Needless to say, I have been busy lately! As have been PPCs and candidate selection teams up and down the country with the threat of looming General Election. Exciting times! This uncertainty plays havoc with our mental health. We all have mental health, as we all have physical health. Not knowing whether one’s life is […]
Kirsten Johnson
Is the Green Paper on Social Care happening or not?
I spent some time yesterday in a long meeting with a local resident. He had cared for his mum for many years and sadly she died. The circumstances leading up to her death and the nursing home care she received tell a grim tale. My local resident called for an investigation and has written numerous […]
Government under increasing pressure to fund social care
This blog is a week late – but I’ve been busy! I wanted to highlight the Lords’ Economic Affairs Committee report published July 4th. This cross-party group of Peers calls for an immediate investment of £8 billion pounds into our care services “to restore social care to acceptable standards”. North Devon, as many areas of the […]
Making a difference – the first Mental Health First Aid Impact Report
I blogged several years ago about my experience of training as a Mental Health First Aider. Since then, I’ve lobbied and worked to bring equal parity of esteem to mental and physical first aid. So I was keen to read the first Impact Report from Mental Health First Aid England: does MHFA really work? The […]
What would we do without the NHS?
Our family has used the NHS more this year than ever before – all five of us have seen consultants for a range of ailments. Yesterday my husband saw the Haematology team to be told his cancer was in remission. We left the hospital grateful for the good prognosis, and thankful that we lived in […]
Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 #EmpowerHalfHour
The Where’s Your Head At? campaign launched a Workplace Manifesto on Monday. As part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2019, this campaign is raising awareness of how employers and businesses can better support their employees’ mental health and well-being. It is a straightforward manifesto which the campaign is calling all employers to sign. The principals, […]
Great news that the Mental Capacity Bill is set to pass final stages
I have been watching the progress of the Mental Capacity Bill closely. One of the reasons I, and many activists I’m sure, became involved in politics was because of our concern over mental health, the marginalised, and mental capacity issues. Indeed, my other half researches in this area, so I have an in-house expert on […]
Lib Dem bill to bring in mental health checks for new mums
Tomorrow is International Women’s Day. And today, in advance of IWD 2019 our Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse will introduce a Bill to improve mental health care for new mothers. I welcome this legislation. As a mother of three, I am well aware of what is currently offered to new mothers. It is not enough. This campaign […]
Lib Dem bill to bring in mental health checks for new mums
Tomorrow is International Women’s Day. And today, in advance of IWD 2019 our Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse will introduce a Bill to improve mental health care for new mothers. I welcome this legislation. As a mother of three, I am well aware of what is currently offered to new mothers. It is not enough. This campaign […]
Today is Young Carers Awareness Day
How many of you know a young carer? Today we are celebrating the contributions many of our young people make as carers. It is Young Carers Awareness Day. Caring can take many forms – a sibling caring for another sibling with a learning disability, a child looking after a parent, a young person helping aid […]