Mental Health

Public Mental Health Strategy

At any one time, at least one person in six is experiencing a mental health condition, and it is the single largest cause of disability in the UK. This is detrimental for the individual and also affects the people around them.  Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s Public Mental Health Strategy, 2015-2018 focuses on promoting good mental health throughout life, focusing on support for children and young people through schools and reducing social isolation. A summary version of the strategy is also available.

The strategy highlights the positive impact that the wider environment can have on mental health – in particular workplace initiatives and anti-stigma campaigns.  People with severe mental illness often also have poorer physical health and may be more likely to die early from largely preventable causes. The strategy therefore looks at how more people with severe mental illness can be supported to live healthier lives.

Children and Young People’s Mental Health

In terms of preventing mental illness and promoting mental health, early intervention and prevention work is key as half of all lifetime mental health problems begin before the age of 14 years. Our summary considers the mental health needs of children and young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough: Mental Health of Children and Young People in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, A Summary of Needs, 2017

Keep Your Head

This new young people’s mental health website, www.keep-your-head.com, provides information for young people, parents/carers and professionals on young people’s mental health – ranging from self-help to information on services. The website has been developed in conjunction with young people and they have played a particularly key role in developing the name, content and the images on the site (most of which were produced by Cambridge Regional College photography students).

The website has been funded by the CCG with support from Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council. In addition many local organisations working with young people have also contributed to the development of the site. The website will continue to evolve in response to feedback, and there will be wider promotion through posters and flyers in coming weeks. Please promote this as widely as possible among your networks, and where possible include a link to this from your own website.

Mental Health Support for Children and Young People

If you are concerned about your mental health then your GP is a good person to talk to, but there are a range of other local and national sources of support that may also be able to help.  Within our document is a page of national and local support bodies: Mental Health Support for Children and Young People

Suicide

Deaths due to suicide and injury of undetermined intent are a significant cause of death in young adults and are seen as an indicator of underlying mental ill-health. A number of risk factors for suicide are now recognised, including gender, age, mental illness, physical illness, previous suicidal tendencies, drug and alcohol misuse, and a range of lifestyle factors known to increase personal stress levels.

Prevention Strategy and Action Plan

The Joint Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Suicide prevention strategy 2017-2020 supports the national suicide prevention strategy – ‘Preventing suicide in England, Dept. of Health 2012’ – and replaces the previous version dated 2014-2017.

The key purpose of the strategy is to ensure that there is co-ordinated and integrated multi-agency agreement on the delivery of suicide prevention services that is tailored appropriately to local need and is driven by the involvement and feedback from service users. Six priority areas for suicide prevention in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough with recommendations for actions are set out in the strategy with an accompanying Three Year Action Plan.

Videostream Series

Videostream 1 – Children and Young People’s Mental Health

1st March 2016.  This videostream features a discussion on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. It is for parents, carers and teachers of primary and secondary school children in Cambridgeshire.  It focuses on what mental health is, what we can do to promote and protect it, and what national and local support there is.

Q and A sessions running alongside the videostream focus on what we can do to positively support children’s mental health and wellbeing, rather than discussions about clinical cases. It does not include information on mental illness or specific case studies

Panellists:
Claire Harris BSc MSc CPsychol AFBPsS. Mental Health Promotion Facilitator, Public Health, Cambridgeshire County Council
Jeremy Lloyd. Director of Learning, Huntingdon Regional College

Hosts: Luke, Mike and Dale Machin at Huntingdon Regional College

Public Health Input: Holly Hodge

Videostream 2 – Stress, Relationships and Mental Health

6th May 2016. This videostream focused on stress, relationships and mental health. It focused on what stress is, how we can manage exam stress using the Stress LESS campaign being run by Mind in Cambridgeshire, and support information from Centre 33.

Panelists:

Claire Harris BSc MSc CPsychol AFBPsS. Mental Health Promotion Facilitator, Public Health, Cambridgeshire County Council
Jeremy Lloyd. Director of Learning, Huntingdon Regional College
Dominika Karpowicz Mental health Campaigns Officer, Mind in Cambridgeshire
Sam Feeney, Outreach Worker, Centre 33