The user voice in Wales

fersiwn cymraeg

Mind Cymru encourages and supports the active involvement of people who experience mental distress in all aspects of mental health services, within local communities and local Mind associations. 

Such a level of involvement is achieved through strong links with Mind Link Cymru - Mind Cymru's network of service users and survivors.

Mind Link Cymru have over three hundred members in Wales. A Mind Link Cymru advisory panel has been established, to ensure that Mind Link members have a direct influence on the work and activities of Mind Cymru.

This means that Mind Cymru's policies and campaigning activities are developed in consultation with the Mind Link Cymru network and allied organisations led by service users and survivors.

Mind Cymru's User Participation and Inclusion Team are also actively involved in pushing for comprehensive user involvement across Wales. This includes

• mental health related research
• training of mental health professionals
• local joint planning and commissioning
• planning local services
• good practice guidelines
• having a say in setting standards for care.

'Redressing the balance' report is launched!

User involvement becomes a reality in mental health nurse training in Wales
The report by Lindy Miller on 'user involvement in the training of mental health nurses in Wales' entitled Redressing the balance (PDF file) was launched at the Inaugural Annual Mental Health Nursing Awards for Wales on Thursday 16 February 2006. 

This piece of work has been fully supported by the All Wales Senior Nursing Advisory Group (Mental Health), the colleges and the National Assembly for Wales.

Rosemary Kennedy, Chief Nursing Officer, National Assembly for Wales wrote;
"The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to ensuring that users are involved in all aspects of mental health service provision, from the education and training of care professionals, through to care planning. This is reflected in "Raising the Standard", the Assembly Government's refocused National Service Framework and "Aspiration, Action, Achievement", its framework for mental health nursing in Wales.

The excellent consultation project that Mind Cymru undertook to inform this report should be seen as an exemplar to all who wish to meaningfully engage service users in their work".

For more information contact Mind Cymru's Network Support Administrator on 029 2034 6578 or email a.george@mind.org.uk