The Isle of Wight NHS Trust is offering Islanders the opportunity to find out more about the transformation in community mental health services at a special Open Day this week, to coincide with World Mental Health Day.
The event is due to take place on Thursday (10th October) – World Mental Health Day. The national theme this year is suicide and suicide prevention.
This week’s Open Day will give people the chance to find out more about the Mental Health Wellbeing Service provided by Isorropia Foundation, and the Safe Haven, provided by the charity Two Saints. Both services are run from 7 High Street, Newport and the doors will be open to all from 11:00-17:00 on Thursday.
On the day people can hear presentations from both services, take part in some workshop tasters and finish by blowing bubbles.
Vicki Haworth, Director of Isorropia Foundation, said:
“We are really excited to be opening the doors to the public in recognition of World Mental Health Day.
“We deliver a range of workshops and interventions to support people’s wellbeing. It is run by a diverse team of staff who range from highly-experienced nurses and therapists to trained wellbeing coaches with extensive lived experience of mental health difficulties.
“They are modelling innovative news ways of empowering people to live fulfilling lives with positive mental health so we are really keen to showcase what we do and provide taster sessions on some of the workshops that we provide.”
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The Safe Haven is a drop-in service open from 17:00 to 22:00, Monday to Friday, and 10:00 to 22:00 on weekends and Bank Holidays, for adults aged 18 and over on the island.
Hayley Territt, Performance Manager of Two Saints, said:
“We wanted to gather people to mark world mental health day and we felt that blowing bubbles would be a good exercise to represent letting go of negative thoughts”
Lesley Stevens, Director of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities for the trust, said:
“We are working together to strengthen our community-based mental health services that can help people who need different levels of support.
“This also means that those who need a higher intensity of mental health support will be able to be seen more quickly and effectively.
“Every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and has long lasting effects on the people left behind therefore it is really important that we also work together to raise awareness among the local community, within workplaces and within the family homes to help reduce stigma so people don’t feel that they can’t ask for help when they need it the most.”
NHS Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which buys in health services for the island, is working closely with the trust, Isorropia Foundation and Two Saints, to improve access to community mental health services.
James Seward, Locality Director for the CCG, said:
“I really would encourage as many people as possible to go along to the open day and find out more about these great community services.
“The Isle of Wight Mental Health Safe Haven provides people with face-to-face or telephone contact when urgent mental health support in a crisis may be helpful. Two Saints can provide quick and immediate reassurance and support and make sure that a person can then be signposted to services that will help.
“Isorropia have been making great in-roads with people already known to the Community Mental Health Services and are continuing to support people to feel empowered, confident and in control of their own recovery and wellbeing.
“We know we still have some way to go to fully transform our mental health services on the island, however Two Saints and Isorropia, are already making a big impact in supporting the community”.
Here is the run-through of timings on the day:
11:00 to 12:00 – all welcome to visit the mental health & wellbeing service
12:00 to 13:00 – presentation from Isorropia Foundation staff
14:00 to 16:00 – workshop tasters
16:00 to 16:30 – presentation from Two Saints staff
16:30 to 17:00 – blowing of bubbles led by Two Saints
