"Thinking
CAP" is working for positive change within mental health services!!
"Thinking
CAP"
Northern 
Area
MHS
Consumer
Advisory
Panel.
...a group of ACTIVE
CONSUMERS/ SERVICE USERS....
'Seeking
innovation and change in mental health services through
consumer
participation..."
Working to make a difference
and help to build better,
more responsive services
for consumers of
Northern
Area Mental
Health Services...
FURTHER
INFORMATION: Allan Pinches, Consumer Consultant: Tel:
9408 9510 (Mondays or message)
C/- Whittlesea CMHC, 185 Cooper St,
Epping, 3076.
Email:
Allan.Pinches@nh.org.au
"Thinking CAP" is
working steadily and making good
progress in
its task of providing consumer perspective advice and consultation to
management, towards positive change and innovation in clinical mental
health
services run by Northern Area Mental Health Services.
The group is
composed of
consumers/ service users, and helps facilitate processes for consumers
to
have a bigger say in the planning and development of local clinical
menal health services.
"Thinking CAP."
-- the
Consumer Advisory Panel for Northern Area Mental Health Service --
provides
advice and consultation to the services on ways to improve services,
aimed at
better meeting consumers' rights, expectations and needs.
As the
principal focus for consumer
participation activity for the Northern Area's clinical mental health
services,
the group is working collaboratively with service management and
service staff
towards positive change, informed by consumer knowledge and experience.
The group
works within three major modes of
operation:
• An
advisory panel offering consumer perspective advice and consultation
toward service problem solving, innovation and development;
• A
"pool" of consumers
for other
service committees and what is expected to be a growing number of
opportunities
for providing consumer input with service planning and development
activities
such as consultations, staff training, staff selection panels, project
groups,
community forums; and,
•
A special
projects group doing some small
projects.
The Consumer Advisory Panel is
dubbed
"Thinking CAP" because it aims to be a consumer-oriented
thinking group for generating lots of bright ideas for improving
clinical mental
health services. In its work of analysing problems and
formulating consumer-perspective solutions, based on the unique
knowledge of being service users (or ex users/ consumers) it is
demonstated that "Thinking
CAP's" name also makes the point that consumers can think, and have unique and
hard-won knowledge and insignt about many social issues.
"Thining
CAP" has become in many ways a
powerful
engine for improvement, innovation and change within clinical mental
health services, with
strong
reference to consumers' expressed needs and wishes.
The "Thinking CAP" project
is based on the idea that consumers/ service users have valuable first
hand knowledge and insights regarding strengths and weaknesses of
clinical
mental health services and have many skills and innovative ideas to
contribute.
In the words of an old
Irish
proverb, service providers are well advised to factor into planning
activities
consumer perspectives about services because: "The
foot knows best where the shoe pinches."
All going well, the "Thinking CAP" initiative should
make a major
contribution
to making mental health services in the northern area more
consumer-responsive
through better communication between consumers and service providers,
enhance
information sharing, boost consumer participation and
empowerment,
encourage more personalised and caring approaches, and be better
attuned
to special needs related to gender, youth, long-standing clients, and a
culturally diverse community.
(Click here to see the Consumer
Participation Strategy.)
"Thinking CAP"
like
the Consumer Consultants Project, will cover clinical services in the
northern
area, comprising Darebin and Whittlesea Community Mental Health
Centres,
the Northern Hospital Psychiatric Unit, the Community Assessment and
Treatment
Team (CATT), the Mobile Support and Treatment Team (MSTT), and the
northern
Community Care Unit (CCU).
Thinking
CAP" welcomes inquiries from consumers interested joining the group --
with vacancies occurring from time to time -- and some other ways are
being developed to allow people to get involved with various aspects of
consumer participation at Northern Area Mental Health Services.
Some of the key criteria the group and the
Northern AMHS is seeking in prospective consumer members include:
- Consumer
experience of serious mental illness,
and an understanding of public mental health services gained from being
a past
or present service user. (Preferably living within the Northern Area
Mental
Health Service catchment of Darebin and Whittlesea municipalities.)
- A strong
commitment to consumer participation
as a means of promoting the rights, expectations and needs of consumers
in
mental health services.
- A
knowledge of key issues affecting consumers
in mental health services and keeping in touch with current consumer
thinking
on a range of issues.
- Ability to
provide consumer perspectives about
mental health services within "Thinking CAP"
and meetings.
- Community
group experience and some
organisational skills such as minute taking, brainstorming or group
facilitation would be an advantage.
- Ability to
think creatively and engage in group
problem‑solving discussions in relation to complex and challenging
issues
within mental health services.
- Some
research and development skills or
interests would be an advantage.
- Ability to
self‑manage emotional responses in
the face of sometimes disturbing issues is desirable.
Some tasks:
- To
actively participate as Committee Members/
Consumer Representatives in "Thinking CAP"
meetings with Northern Area Mental Health Service managers
and staff.
- Members
may on occasions represent the group in
other service committees, consultations with consumers, staff training
sessions, staff selection interview panels, public speaking engagements
or
special project groups, as required.
- Members
are invited to assist with
organisational tasks, such as minute taking.
- To
contribute to a creative learning and
problem‑solving culture of the "Thinking CAP" committee while also seeking out
relevant information and
sharing knowledge to further the committee's work and promote the
interests of
the wider group of consumers.
- Occasionally
contributing to special projects
of the group.
Sessional
payments:
A modest
sitting fee, (including transport
expenses) is paid to "Thinking
CAP" committee
members for participation in meetings. (Please
note, this role does not constitute a formal employment arrangement and
is
limited and sessional in nature.)
How
to apply:
Contact Allan Pinches, Consumer
Consultant, Northern AMHS,
C/-Whittlesea Community Mental Health Centre, (Northern
Hospital) 185 Cooper St Epping 3076.
Or Telephone: 9408 9510. (Mondays or message)
Or Email:
Allan.Pinches@nh.org.au
Terms
of Reference.
This link takes you to a page setting out
the terms of reference upon which the role and structure of "Thinking
CAP" are based.
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