Guest blog: How is the world with you?

Mental health is about all of us.

When we’re with a patient in a mental health crisis we see that care options, at times, can fall below the standard that those in a physical health crisis can access.

But this is something that is slowly changing across the region at all levels - pathways are opening for all. These range from acute provision at crisis to lower acuity services, like wellbeing services which promote self-referral. This change in provision to prevent someone getting to a crisis stage is an option that benefits all. Hence the question, ‘how is the world with you?’

We hear the words ‘who cares for the carers?’ many times, and the truth is we all do. We are no different than the general population. Frontline and support services, all of us are exposed to the stresses and strains of providing a service to the public. And we all have factors outside of work that will also impact on how we feel. The combination of these may well give us blue and possibly black days at times. Is this normal? I would say yes.

We tend to make the comparison that if we are physically unwell we will self-manage or seek help and support. Mental health is no different. The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is psychological first aid - the need to recognise how you feel, to make the decision to address the feelings, to seek help where needed, to share feelings, and finally to challenge the stigma that continues to exist around mental health.

We can change the perception around mental health, which is my challenge to you all. The Trust has signed up to the Time to Change pledge. I am sure you will agree that now is the indeed the time.

Duncan Moore

Area Clinical Lead

Published 10th October, 2016