You said, we listened

You said

Anti-Depressants – “Couldn’t remember a thing the GP told me, just took them and felt worse”

We did

Implemented Wellbeing support calls for people recently diagnosed with depression. These calls are focussed on providing support and to signpost to additional services across primary and secondary care settings if/when required.

You said

Self-Harm – “There is a need to broaden the subject and educate people, especially service providers – it is not just what people can see but what is happening behind the scenes as well.”

We did

Professional version of the adult self-harm management toolkit launched December 2021 – to be used by professionals and community-based services e.g. GPs, acute, primary care, pharmacists, Samaritans, social care, Police and voluntary organisations to support adults they encounter who may be displaying self-harming behaviours.

You said

Suicide Awareness Training – “Reduce the stigma around talking about suicide and raise awareness of suicide and how to help prevent it”

We did

Implemented a suicide awareness training programme with the ambition to ensure everyone who lives and works in mid & south Essex receive suicide prevention training

You said

Community Funding – “Important elements of building community confidence and strength would include: supporting patient self-management and recognising the impact of socio-economic factors and conditions on health outcomes especially those in protected groups.”

“There is a strong feeling that physical exercise helps to maintain good mental health. Followed closely by engagement in a wide range of social activities, which bring people together for social interactions. Being connected to nature or being around animals helped some people whilst other just needed someone to talk to.”

We did

Provided funding to organisation in the VSCE (Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise) to engage those less likely to use services and support available to them.

These organisations provide support to:

• Asylum seekers, refugees and displaced communities
• Children and young people
• People who have experienced grief, trauma, addictions, social isolation, anxiety and depression
• Men’s mental health
• People bereaved by suicide
• People who self-harm
• People with suicidal thoughts

They offer support and services including therapies like creative arts, trauma resolution therapies, family therapy, nature-based group therapy, mentoring, 1-2-1 guidance, youth coaching and group working and forums including film making. 

They also have a mobile unit visiting various locations including train stations, organisations, businesses and local football clubs to help raise awareness of men’s mental health, talk about mental health, self-harm, and suicide prevention and offer support and guidance where needed, as well as a face-to-face befriending service, to help people re-engage with life.

You said

You wanted information earlier and for us to share ideas on how to keep active during the winter months.  You also asked us to share advice, ideas and support to tackle loneliness and information to be provided to people who do not have access to online resources. 

We did

We launched our winter email series two months earlier this year and share information from partners in Active Essex around how to ‘Find Your Active’ and a new YouTube channel to help you exercise for free at home.  We also added a topic around supporting mental health and combatting loneliness in the winter month and introduced a new printed booklet that is being distributed within our communities.