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Website provides one-stop shop for mental health in Caithness


By Jean Gunn

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Julie Marker, chair of the action group and Caithness Care's strategic group, tasked with overseeing the delivery of the merger.
Julie Marker, chair of the action group and Caithness Care's strategic group, tasked with overseeing the delivery of the merger.

Two local mental health groups in Caithness are to merge next month to help strengthen partnerships and improve service.

The merger will see the action group for social isolation and mental health, set up by the Caithness Voluntary Group (CVG) in the summer of 2020, and Caithness Cares join together.

The action group was a sub-group of the resilience effort in response to concerns about mental health in local communities. Representatives from the public, private and third sector got together monthly to collaborate across sectors around issues related to mental health and wellbeing.

They recognised the value of working together to campaign to reduce the stigma attached to seeking help and worked on a poster campaign to inform people in Caithness that "it is ok to say you are not ok".

The representatives also joined forces to enhance social prescribing and supported the Aspiring Communities Team to develop a website that captures everything mental health related in a one-stop shop called HERE for Caithness.

The group established aims to empower people to make choices about how they are supported towards recovery and held sessions with those who had lived experience to identify gaps in service provision. This information was instrumental in gathering evidence for a new charity called Listening Ear, set up to support people struggling to cope or facing a crisis for any reason.

By meeting regularly, sharing information about a wide range of services, the group has been able to bridge the gaps across sectors to avoid duplication and strengthen networks. This helps to signpost service users to appropriate support.

Many of the group members were also part of the Pathfinder Project set up in late 2020, which went on to become Caithness Cares – a multi-agency forum tasked with creating a five-year action plan to improve the mental health of those under 26.

Julie Marker, chair of the action group and Caithness Care's strategic group, tasked with overseeing the delivery of the plan said: "We are seeing a move towards a strong focus on prevention and early intervention.

"Joining the two groups together makes sense as there are many overlaps and strengthening partnerships aligns with Scotland’s Mental Health Strategy. In merging the integrated group acts to reduce mental health inequalities in prevention, education and improved service provision.

"Often tackling mental health issues is seen solely as an NHS responsibility but there is a strong focus on the roles of the Community Planning Partnership, third sector organisations, statutory services, schools and people with lived experience coming together in a whole community approach in creating the best possible outcomes.

"Attitudes are changing towards mental health and well-being but there is much work still to do."

She continued: "The action plan includes the incorporation of The Promise – so that every young person can grow up loved, safe and respected so they can realise their full potential.

"In addition, there is an emphasis on skills development opportunities, to progress needs for 24/7 professional mental health support, to develop continued support and training to enable a sustainable response to improve drug and alcohol services."

She explained that at the most recent meeting they were pleased to hear about a range of initiatives in the county such as MCR Pathways, a new mentoring scheme for young people, Barnardo’s Explore and B’ Leave programme to help young people decide the best way forward in planning future work.

Reports were also heard about Airport House vocational work and skills around apprenticeships, the recovery community looking to build connections to improve access to services, Bloom and Your Resilience for those waiting for CAHMS referrals, a trial of the substance awareness toolkit to support the drugs information service at Wick High School, and finally a presentation on the Icelandic Model, which is being piloted in five secondary schools across Highland including Wick and Thurso.

Planet Youth uses an international evidence-based primary prevention model developed in Iceland that has reduced substance use rates among young people.

Julie said: "The key stages are to raise awareness, survey data collection, results, community goals, positive activities and learn and repeat. There is an eagerness within the group to revitalise things after the pandemic stalled some of the work."

Stating that the two groups are due to merge in January, Julie added: "We still have some things to work out to ensure that everyone is represented to improve outcomes for everyone’s mental health and well-being but with continued commitment, the group can achieve so much together."

CVG produces a weekly bulletin that reports on new projects, funding, good news stories, progress of Caithness Cares, training opportunities and much more. If you would like to be added to the mailing list please email Julie@cvg.org.uk

News can also be found on HEREforcaithness.org


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