Health & Social Care Research & Action Group
The group met to discuss mental health and sent the following letter during March 2016:-
Letter to Councillor David Munro (Conservative candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey) from the South West Surrey Compass Health and Social Care Group
Dear Councillor Munro,
We have been very impressed to read of your mission to improve services for the mentally ill as one of your key issues when you stand as police commissioner for Surrey.
As a small group of Surrey residents we are aware that inadequate support for those suffering from mental health problems can often impact on the police when crises occur. Having experienced the problems faced by people suffering from mental health illnesses at close quarters, we are writing to ask that you sign up to the Mental Health Challenge, both in Waverley Borough Council and in Surrey County Council.
The Mental Health Challenge for local authorities is an initiative led jointly by Centre for Mental Health, the Mental Health Foundation, the Mental Health Providers Forum, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and YoungMinds.
The aim of the challenge is to encourage and support local leadership for mental health and wellbeing through local authority elected members. The challenge asks councils to appoint a ‘member champion’ for mental health. In return, the national charities offer champions and their councils advice, information and a network of peers in similar roles.
The mental health challenge is already showing that local authority member champions have the potential to raise the profile of mental health and wellbeing in local communities, to enable councils to integrate mental health into the full range of their policies and responsibilities, and to link up with other local leaders to foster partnerships and encourage action to promote mental health and life chances.
The challenge was launched in September 2013 and so far over 35 councils have taken the challenge and appointed member champions for mental health. For more information about the challenge please visit their web site www.mentalhealthchallenge.org.uk or contact Emma Bailey on emma.bailey@centreformentalhealth.org.uk .
If you could find time to meet us to discuss this further we would be delighted.
Kind regards,
South West Surrey Health & Social Care Group