Islington Council is taking significant steps to move mental health services to the top of the Adult Social Care agenda by removing discrimination, joining-up resources and promoting access to community and locally based services.
Announcements at Thursday's Council Executive (19 November) will seek approval for a joint strategy for older people's mental health and agree a tender for Camden and Islington NHS Trust to provide supported tenancies for 55 mental health service users across the borough.
Visiting Belmore House extra-sheltered accommodation this week, Cllr Ursula Woolley, Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Care, Islington Council spoke to carers who look after 20 residents with a variety of mental health needs.
Cllr Woolley said:
"We want Islington to provide the best mental health services in the country including services for those with dementia.
"High quality mental health services mean that hundreds of distressed residents living with a range of mental health issues can now access therapies and support to improve their health and quality of life."
Islington's joint strategy consultation ran from 15 June to 7 September, when dozens of groups including mental health and older peoples' charities, the foundation trust and GPs responded to a series of proposals.
The joint strategy responds to key needs of staff training and carer support. Mental Health service professionals will be trained by dementia liaison nurses to provide better diagnosis of dementia while support staff will be trained to help them work with older people with mental health problems.
Carers - many of whom help older people with mental health problems remain at home - will also get extra support.
At Thursday's Executive, Cllr Woolley will highlight the work of the Council in tackling discrimination and seek widespread support for the national 'Time to Change' pledge campaign, aimed at reducing the stigma felt by those with mental health problems.
ENDS
Page Last Updated: 18 November 2009