Residents are being asked for their views to help Manchester City Council shape the future of mental health and wellbeing services in the city.
These are currently provided through a partnership between Manchester City Council and the NHS who are both looking at how these services are delivered within the city and how the system can be improved.
The council's role is two-fold to support people that have suffered from mental-ill health through funded specialist mental health services as well as offering wellbeing services which go beyond treating the symptoms of mental ill-health and is more about how someone feels about their life and how content they are.
It also wants to ensure that people who may have experienced mental health problems or other health conditions have the support they need and access to services that help them to stay well and prevent them from becoming ill.
The questions range from finding out what people think are the most important services to help people improve their wellbeing through to the type of mental health support that the council should prioritise in the future. Finding out what results are most important to people who have used or accessed mental health and wellbeing services and asking them to rate in order of importance whether it is improved mental wellbeing, or increased social involvement or improved lifestyle for example will be useful in planning services for the future.
In addition to the council's mental health and wellbeing consultation, NHS colleagues are also asking about mental health services they fund through a separate questionnaire and series of events.
The findings from both consultations will be used to inform how the overall mental health and wellbeing system in Manchester works.
Councillor Paul Andrews, Executive Member for Adults Health and Wellbeing at Manchester City Council, said: "Reshaping the way in which mental health and wellbeing services are delivered gives us the opportunity to take into account the views of our residents. We want to find out from people who need and use our services what they think about them and which ones are most important to them. We need to fund the services that make a positive contribution to people lives and it is really important that people have access to the right support and services so that they don't feel alone and unable to cope and to ensure that there is support available for people to stay well and prevent illness."
The consultation lasts for 12 weeks opening today (20 November 2013) and closing on 12 February 2014. There is a questionnaire that can be completed online at www.manchester.gov.uk/consultations. The Council will also be inviting people to take part in a series of design workshops about how wellbeing services might look in the future to be held during January and February 2014.
Manchester City Council mental health and wellbeing services consultation drop-ins events
At these drop-in events you can speak to a Commissioning Manager, ask questions about the consultation and to give feedback verbally. The findings from both consultations will be used to inform how the overall mental health and well-being system in Manchester works.
Drop-in events are taking place on:
Date & Time: Tuesday 21 January, 13:30 - 15:30
Venue: Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 5NS
Date & Time: Thursday 23 January, 15:00 - 17:00
Venue: The Grange, Pilgrim Drive, Beswick, M11 3TQ
Date & Time: Wednesday 29 January, 12:30 - 14:30
Venue: Hough End Centre, Mauldeth Road West, Chorlton, M21 7SX