We are looking for one new voluntary and community sector rep working on mental health issues in B&NES to join the Mental Health Provider Forum. The B&NES Mental Health Provider Forum meets six times a year. The next meeting is on Tuesday 3 July.
Andrew Evans, Rethink Mental Illness, was one of the voluntary sector reps to the B&NES Mental Health Provider Forum for some time, and formerly was also a rep on the Mental Health Service Development and Implementation Group, but has now stood down, as the Rethink Mental Illness Carers Service has closed. Andrew has taken redeployment and moved to the Rethink Foundations to Recovery service in Gloucester. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Andrew for his longstanding support and input into this group and the Networks, and to wish him all the very best for the future. He will be missed.
The Provider Forum aims to improve mental wellbeing for the population of B&NES through the development and implementation of the local commissioning strategy and through the delivery plan/work streams for mental health and wellbeing services. The Provider Forum:
- Works in partnership with commissioners and one another including B&NES Primary Care Trust and Council, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, independent sector providers, voluntary and community sector groups and service users and carers.
- Represents the organisations and sectors involved in local mental health care.
- Understands and supports the processes by which service users and carers can be involved in the planning, development and evaluation of services.
- Contributes to the implementation of national policy and positive practice in mental health to deliver high quality services and inform the ongoing commissioning strategy.
- Contributes to all local and national assessments against standards and targets.
- Agrees priorities in an Action Plan reflecting local needs.
It is really important that there is a voluntary and community sector perspective on this group. In particular there are certain perspectives that members are keen to have on the group, which they feel are under represented at the moment, and these include housing and homelessness, meaningful activity, dual diagnosis / drugs and alcohol.
This is a great opportunity to be involved with developing mental health services in B&NES. The rep will report back to the B&NES voluntary sector Mental Health Network, which meets three times a year, and be bound by The Care Forum's rep agreement and code of conduct. A copy of the terms of reference for the Provider Forum, the code of conduct and a nomination form are attached. Nomination forms must be returned by Friday 1 June. If there is more than one nomination we shall hold an election. It is the individual that is elected not their organisation. The term of office of reps is no more than one year as this is an interim rep position.
If you would like to discuss this opportunity do contact me. ronniewright@thecareforum.org.uk