Introduction
This charter is about what people want from mental health services in Manchester. It has been drawn up from what people who use mental health services have said in consultations over the last few years.
On the following pages these wishes have then been explained in more detail and translated into the language of commissioning. Each wish has been translated into an outcome and an overarching aim for a mental health service. Accompanying each outcome is a set of suggestions for monitoring whether the outcome has been achieved.
A service user is defined, for the purpose of this charter as “someone who has direct personal experience of mental distress”. This may or may not mean a current user or previous user of voluntary or statutory mental health services. (Adapted from Dorset Mind Service User Policy).
A person is a “user” of any health services if the person is someone to whom those services are being or may be provided. (Department of Health 2007).
Who developed this Charter
This charter was drafted by a steering group, co-ordinated by Macc and made up of people who use mental health services and people who are active campaigners for improvements in mental health services. The job of the steering group is to promote the Charter and monitor its usage and impact.
How can you get involved?
• Let us know how you will use the Charter
For instance you may use the Charter to guide the development of your services or use it to campaign for change in other organisations.
• Propose additions
Please note this charter is based on what people who use services have already said so we do not want to take anything out. Also we think it is more powerful in its current form by being short and using simple straight forward language. If you think that something important is missing please email [email protected] with your proposed additions. Any proposed additions will be discussed and agreed by the steering group.
• Attend Charter Alliance meetings
At our first Charter Alliance meeting we will discuss the Charter, agree a plan of action and how we will implement, monitor and evaluate the Charter. We anticipate, following further discussion and consultation that the wording of the outcomes and the ideas for monitoring the charter could be improved or may look different for different organisations.
If you wish to attend these meetings please contact email: [email protected] with your contact details.
This report was prepared by John Butler from Macc, 28 April 2014
Charter for Mental Health Services in Manchester
1. We want to feel that we’ve been listened to
2. We want to have a real influence on services
3. We want to be part of services
4. We want to be part of our own care
5. We want services to decrease stigma
6. We want services to think properly about the consequences of changing what they provide
7. We want services that work for people from all the different communities and cultures in Manchester
8. We want services to understand us as whole people
9. We want to know what services are available
10. We want to know what’s happening in services
The Charter in more detail
Click on each of the wishes for a more detailed explanation and suggestions for an appropriate outcome for each of the wishes in the Charter and; ways that the outcomes could be monitored. Click here to download the full Charter in more detail
References
1. (1998). The Wise and The Foolish; The paradoxical world of mental health. R.Story, St. Luke’s Art Project.
2. (2003) St Luke’s Art Project report 02 – 03 including Pool Arts Report.
3. (undated) Having A Voice Report.
4. (2005) As seen through our eyes: our vision of mental health care in Manchester. Patient and Public Involvement Forum for Manchester Mental Health.
5. (2011) A record of comments made by service users and carers in response to proposals to modernise mental health day services in Manchester. John Butler, Macc.
6. (2009) Key recommendations for the future of Primary Care Mental Health Services: a Primary Care Mental Health Service that works well for Refugees and Asylum. MARIM.
7. (2012) Notes (parts verbatim) from Manchester User Network’s Public Meeting, Friends Meeting House, Manchester, 26 June 2012. Tom Griffiths and Angela Young.
8. (2013) Specimen (Draft) Service Users Charter, Manchester Users Network.
9. Findings from a series of engagement events co-ordinated by Macc (part of the CCG’s engagement process for developing a new service specification for mental health services (2014)