Community and Professional Work

Dorset Mind

Great things are happening at Dorset Mind right now, so I am proud and privileged to acts as Patron for them. I advise on mental health support, especially on ensuring that peer support staff services are safe and appropriate (for those giving the support and the service users being supported). Dorset Mind run a range of services across Dorset, including specialist groups for anxiety, women, and the LGBT community. We also provide ground-breaking services for young people (Mind Your Head) and provide mental health training and support in the workplace (Dorset Mind Works). We also run Mental Health First Aid training courses for organisations and indivduals.

Samaritans

I have had a long association as Patron for Samaritans (of Bournemouth and District). I was intially in that role between 2011-8, and was reappoined in September 2022. I use my local and national influence to raise the profile of the Samaritans and promote the work being done. I am also a vocal advocate for Samaritans nationally. The Samaritans' listening volunteers provide emotional support to anyone feeling distressed, despairing, or suicidal. They do this 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year (free call 116 123). The Samaritans can also be contacted by e-mail or text. Branches are open in many towns and cities across the UK and Ireland for people to call into. Locally, I am part of a panel formulating the Dorset Suicide Prevention Plan (led by Dorset CCG and Public Health Dorset). I see the Samaritans as being a central part of that conversation.

Perinatal mental health

I campaign for better perinatal mental health services - working with some great people to urge more high quality services across the UK, including accessible mother an baby units and comprehensive community services (backed up by a network of  appropriate peer support groups). I also promote greater awareness about perinatal mental health, helping mothers (and fathers) to find it easier to talk openly - and seek the help they need. You can read more about that work on the perinatal mental health pages.

DorPIP

Related to the above, a consequence of poor perinatal mental health is the impact it can have on the attachment between the parent and child. Poor attachment can contribute to developmental problems in children. To address this, I am a Trustee for DorPIP, a Dorset-based charity seeks to provide therapeutic support for parent-infant relationships.

Peppy Health

Although we have made good progress with establishing the need for better perinatal mental health services in secondary care, there is much still to do for those who do not need such intense intervention. One of the places we can help parents during the perinatal period is through their employer. Peppy Health is a new-start company providing access to perinatal support through businesses. I provide advice and guidance to Peppy on mental health matters, including screening potential counsellors to ensure they really get why maternal mental illness is so very different than we might see in other adults.

PMH Families (for NHS England)

Early in 2019, the UK Government announced the new NHS Long-Term Plan. Within that, there are proposals to fundamentally improve perinatal mental health services at the community level, through NHS England. Within that provision, fathers' mental health will be more seriously considered than ever before. This outcome has come about after years of campaigning. To help develop that provision, I was included on a Expert Reference Group for fathers, though PMH Families (who were commissioned by NHS England to take these proposals forward, supported by quality evidence). In May 2021, NHS England finally produced a report, providing guidance on supporting partners (in which they acknowledged my input to the evidence).

Acts Fast

Quite apart from being the most horrific of crimes, child sexual abuse is one of the strongest predictors and risk factors for serious mental illness later in life. It was my honour to act as Chair of Trustees for ActsFast for more than 6 years between 2015 and 2021. Although I am no longer part of that charity, I will awlays think of them fondly. There are many child abuse charities, but ActsFast is different. This Dorset-based charity aims to support the protective families of victims. Following completion of a child abuse case, all of the agencies (Social Services, the Police, the courts, etc.) close their books. However, the child and the (remaining) family are left alone to cope with all of the effects of a potentially wrecked life. ActsFast step in to fill that vacuum.

Tackling mental health stigma

Mental health stigma draws on discrimination and prejudice, perpetuating myths (such as 'people with mental health problems are lazy', 'should pull themselves' or 'they're a burden on society'. We must challenge stigma, otherwise those already suffering are even less likely to seek help, for fear of judgement (something we call self-stigma).  Time to Change was established by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness (two of leading mental health charities in the UK) to tackle stigma. Together, we can really can make it OK to talk about mental health.