Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, the county’s mental health and learning disability service provider, is celebrating the recruitment of more than 4000 members.
Phoebe Thornton, is the 4000th member to join the Trust. She became aware of mental health issues as both of her parents work in the field – her father at Framework and her mother at the Healthcare Trust. Phoebe, who is 17 and studying for her A Levels, has also known friends who have experienced mental health problems and been involved in supporting them. She wanted to become a member to be involved and help to de-stigmatise mental health.
Phoebe said: “I feel really strongly about all forms of discrimination, but think that people are less considerate towards those with mental health problems and do not try to be as ‘PC’ about it as they would about racism and gender. Sometimes the language that people use is terrible, calling people with mental health problems awful names - it’s not right. I hope that the more people sign up the more aware of mental health people will be and less likely to judge. I’ve told friends about the Trust membership and they’ve signed up too.”
The Trust is encouraging local people to become members to have their say on how services are delivered in their area and be involved in their future direction. 1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problems, so many people, their friends and families will be affected. The intention is to recruit over 15,000 people. Current public membership stands at 4058. More than 6000 Trust staff are also members.
Mike Cooke, Chief Executive said: “I am delighted that we have reached such a milestone in our recruitment of members. Membership is not just about numbers – it’s about involving people at every stage of our work and it is great that individuals like Phoebe are joining in.
“In our efforts to become a Foundation Trust equivalent, and to become fully accountable to the communities we serve we need members of those communities to become members of the Trust. We want you to get involved and encourage families, friends and service users to join up to have their say on the services and matters that affect their lives. The more people tell us, the better we can be.”
Foundation Trust equivalent organisations offer numerous benefits to the communities that they serve. Through becoming members, local people will be able to influence the management of their local NHS organisations - creating services that truly meet the needs of their community. Members are also able to stand for election to become Governors of the Foundation Trust equivalent should they wish.
Benefits to the Trust will include greater financial flexibility – meaning that new units and premises will be able to be built and opened much more quickly than at the moment. Foundation Trust equivalents will also have the freedom to put projects and initiatives into place without going through the prolonged processes that currently exist.
The Trust already has a very strong legacy of involving people who use its services and their carers in developing what it does, but now all members of the public can have their say. Members receive information about the Trust and developments in its services. They can get involved in meetings, events and other activities and make a real impact on how the Trust develops its services and future plans.
Membership is totally free of charge.
People can register their interest by calling 0115 993 4567, emailing involve@nottshc.nhs.uk or by clicking here
