CEO News

We’re very excited to hear from you regarding your membership – this is about us updating our databases but also reviewing what membership means to you.  We’ll keep talking to you about it as we develop ideas, connecting and engaging further with you.

Through Tell CAPITAL you’ve let us know some strong feelings about the current cost-of-living crisis, particularly regarding how you think the government isn’t acting in the best interests of low-income families, needs to help the poorest people, with a clear message that benefits should rise in line with inflation.  

You’ve also told us that during Winter CAPITAL needs to keep offering that vital connection and contact, peer support and advice, a friendly space if you’re lonely, and warmth (for those able to get to our HQ @ Bognor Regis.)

Many of you are concerned about the state of local mental health services at present - particularly regarding crisis services and aftercare.   You’re also very worried about the number of staff vacancies in services, affecting support offered.

The Care Quality Commission annually produces a community mental health survey. This year’s survey has been released and gives a pretty poor picture (in comparison with others) for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

We’ve reached out to express our concern to the Trust and to a few user groups across Sussex about this – we don’t think it’s good enough - but we also want to offer support and solutions.

With many aspects of care and support seemingly not functioning well at the moment – isn’t this a chance to look at doing things differently? 

CAPITAL will always be first in the queue to influence change representing your views, but also will work to change services from our lived experience – we know what works for us and what doesn’t.

If you want to get involved in these discussions, I’d love to hear from you. Email me at: duncan.marshall@capitalproject.org

New CAPITAL strategy

We’ve started to condense the variety of flipcharts, discussions and surveys that have already been part of thinking for the future (at meetings such as CAPITAL 25 in July.)

You have so many ideas - which is fabulous – but we need to hone in further on potential areas that we can develop, while considering our original aims and aspirations.

It’s clear that this is going to take some time. We want to consult widely – including our stakeholders and external partners, and those communities that CAPITAL doesn’t reach.

So, we’ll develop an interim strategy for now, and we’ll focus more on that in newsletters in the new year.

Learning and Development

Wow – December already.  I wonder if you, like me are astonished at how quickly 2022 has come and nearly gone.

December is a short month as I am on annual leave from the 15th December so the Lived Experience Task Group will run on the 5th and will then pause until the New Year.  Thank you to everyone who has been involved so far, as we develop our mental health awareness training to offer out to the local community to educate, support and challenge mental health stigma. New members are always welcome to join – Please ring Helen on 07522 227945.

Art Group – Safe Haven

For the next few weeks up until and including 19th December, the Monday Art Group is going to morph into more of a creative arts and crafts session. Each week we will be working on a specific craft whilst enjoying each other's company, support and a cuppa! The heating will be on, and the kettle will be flowing as will all our artistic talents. You do not need to be a Picasso or a Hockney, just someone who enjoys being creative.

It would be wonderful to see some new faces as well as the 'regulars'. If you would like to come but are not sure if it is for you, or you are anxious coming for the first time, please ring Helen on 07522 227945. We can have a chat and work out a way for you to feel confident and comfortable to attend.

The group runs on Mondays 1pm - 3pm at Safe Haven, 32 Sudley Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 1EL.

We hope to see you then!

I wish you warmth, wellness and wonder, Helen

Northern Locality

Dear Northern members,

I hope you are all managing to keep warm and well. I also hope that November has been a good one for you. The Christmas season is almost here! Ho, Ho, Ho! As we go into the month of December, I hope you will find many reasons to smile!

Please be reminded that we will not be meeting at Langley Green Hospital for our November Locality meeting. Instead, on Friday 25th November at 1.30pm we will be having lunch at Harvester, Hawth Park, Haslett Avenue East, Crawley, RH10 1UJ.

The December Patient Viewpoint session has been moved to Friday 9th December 10am-12.30pm at Langley Green Hospital.

Our December Locality meeting will be back at Langley Green Hospital. The date has been moved to Friday 16th December 1pm-4pm. Christmas jumpers and hats are welcomed and please bring a Christmas cracker joke if you can! We’ll do secret santa, and enjoy some mince pies, and Christmas music and quizzes!

On a separate note, please be advised that I have resigned from my role as Northern Locality Coordinator as I will be starting a new role in the new year. However, I will remain as a member. My last working day will be Friday 16th December, so it would be lovely to see you all at the Locality meeting on that day, as it will be my last one! It has truly been an honour and privilege being your Coordinator for the last 4 years and I will miss you all tremendously!

Best Wishes, Latoya.

AAW Locality

Dear AAW Members

I can't believe it is nearly the end of the year, this year seems to have flown by and Christmas is on the horizon. 

December see's a joint locality meeting which will be held on Friday 9th December at the Bognor Regis Salvation Army Hub, Canada Grove, Bognor Regis, PO21 1QL. We will be combining the AAW members and the Western members to come together for a joint meeting with lunch laid on and travel expenses will be reinbursed on the day at the meeting. Heidi Tilney will be running the meeting as unfortunately I cannot attend on this occasion.

I'm taking this opportunity to let you all know I will be temporarily changing areas as coordinator from Arun, Adur and Worthing to the Western area. I have thoroughly enjoyed working in the AAW area and I will miss all.

That just leaves me to wish you all the best and a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Michelle

Coproduction Lead

SCALE - Lived Experience Network

The West Sussex SCALE network is currently looking for facilitators to support Catherine with running meetings. Catherine has some upcoming disruption to work schedules due to medical leave, and is coordinating cover for their absence.

The Lived Experience Advisory Group (or LEAG) has had its first meeting, and has re-opened the opportunity for more to join this team which will shape the SCALE network in West Sussex, working alongside the LEAGs for the rest of Sussex. If you are interested in joining the LEAG, please sign up for membership, and you’ll get more information and the application details.

This network is separate from the CAPITAL Lived Experience Network, and involves influencing changes in the wider sets of organisations that form mental health support in West Sussex.  

We started an exercise across Sussex, mapping the support services that are available, through a short survey. If you are in an organisation and your organisation have not received this survey, please email Catherine.mcgill@capitalproject.org. If you want to get any support or information around coproduction and lived experience, or to advise Catherine of your organisation if she may not already be aware of it, please email Catherine.mcgill@capitalproject.org.

If you’d like to have a say in mental health services, then check here for more information, including how to join:

https://www.capitalproject.org/introducing-the-scale-network          

Many thanks, Catherine.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter,

Your CAPITAL Project Trust Team.