 'polar' opposite of substandard care and support!
2 comments
Comment by termite posted on
If a patient makes an advanced statement / directive refusing ECT even if that may cost them their life, it is time their wishes were respected and so called mental health care providers stopped abusing patient by sticking a section on them fro the purpose of electrocution.
It is an outdated treatment with no real known long term effects and a patient should have the right to refuse this when they are well, and their refusal honoured.
You cannot keep on abusing folk just because you can. What s the point in patients writing advance statements making their wishes very clear indeed, if you can get some wally to come along and over ride them?
ECT is not a life saving treatment, it can be harmful and whilst some patients may consent, if an AD /AS is present refusing it, they should not be abused because it is easier for staff who can't be bothered to care for us anyway.
I think all doctors should have a full session of ECT to know what we experience ... why not, after all it is their claim that is it harmless!
Abuse of the mentally ill needs to stop now!
Comment by Pearl Baker posted on
I am delighted it all went well, however my complaint to the Parliamentary Ombudsman with complaints against NHS England the Monitor, LA, Healthcare Trust, CCG Office of The Public Guardian and the DWP with supportive evidence, has resulted in their recommendation that all of these organisations are complained to separately, and then they will take this forward. Is it surprising nobody complains. Healthwatch England state it is too complicated.
Substandard care is an understatement, however I will continue to the very end. I would love to receive a cuddly bear