Blogs
Read contributions of experiences and perspectives on the VCSE mental health sector, service delivery, mental health policy and other pertinent topics.
Working Through a Winter Covid-Land: Maintaining Personal Resilience and Looking After your Teams
Caitlin McFee
Published: November 12, 2020
It’s November 2020, and the chances of a Covid-free Christmas are looking pretty slim. Although Wales has just exited its “fire-break” lockdown, England is one week into lockdown 2.0 and UK-wide restrictions in one form or another do not look like they are going anywhere anytime soon. People have lost jobs, businesses have had to…
Read moreBlack History Month: PwC’s Colour Brave Charity Committee
Hayley Alton
Published: October 22, 2020
“Relief money should go where the need for relief is greatest” said Vicky Browning [1] in a piece that eloquently evidenced the issues facing at risk Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic communities and the (often small) voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations propping them up. As my previous blog indicated: to reach those who are specifically…
Read moreThe Role of the VCSE Sector in Recovery from Substance Misuse
Caitlin McFee
Published: October 14, 2020
– Caitlin McFee, Project Lead, Mental Health Sustainability Programme Please note that the views of the interviewee in this blog post are subjective and do not represent those of the organisation. This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day was “mental health for all – greater investment, greater access“. What better time, therefore, to talk…
Read moreWMHD - Reflecting on the Work of Small Providers During Covid-19
Hayley Alton
Published: October 9, 2020
Hayley Alton, our Community Engagement Officer, writes about the impact that smaller providers have had in the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector during the coronavirus pandemic – and why this has led the Association of Mental Health Providers to deliver the Mental Health Sustainability Programme. This year, World Mental Health Day will address…
Read moreGuest Blog: Will abolishing PHE endanger lives?
Dania Hanif
Published: October 5, 2020
– Julie Bass, Chief Executive, Turning Point Will lives be put at risk? Could this be one of the unintended consequences of the Government’s decision to abolish Public Health England? It may well be a little known fact that the third sector delivers the majority (two thirds) of the drug and alcohol services provided across the…
Read moreKeeping our Workforce Well: Supporting the VCSE Mental Health Sector
Dania Hanif
Published: June 30, 2020
Kathy Roberts, Chief Executive, Association of Mental Health Providers Sarah Hughes, Chief Executive, Centre for Mental Health and Trustee, The Association The coronavirus pandemic has put pressure on mental health across society, and it brings especial challenges for the health and care workforce. Significant attention has been paid to the emotional and psychological needs of…
Read moreGuest Blog: Governance During Covid-19
Dania Hanif
Published: June 10, 2020
– Anna Barnes, Chair, Seaview I have been chair of Seaview, an open access health and well-being centre in St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex, since 2013 but involved with and supported the charity for over 35 years. On a usual day, we can work with up to 100 people. It feels like a very…
Read moreGuest Blog: Social Prescribing and Mental Health
Dania Hanif
Published: February 20, 2020
– Brendan Hill, CEO, Mental Health Concern Social Prescribing, link work, and community-based support have come to the fore over the last couple of years partly as a result of being included in the NHS Long-Term plan’s commitment to make personalised care ‘business as usual’ across the health and care system. This is clearly a…
Read moreOur New EDM's Thoughts on the EDP...
Greg Woolley
Published: January 27, 2020
With ever-increasing cuts to public funding and growing competition for grant and philanthropic funds, many organisations are desperate to find ways to diversify their income. Understandably, the potential opportunities for diversification from enterprise or trading is often treated with caution or avoided. Building on from that, the Enterprise Development Programme (EDP) has been designed to…
Read moreGuest Blog: Suicide - A Preventable Death
Dania Hanif
Published: November 18, 2019
– Gemma Bruce, Head of External Affairs, Turning Point On 8 November, Turning Point launched our national Suicide Prevention Strategy at our substance misuse service in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. We chose Leicester because we provide both crisis mental health and substance services locally and there is a strong culture of partnership working between statutory…
Read moreBrexit and the VCSE Mental Health Sector
Dania Hanif
Published: October 16, 2019
The role of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) in supporting mental health conditions is well established. The sector provides treatment, care and support services for people living with mental health needs. The sector also employs a workforce with a wealth of knowledge, skills and expertise. Over 1.5 million people access CCG-commissioned mental…
Read moreGuest Blog: Social Prescribing
Dania Hanif
Published: March 14, 2019
– Margaret Hanson, CEO, Imagine Independence #SocialPrescribingDay CEO of Imagine Independence, a 3rd Sector organisation promoting mental health and wellbeing, Margaret Hanson will be joining thousands across the country today (Thursday 14 March) to celebrate Social Prescribing Day. However, as a champion of this approach for more than a decade, Margaret is keen to explore why…
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