War and propaganda - mental health services

War and propaganda - A report from the frontline in Liverpool by Mary O'Reilly

Latest

NSUN announces new CEO

In January 2020, Akiko Hart will join NSUN as CEO. Sarah Yiannoullou will be leaving after an amazing 10 years of growing NSUN’s network and working to put our members manifesto into action. Akiko introduces herself and shares her hopes for the future of NSUN.
Rachel Rowan Olive

Rachel Rowan Olive is a mental health service user / survivor, illustrator, and MA student in Applied Linguistics at Birkbeck, University of London. She uses her lived experience of mental health and social policy to inform research consultation...
Jonathan Rackham (co-opted trustee)

Jonathan Rackham is a disabled international Independent advocate and consultant who specialises in all forms of Disability and human right law including the United Nations Convention on the person’s right with disabilities...
Amy Rushton (co-opted trustee)

Amy Rushton is an interdisciplinary researcher and writer on mental distress, critical thinking and creative work. Amy’s professional background is in academic research and teaching in UK Higher Education...

Peer Advocacy

Alan Hartman from Manchester Users Network (MUN) reflects on where Peer Advocacy has come from and his understanding and experiences of peer advocacy spanning 50 years.
Know your human rights

NSUN trustee, Rachel Rowan Olive, attended the launch of the British Institute of Human Rights online tool earlier this month. The 'Know Your Human Rights' tool is aimed at helping mental health service users raise issues around human rights in their care. BIHR are looking at how they can make sure the tool is widely used and get feedback on how to develop it further.
Borderline Personality Disorder - the diagnosis and me!

NSUN member Simon shares his candid account. 'I’m what’s known as a high functioning Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) sufferer. That’s what I was told many years ago and I accepted the diagnosis at the time. I now believe I don’t have the disorder. Here is my story of why I believe this.'
SCREAM IF YOU WANNA GO FASTER. The Signposting Roundabout from Hell

Against the backdrop of `mental health awareness week’ I am feeling suicidal. My life has no purpose or meaning, and I can no longer run the gauntlet of discrimation and abuse I face on a daily basis.
Mad? I'm furious!

'After 23 years we are apparently no longer valued by decision-makers or funders (...) at the time when we are most needed, nobody will actually fight for us', says Sarah, as the user-led organisation she is part of faces shut down in Liverpool. Published here as part of NSUN's campaign The Value of User Led Groups, this blog is a personal view on the threat of extinction to the Liverpool Mental Health Consortium.
BPD blog

'You may have not had the chance to study, go to uni or you may have had to drop out of reaching your goals due to the BPD but remember that your experiences are invaluable and can be used to effectively reach others who maybe experiencing similar to yourself' writes Katie
Beyond the encouraging rhetoric: what will this actually mean for people in practice?

Dr Emma Ormerod reflects on how patients will have a greater say in decisions when the essential power dynamic remains the same.
Women's Mental Health Network campaign

The Women’s Mental Health Network is a partnership of voluntary organisations from across the sectors, that works to give women with mental health needs a voice and drive forward change within the system so that these voices are heard.
Thoughts on Black History Month

My journey as a mental health equality activist has been painful, a public health warning to your sanity as you see the delusions to how racism operates in which whiteness is in the room but has been invisible when talking about equality., says Colin King, who recently set up the ‘Whiteness and Race Equality’ network in mental health
We need no Suicide Prevention Minister

I'm a person who struggles with suicidality and the government has appointed a 'suicide prevention minister'. You'd think I'd be happy. Or at least willing to give this notion a chance. But no. I'm angry, says Madame Merteuil

Jobs and involvement opportunities

Jobs and other involvement opportunities that call upon your lived experience as a mental health survivor / service user / carer.
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 really 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

We are a ‘user led’ network of over 4500 individual and group members. Join us to find out what's happening across England to improve the experiences of people who need services and support when in distress. We aim to connect, inform and influence.
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.
Our vision

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.