Healthy Lives (2017)

Healthy Lives Project

Improving physical health services for people diagnosed with serious mental illnesses

This is a user-led study which the Healthy London Partnership mental health programme commissioned NSUN to undertake.

We asked:

What physical healthcare experiences do people with serious (enduring) mental illness diagnoses have?
What are their needs?
What improvements in commissioning and in services are needed?

You can download the full project description as well as the reports it produced:

Latest

NSUN Side By Side Fund

The NSUN Side by Side Fund is open for applications. The Fund will award grants of up to £500 to peer support, mutual aid or self-help groups in England and Wales to connect remotely, prepare to move their activities to face-to-face, or make their group more sustainable. Click here for more information
What do I expect? Better than this - the NHS complaints system

Blog by Nikki Mattocks
My experience of being sectioned

Blog by Emily Katy
Autism and colour in a monochrome anti-neurodivergent psychiatric setting

Blog by Zaynab Sohawon

What Do User-Led Groups Need (2020)

The findings of research to understand what challenges user-led mental health organisations face, and to explore what might help user-led organisations delivering mental health support to meet their aims and sustain and develop their activities.
Informing a Decision Guide for Psychological Treatments for Depression (2020)

Expert by Experience consultation in partnership with The University of Essex and Shaping Our Lives. Report by Alison Faulkner.
Keeping Control (2020)

These resources are for anyone who has experienced abuse, victimisation or hate crime directed at them because of their mental distress or psychiatric diagnosis.
Peer Support: Working with the VCSE Sector (2020)

NSUN, AMHP and Mind have jointly produced a thought-piece outlining how voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) organisations can meaningfully contribute to the provision of peer support in mental health; and offer practical examples of the diverse ways in which this is already happening.
Remote and Online Peer Support Resource (2020)

Over the past months, collaborative working has shown that we have shared experiences of what works. This resource, for anyone involved in providing peer support, outlines best practice, tips, and information about remote support, including the move back to face to face.
The Value of User Led Groups (2019 campaign)

NSUN’s main campaign in 2019 is the value of user-led groups - that is demonstrating the huge value of user-led groups in our society and fighting the cause for their survival.
Unlocking Service User Involvement Practice in Forensic Settings (2011)

NSUN commissioned WISH to conduct a review of involvement practice in forensic settings.
Values-based commissioning (2014)

Partnership project around supporting people with lived experience to gain proper input into the commissioning of services they use.
Service user involvement and co-production: the MARD project (2007)

Documents by the Making A Real Difference (MARD) project.
Service user involvement and co-production publications

Publications by the members of the national survivor user network (NSUN), network for mental health, on user involvement and co-production

Jobs and involvement opportunities

We currently have no vacancies. Check back for recruitment opportunities
4Pi National Involvement Standards

Developed by people with lived experience as part of the National Involvement Partnership (NIP) project, the 4Pi National Standards ensure effective co-production, thus improving experiences of services and support.
Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit - Open Letters

The UK government is hosting a Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in London on the 9th and 10th of October, 2018. The Summit aims to “build momentum on global mental health issues such as early intervention, public health, research, tackling stigma, and promoting access to evidence-based services.”. Read the Open Letters to the Organisers, Partners and Delegates of the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit, London
BME mental health service users launch manifesto

The Kindred Minds BME mental health service user led manifesto is a unique resource, has been written by BME mental health service users and has a comprehensive vision for the policy and practice changes needed to improve the mental well-being of BME mental health service users.
History

About the National Survivor User Network (NSUN) and the wider service user survivor movement. What we have achieved.
Join as a member or supporter

We are a user-led network of over 5000 individual and group members or supporters. We aim to connect, inform, influence, and improve the experiences of people who need services and support when in distress.
Survivor Researcher Network launch manifesto

Written by the Survivor Researcher Working Group, the SRN manifesto sets out the background and context to survivor and service user research and SRN's aims and values as a network
Alternatives to detention/sectioning under the Mental Health Act 1983. Can you help with suggestions?

As part of her work for the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act, Dorothy Gould is trying to collect as many examples as possible of alternatives to detention/sectioning.
About NSUN

Our vision is for the lives of people who experience mental distress, discrimination and disadvantage to be better
The Principles of Peer Support Charter

A collaboration between statutory and voluntary sector organisations has facilitated the production of a peer led and produced Principles of Peer Support Charter.