"We need a new relationship between mental health services and those who use them. Service users, carers and communities should be offered an active role in shaping the support available to them."

(A Future Vision for Mental Health; 2009)

Our activities to support people to be involved in their care are outlined below:

• Establish a regional tool for benchmarking service user and carer involvement within commissioned mental health services.
• Develop and support 6 service users and carers from across the region who will in turn promote the benefit of the Regional Service User and Carer Network and the National Service User Network.
• Work alongside the Department of Health regoinal Carers Lead, the Deputy Regional Director for Social Care and the Princess Royal Trust for Carers to develop and support a multiagency regional carers group.
• Ensure service users and carers are engaged in the review of community based mental health services, being carried out by the North East Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Commissioning Unit.
• Commission 2 leadership programmes, one for the third sector and one for mental health service users and carers.
• Support the involvement of service users and carers in the review of Peri-natal mental health services, being carried out by the  North East Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Commissioning Unit.

If you would like further information, have any comments or queries, please contact the lead for this work - Paul Johnson.