PLUSPoint - plusperth.co.ukplusperth.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Nov19.pdfAN AUDIENCE WITH GRAEME OBREE An audience of around 50 people listened to what was a very engaging

PERTH & KINROSS / EDITION 96 / N O V E M B E R 2019

MEE TING PL ACE FOR SHARING NE WS AND VIE WS

PLUS77 Canal Street, Perth PH2 8JJ Tel.: 01738 626242 Email: [email protected] www.plusperth.co.uk Scottish Charity SC040271 Company No. SC354220

MEN

TA L H E A LTH

Hope Recovery and W

ellbei

ng

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY EVENTS 10 OCTOBER 2019AN AUDIENCE WITH GRAEME OBREE An audience of around 50 people listened to what was a very engaging talk from Graeme Obree and his former wife Anne on WMHD. Both spoke very candidly about the considerable issues they had to overcome, and what they had learned which helped hugely in rebuilding a better way of living. Those who heard the gold medallist cyclist talk were not disappointed, a very valuable event indeed indicated by this feedback from one of the attendees;I just wanted to express my appreciation to you and PLUS for organising today’s talk by Graeme and Anne. It was inspirational, emotional, funny at times and just gave lots of food for thought. Hearing from Graeme about his struggles and the ways he has found to move forward was just both fascinating and as I already said inspiring. Thanks again.

Funded by “Awards for All”

PLUSPointPLUSPoint Mental Health and Wellbeing

INFORMATION STANDS AT AVIVALocal mental health initiatives and organisations Mindspace, PLUS, Andy’s Mans club and the menopause cafes offered information to the staff of Aviva on World Mental Health Day.

FIRST WORD Autumn has well and truly arrived. It’s raining leaves this morning as I go outside. November already. It’s been such a quick year.Plenty happening inside as well. The final report from the independent inquiry on our mental health services in Tayside isn’t too far off now. The findings will be significant to mental health services right across Scotland. We have to believe it will make a difference, even if at the moment it seems like it isn’t. The article on page 2 of the newsletter, P&K vote to continue with mental health bed centralisation in Dundee gives an up to date account of the situation.Other stuff that’s been happening in the PLUS world include a fabulous talk on World Mental Health Day by the world champion cyclist Graeme O’bree, and an article about a PLUS member attending the critical voices network conference in Cork on the 13th and 14th of this month. Watch out for a piece in the December newsletter all about that important gathering.Also bits and bobs about different activities that people might think about going along to. Such as the regular PLUS meet- ups on Wednesdays in the Methodist Church, Perth and the social gatherings in Blairgowre and Pitlochry at the beginning of each month. Or what about the charity bingo tea that Culture PK are holding on the 18th November? One of the main purposes of this newsletter is to keep people connected. For our readership to get a sense of being part of something. Most of what’s published in the newsletter comes from PLUS members, and I think that helps cement the idea that it’s ‘by the people, for the people’. Please keep sending in any photos, articles, creative writing or even good recipes. We couldn’t do it without you.Thank you!

Photo by Steve MacDougal, the Courier

PLUS HELPLINE CARDPLUS launched our Surviving Christmas helpline card this week. The handy wallet size card offers practical tips on how to cope with the added stresses the festive season brings and provides contacts for when extra help is needed. Available from the PLUS Office 01738 626242

SAINTS MENTAL WELLBEING FOOTBALLThe National Mental Health and Wellbeing league football fixtures are underway again with fixtures taking place at different venues in Glasgow in August and September. Once again there are 2 teams from Saints Community Trust entered (pictured) and anyone is welcome to come along to the weekly coaching sessions which take place at McDiarmid Field Turf pitch on Wednesdays at 3.15 p.m. Please contact either Danny Griffin or Rebekah Penman on 01738 459095 in advance for more information.

P&K VOTE TO CONTINUE WITH MENTAL HEALTH BED CENTRALISATION IN DUNDEEThe P&K IJB took a decision to endorse the continued centralisation of mental health beds at Carseview at a meeting in Perth on Sept 27. This was despite a recommendation from David Strang’s independent inquiry to pause the bed centralisation and to first look at the wider community mental health plan. Three P&K councillors McDade, Stewart and Purves tried their best to ensure the pause happened but were unable to as they were outnumbered.Dr Strang who attended the meeting gave a frank portrayal of how poor the mental health services in Tayside are;‘At the time of starting the inquiry I thought the services would improve but they have got worse. No single strategy will make the change needed, new thinking is necessary.My fear is the difficulties might be minimized, and rely on a system of business improvement but culture change is needed’. He also said ‘too many plans that looked good but had not been implemented’ and he articulated strongly that “What needs to happen does actually get delivered’Councillor Drysdale commented to Dr Strang that he felt his recommendation to pause the centralisation of the beds in Dundee had been given ‘in hindsight’. David exclaimed to the contrary saying ‘It was with foresight! It was something that was urgently needed at the time’ and ‘the only recommendation in the report as I felt it was a very important one’.Once David Strang had left the meeting Gordon Paterson, chief officer of the IJB stated that the decision for the voting members of the IJB was;‘as to whether or not we should wait for the delivery and development of a comprehensive strategy before addressing some of the significant risks being experienced in our hospital wards at present’. However the independent inquiry interim report has been quite clear that as far as any operational risks are concerned they should not be delayed. It wasn’t an either or position as Gordon Paterson had implied. This increased the stress on voting members.This recent decision by the P&K IJB is very regrettable for people living across P&K who want to keep our mental health services local. However the situation remains quite fluid as the Scottish parliament are keeping a close eye on what has been going on. At First Ministers questions a couple of days after the P&K IJB Nicola Sturgeon was asked by the Labour leader as to why the local body is not acting on Tayside’s independent report. FM has agreed to investigate further. MSP Jeane Freeman is due to attend the SPG (service users, carers, families etc) of the independent inquiry in the middle of November.

MENTAL HEALTH PRESCRIPTIONS RISING FASTEST IN 10-14-YEAR-OLD SCOTSPRESCRIPTIONS for psychiatric drugs including antidepressants, sleeping pills and antipsychotics are growing faster for children aged 10 to 14 than any other age group in Scotland - and the trend is accelerating.In less than a decade, the number of ten to 14-year-olds taking anti-anxiety and insomnia drugs such as diazepam, zopiclone and benzodiazepines - better known as sedatives or tranquilisers - has soared eight-fold, from 703 in 2009/10 to 5,533 by 2018/19.Official guidelines stress that tranquilisers should be restricted to cases of anxiety which are “severe, disabling or causing unacceptable distress”, or for the treatment of sleeping problems “only after the underlying causes have been established and treated”.But as of last year, one in 50 children aged 10 to 14 in Scotland was prescribed a sedative.Over the same nine-year period in this age group, the number of children taking antidepressants has almost tripled, from from 483 to 1,354, with the use of antipsychotics to relieve hallucinations, delusional beliefs, and disordered thoughts also up 27%, from 327 to 416.The increases are particularly stark because they far outstrip the population average.

LONELINESS CAUSING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.A new national campaign is asking us to speak and listen, as many people are susceptible to mental health issues due to lonelinessSocial commentators say that we’re fast becoming a nation of completely disengaged individuals; a nation who would rather interact with phone screens and WhatsApp groups than the friends, family and humans around us. The consequence of such a deterioration in our behavioural habits has resulted in a staggering five million Brits now going weeks or months without having a proper conversation with anyone.Over 4 million people in the UK can’t remember the last time they had a meaningful conversation that wasn’t online with someoneThis research from Story Terrace – a company dedicated to capturing life stories – coincides with new data from various sources, showing that millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000 are the loneliest generation there has ever been, and are most susceptible to mental health issues as a result.

STANLEY MILLS VISIT Artvantage, local art and creativity group organised a trip to see the Historic Scotland former working mill at Stanley, Perthshire. It was opened as a tourist attraction in 2008 by Prince Charles.

THE BOOK “DROP THE DISORDER” BY JO WATSON

IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE

CHARITY BINGO TEA NIGHTMonday 18th NovCulture Perth and Kinross have organised a Charity Bingo Tea Night at the Letham Community Centre on Monday 18th November. It starts at 6.30pmThere will also be a Cake and Candy StallEntry £3, Bingo £5Raffle ticket 50p per stripTickets available from the AK Bell Library Café.

DECEMBER DATES FOR MONTHLY PLUS MEET-UPS

Pitlochry Destiny Group meet in Coffee Break

Monday 2nd Dec 10.30am-12noon

Blairgowrie Social Group Fire station (opposite the bowling club)

Tuesday 3rd Dec 10am -12.30.

PLUS Members meeting Perth Methodist Church

Friday 6th Dec 5-6.30pm (Sandwiches and tea provided)

These meet-ups are open to all PLUS members and people wishing to join PLUS. They are very friendly, sociable and a nice place to relax and have a cuppa and a chat. Perhaps do some art or other activity. Phone 01738 626242 if you would like to ask any questions prior to coming along.

PLUS MEETUPS IN THE METHODIST CHURCH EVERY WEDNESDAYPoetry Group 11-12 For lovers of verse. Have a coffee and chat

too.Artvantage 10.30 -1.30 For ‘ arty crafty people’. You don’t

have to be able to draw!Music Group 11-12 Guitar playing, laid back strumming and

singing.Lunch Club 12-1.30 Soup and roll, sometimes salad,

biscuits, crisps and beveridges. £3 Phone 01738 626242 for more information

Peter Cheer. Sarah, Derek Scrimgeor, Martin Raeside and Andrew Hewitt

pictured is contributor Dr Terry Lynch with a copy

Photo of Susan, Debbie, Janine and Angie standing in front of the fire engine after the

Blairgowrie Social Group.

PLUS To Attend Critical Voices Conference In Cork on 13 & 14 November ‘CHALLENGING MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES FROM INSIDE OUT AND OUTSIDE IN’ Dissatisfaction with mainstream mental health systems, as well as attempts, from both within and outside, to find different ways to support people in distress, have been well documented over the years. The critical voices conference explores critical perspectives from both within and outside mental health systems. Innovations in service delivery, in education, and in activism will be explored, set within the wider context of critical debates on contested areas in mental health.Robert Whitaker, one of the key note speakers at this year’s Annual Cork Conference in November, is also doing a presentation at a separate event called ‘Anatomy of an Epidemic and Lessons Learned: How Do We Build a Global Movement for Change in Mental Health?’

ARTVANTAGE MEET IN THE VENUE, ST JOHN ST Artvantage art and creativity group are now meeting in the venue in St John St on Monday afternoons from 2-4pm. The group also meets every Wednesday in the Methodist Church.

HOLIDAY NOTICEThe PLUS Office will be closed for one week annual leave from Wednesday 13th November, and will re-open on Wednesday 20th.

JACKIE PROCTOR LEAVES LINKS IN SECOND BOOKSpring 2020 PLUS will see the publication of another poetry and art book in memory of Dear Friend Jackie

Proctor. New Leaves- New Links, a spring art project with a beautiful exhibition of poems and leaves in St Mathews

Church, Perth will form the basis for a second book.

The first, One Leaf- One Link, as with the second, was the brainchild of Dear Jackie –

“Poems hung from coloured ribbons. A tree with branches weaving threads.

Connections tied, wounds intermingling I’ve held this vision in my head,

of poems hung from coloured ribbons And Leaves portrayed by many hands Painted, stitched, cut out or sculpted Winding Pathways through the trees. Poems hung from coloured ribbons

Linking leaves and leaving link’s”

Jackie

Breathing Space 0800 83 85 87

Samaritans 116 123

Cruse Bereavement Care 0845 600 2227

CAP Debt Advice 0800 328 0006

Dementia Helpline 0808 808 3000

website: [email protected]

CASS any age Women’s Self Injury 0808 800 8088

Eating Disorders Association 0808 801 0677

Mental Health Out of Hours 111

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide 0300 111 5065

9am – 9pm Monday-Friday

Pet Bereavement Support Service 0800 096 6606

Support Line (8.30am – 8.30pm)

SANEline 0300 304 7000

(4.30pm – 10.30pm)

Welfare Rights 01738 476 900

website: www.pkc.gov.uk/welfarerights

AUTUMN WREATH MAKING IN HORNER’S PLOTOne fine day at the beginning of Autumn some folks in Horn-er’s Plot took part in a wreath making workshop held by June McEwen. Some very pretty pieces of rustic art were created in the sunny spot of the garden.

Pictured: Derek Scrimgeour and Andrew Hewitt.

Pictured: Stewart and Ian.

Pictured: Jackie Proctor (left)with comedian Karen Dunbar