News

Self Care Week

Wednesday, 17 August 2011 11:24

14-18 November 2011

Self Care Week aims to support people, especially those with a long term condition, to learn about how they can take care of their own health better.  It is also a means for local / national organisations to raise awareness of and promote the services they provide that support self care and self management

How can you get involved?

• Tell your Press Office / Communications team
• Put the date on your forward planner / in your diary
• Promote Self Care Week to your members / customers so that they can get involved too
• Start planning activities that could take place during the Week - promote services that encourage people to self care or manage long term conditions
• Sign up for our newsletters ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) which will keep you informed up to and during the week, including access to resources to support local initiatives

Did you know that during Self Care Week 2010

• 130,500 public information leaflets were ordered
• 7,500 Information Sheets for Healthcare Professionals were downloaded
• 4,000 visits were logged on the DH LTC Website
• 1,500 downloads were made of the Self Care Week promotional materials
• NHS Choices website had a threefold increase in the number of people visiting the self care web pages www.nhs.uk/yourhealth

Consultation to inform new suicide prevention strategy

Tuesday, 16 August 2011 13:21

A new consultation on preventing suicide has been launched by the Care Services Minister, Paul Burstow.  This document sets out a proposal for a new suicide prevention strategy for England with the aims of reducing the suicide rate and improving support for those bereaved or affected by suicide.

The draft strategy brings together knowledge about groups at higher risk of suicide, effective interventions and resources available.

The closing date for consultation responses is 11 October 2011.

To take part in the consultation, please visit:  www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_128065

Congratulations to Mental Health Matters

Thursday, 04 August 2011 13:30

CCA and mhhp are delighted to confirm that Mental Health Matters has successfully achieved the CCA and mhhp Standard for Helplines^©  accreditation.

The CCA accreditation panel commented:

"Certification approved as the additional actions taken showed commitment to reaching the CCA and mhhp Helplines Standard and the good work undertaken with CCA specialist and the Contact centre in implementing areas required."

Well done to you all at Mental Health Matters!

Big Society Bank launched

Wednesday, 03 August 2011 08:36

The vision for a Big Society came much closer today (29 July) as the Big Society Bank – now officially named Big Society Capital – became a reality with the establishment of two expert boards. In addition, the first investment from dormant accounts has gone to the Private Equity Foundation, an organisation whose mission it is to support disadvantaged young people into employment, education or training.

For further details go to: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/big-society-bank-launched.

On the Radar - Regional Voices

Tuesday, 02 August 2011 10:01

Regional Voices is now producing a monthly bulletin about developments at the Department of Health that impact on the wider voluntary sector, aiming to get more feedback from the sector, promoting more discussion and providing feedback to the Department of Health.

Please see attached the July bulletin.

Preventing suicide in England

Monday, 01 August 2011 12:24

The consultation on the new cross-government suicide prevention strategy for England, to reduce the suicide rate and improve support for those bereaved or affected by suicide, has been published.  The draft strategy brings together knowledge about groups at higher risk of suicide, effective interventions and resources available.

Link: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_128065.

Voluntary Sector Investment Programme

Thursday, 28 July 2011 09:59

Innovation Excellence and Strategic Development Fund 2012-13

The Department of Health has launched the 2012/13 Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development (IESD) Fund.

You should read the information pack below carefully as there are changes to the scheme; the eligibility rules; and the funding strands, themes and priorities for funding from 2012-2013. There are also improvements to the on-line application system. The information pack provides voluntary sector organisations with information to help them decide if this funding stream is applicable or relevant to both their organisation and the proposed activity they are seeking funding for. The Information Pack details the funding themes for 2012-13, the priority areas for each theme and the criteria we will use for assessing applications. A timetable is provided for the whole process from application through to decision.

AIMS (Award Information Management System) is the Department of Health's on-line grant management system for the 2012-13 IESD Fund. AIMS allows you to make on-line applications for grant funding and will also enable progress / end-of-year reports of funded projects to be made on-line. Recognising that some organisations may prefer to draft their applications outside AIMS, we have supplied templates of the application forms in Microsoft Word format below. Nevertheless, only on-line applications will be accepted. Please note that the application forms for each of the three strands (Innovation; Excellence; Strategic Development) are different, so please make sure that you use the correct one.

Mental Health Providers Forum are hosting a "Meet the Funder" events in Leeds on 28 July 2011 to give potential applicants the opportunity to find out more about this year's funding scheme. Our presentation at those events can be accessed from the relevant link below.

For more information go to http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_118373 or download the Information Pack below:

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Pack for voluntary organisations
• Grant funded organisations
• Excellence application
• Innovation application
• Strategic Development application
  

NHS Confederation Conference

Friday, 22 July 2011 10:38

mhhp was delighted to have a presence at this year's NHS Confederation Conference and to share a stand with Mental Health Providers Forum (MHPF) working in partnership through the Department of Health led Third Sector Strategic Partnership Programme.

The three day event was very informative and well attended, enabling us to spread the word about the importance of mental health helplines and the work that we and mhhp members strive to achieve.

Thank you to everyone that visited our stand and we hope to hear more from you soon.

First mhhp member to achieve the new CCA and mhhp Standard for Helplines

Thursday, 21 July 2011 09:07

CCA and mhhp are delighted to confirm that Brighter Futures (Staffordshire Mental Health Helpline) has been successful in the independent assessment of their helpline against the CCA and mhhp Standard for Helplines. This is fantastic news and a clear demonstration of the commitment and drive demonstrated in working towards improving standards and customer experience at the helpline.

Well done to you all at Brighter Futures.

Centre launches briefing sheets on mental health for community groups and general practice

Wednesday, 20 July 2011 13:05

Centre for Mental Health has launched two briefings in conjunction with the Mental Health Strategic Partnership, aimed at general practice and community organisations. Read the full DH Third Sector Strategic Partnership Programme update.