Improving mental health in Hackney
The Council and local health partners are encouraging people living and working in Hackney, to take 5 simple steps every day next week to improve their mental health and wellbeing, during Mental Health Awareness Week from 13 to 19 May.
The Council and local health partners will be promoting City and Hackney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)’s local health campaign ‘5 to Thrive’ - based on the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’.* 5 to Thrive outlines five simple steps that people can make every day. The five steps are:
Give– Volunteer or join a community group. Volunteering can be very rewarding, boosts your mood and can increase wellbeing.
Keep Learning – Try new things like signing up for a cooking course or a new exercise class. Learning new things can increase your confidence.
Take Notice – Be curious of what is taking place around you, take time to remember the little things that make you happy.
Be Active – Go for a walk, cycle or garden, find a physical activity you enjoy and that suits you and your level of fitness.
Connect – With people at home, at work, school or in your local community. Building connections will support you.
The Mayor of Hackney Philip Glanville and Cabinet member for health, Cllr Feryal Demirci, met with patients and staff at East London Foundation NHS Trust (ELFT), ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week. The Trust provides a range of services including:
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The John Howard Centre - provides assessment and treatment for people with mental health disorders and a history of criminal offending, or for people at risk of offending
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City and Hackney CAMHS (Child and Adolescent mental health services) - provides support to children, young people (0-18) and their families
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The Community Mental Health Team (Older People) - integrated mental health and social services team for psychiatric and social needs assessment, intervention and treatment.
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City and Hackney Crisis Pathway Services - a partnership between ELFT and Mind to provide a trio of services available 24 hours a day
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Community Rehabilitation and Recovery Team - a community based rehabilitation service for people with severe and enduring mental illness
There are a range of activities and events taking place in Hackney throughout the week by local health partners and voluntary and community organisations. The Council’s commissioned City and Wellbeing Network, (network of voluntary sector groups providing mental health services for people living in Hackney), is hosting its annual Take a Pause festival at Dalston Curve Garden on Thursday 16 May from 6-9pm. People will be shown self-care techniques with information about mindfulness, yoga and massage.
Richmond Road Medical Centre in Richmond Road, E8 3HN is holding an event for the third year running to show the range of health and wellbeing services available in Hackney. More than 40 organisations will be at the Healthy Mind event on Wednesday 15 May 2019 from 2-6pm.
For more information about the five ways to wellbeing, 5 to Thrive, go to http://fivetothrive.net/
It was great to meet the Mayor of Hackney to have really honest conversations about possibilities for increased collaboration to improve the quality of life for residents. I really appreciate that he took a whole day out of his busy schedule to meet with staff and service users.
Dr Navina Evans, East London Foundation Trust, Chief Executive
It was extremely valuable to see the depth and breadth of ELFT’s work including the CAMHS service for children, young people and their families. Emotional health and wellbeing is integral to children's happiness and their ability to learn. This is why I am keen that we focus on prevention and better access to services by strengthening links between health services and schools. Reducing stigma about mental health and more joined up working are two of my key priorities to improve the quality of life for all residents.
Following this visit and my visit earlier this year, I am keen to ensure that we help our health partners build on the excellent work they do by raising awareness and helping them develop their links with the local community. By strengthening community links and joining up local services it will help improve early prevention and intervention, treatments and recovery for people.