People are concerned about the elections which the Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust is holding to refresh its Governors.

The first question is whether the Governors who were forced to resign really needed to or whether the so-called ‘constiutional amendment’ was nothing more than a fix.

There is the Notice of Election.  The North Central London Constituency was not even advertised and yet a supporter of the FT has been elected – perhaps appointed – to the vacant seat.  The succesful appointee sees nothing wrong and has no shame that the election process has not been according to the FT’s own Model Election Rules.

There have been many more irregularities, but the FT and its regulator are admitting to no wrong.  They are in a position to have their way and that is what they do.  Complaints are simply ignored because the FT does not see that it has to answer to anyone, certainly not service users.

There was a promise that the election results would be published today, but of course they weren’t.  No doubt those who run the FT need to see if those elected fit the profile that they prefer.  After all, the wouldn’t want a Board of Governors that they couldn’t control and they would be of the view that true democract would deliver that.

Camden Council/NHS Camden tendered the Camden Service User Involvement contract to selected providers.  There were two bidders: a joint bid by DISC and CMHC and one from Together UK

The Council has decided that neither of the two bidders could provide the service that it wants and has decided that it will offer to provide its own user involvement service from within the Housing & Adult Social Care Directorate from the end of September when the current CMHC contract comes to an end.  It has not consulted service users on this proposal; it has not explained what any in-house service is expected to do and it has not given any indication of how the transition will take place.

So, it would seem that despite all the efforts and the views of service users, the Commissioners know best and are best able to represent service users.  This despite the fact that CMHC has been around since the 1970s in one form or another and for more than 13 years in its present incarantion.  This despite the fact that all the neighbouring Boroughs have thriving service user groups – Brent, Islington, Westminster, Barnet.  Although maybe this should serve as a warning to them.  This despite the fact that the membership of CMHC has been growing and continues to grow.

Camden has a long and distinguished record of service-user involvement in the mental health services and it seems tragic that it is to be brought to an inglorious end in this manner.  The matter wil be discussed at the Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel on Tuesday,8th September and a decision will be made at the Council’s Executive on Wednesday, 9th September.

Camden Council’s Executive will be asked to make a decision at its meeting on 9th September.

It is probable that the edition of The Camden Bugle which comes out at the end of August will be the last one ever.  It is Edition No 144 and since the Bugle is issued monthly means that it is the 12-th birthday edition.  Some birthday present, going out of existence.

The matter is on the Agenda for the meeting of Camden’s Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel on 8th September.  See the Report @

http://www3.camden.gov.uk/templates/committees/showHTML.cfm?file=28392.

THE HASC gave a great deal of time to the question but in the end thweir reference to the Executive was about providing adequate safeguards that there would be a clear plan of action about how they would engage service users.  Since service users will not wish to be engaged with the Council officials then this is going to be a creative exercise.

The issue comes before the Executive for a decision on Wednesday, 9th September and it looks as if they will manage to push their recommendation through and that user involvement will be controlled by the Council.  And they did.  Saying that it was not something that they wanted to do but a position they were forced in to the Executive allowed the Mental Health User Involvement Service to be taken in house.  There were all kinds of promises about firewalls between commissioning and the department which will house user involvement but the truth is that it is no longer likely to be critical of council policy and this is what the officials wanted all along, a dog that not only wont bite but wont even bark!

The Council agreed to take a Deputation on 14th September and we receieved a great deal of support.  More than that, the original Executive decision has been called in with a recommendation that they should reconsider and continue the CMHC contract. That call in will go to one of the Scrutiny Committees but it is not yet clear which one.

This year, World Mental Health Day in Camden is going to be a bid.  Time for Change will be running an afternoon of events in Regent’s Park and the local agencies will be showcasing their own sevices.

Luton is about 40 miles from London.  It’s Mental Health Trust has been unable to gain Foundation status and is up for merger. 

Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with the Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust want to merge with Bedfordshire & Luton.  Why?  Who  will benefit?  Isn’t it just to ensure that C&I is bigger and that the senior staff can claim thay they should be paid more?

This should not be allowed to proceed further without a public consultation on both sides – Camden & Islington and Luton.

The Competition Commission has become involved in this issue.

Almost no other area causes as much concern as this one.

Have your say:  should they be paid at all?  how much should they receive?  should it be taken off any benefits that they are being paid?  Is it right that FT Governors are also being involved and paid for their involvement?

Being paid for what they do is not the only issue.  If service users are going to take on the role of trying to monitor, improve and develop services then surely they need to be provided with the tools to do the job.  This doesn’t seem to be happening locally.  If you want to take part then you have to provide everything down to the paper and envelopes yet if the job was a real one there would be a work-station as a basic starting point.

So, while the question about payments for volunteering is a thorny one, it seems that the Camden & Islington FT are not making any efforts to make the volunteering easier by providing volunteers with the materials and assistance that they need.

The next meeting of the CandI Governors will be held on 15th September.  This is a chance to see what the Governors do or are allowed to do.  Just like politicians, you voted for them and you should be able to ensure that they are working in the best interests of service users.  Perhaps it would be a good idea for them to be challeneged on their ‘other interests’, particularly those who supply services within the FT itself.

It is also a good opportunity to ask why Camden & Islington wants to take over Luton & Bedfordshire.  Although it now emerges that the Governors are to be given a private briefing on this on 8th September.  Inside information says that they were not told much but that they may be being softened up to accept the possibility if it becomes a reality.

The meeting on 15th September seems unlikely to take the powers of the Governors very much further.

The Bichard Report led to the establishment of the Independent Safeguarding Agency.  Changes will come about in October which will change the nature of user involvement.  It’s good to hear that the Sevice User Focussedf Working Group is pursuing this.  Regrettably it does not seem to have been provided with comprehensive information on the process.

Claire Johnston answered a CMHC question at the last FT Board Meeting:

When will the FT Board make a statement about the changes that will be involved with the further
implementation of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and in particular how this will affect
user involvement within the FT.  

Response: Claire Johnston

ISA and Service User involvement at  Camden & Islington Foundation Trust

The independent Safeguarding Committee was set up in January 2009 and will become operational in October 2009. The new ISA guidelines are being implemented following the Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Act 2006.

The new act will require all relevant employers, including Camden & Islington Foundation Trust to register their staff and volunteers for ISA approval from October this year. The ISA will have the authority to put those it finds unsuitable on a ‘barred list’ and prevent them from working with vulnerable groups.

The ISA definition of vulnerable persons includes those people who are:

• under 18 years old
• in residential care or sheltered accommodations
• detained in custody
• require assistance to conduct their affairs
• In receipt of a prescribed course of healthcare

This description is, of course, likely to include many of the people accessing services at Camden & Islington Foundation Trust.

Camden & Islington Foundation trust welcomes the opportunity the act provides to strengthen the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, however at the same time recognises this could have a potential impact on the employment choices of ex / or current service users within our own locality.

The ISA has had extensive consultations with Mental Health services, drug and alcohol misuse services and social care providers.  Although the ISA have not given a definitive criteria for what will prompt the person being placed on a barring list they have released a statement to announce they “will work to ensure the treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration into the workplace of service users are all appropriately considered by the ISA”

It has been indicated that offences that may lead to barring may include offences that are

• Directed towards children
• Involve sexual behaviour or deviance
• Indicates the person breached a position of trust
• Involved violence against a vulnerable person or where a weapon has been used.

Overall it is hoped that the ISA will consider previous offences in a balanced and proportionate manner, taking into account when an ex offender has demonstrated a commitment and the skills to make changes to their life through employment.

On the balance of this information it is anticipated that service users will not be adversely affected.  It is also worth noting that there will be an appeals process should a trust be in disagreement with a decision made by the ISA, and where appropriate evidence can be provided to support the service users placement or appointment.

It is not entirely clear under the ISA barring and vetting scheme whether the term ‘volunteer’ also includes service users involved in planning and decision making for example

Camden & Islington Foundation Trust have agreed a programme to realise  the ISA guidelines and will communicate the details of the schemes operation and the plans for the implementation of the act for all current staff and service users by September.

Any questions regarding the operation of this programme should be directed to Carol Lenz, Assistant Director, Human Resources and Organisational Development.

Outline timeline for ISA implementation..

From October 2009

• Employers and services such as social care and drug and alcohol misuse providers will have a duty to refer to the ISA any information about individuals who may pose a threat to vulnerable and/or young people.
• There will be criminal penalties for barred individuals who seek or undertake work with vulnerable groups and for employees who knowingly take them on.

From July 2010

• Those who are new to the workforce and those who are changing which will mean they will work with vulnerable persons may apply for ISA registration.
• When a person becomes ISA registered they will be continuously monitored and their status reassessed against any new information that may come to light.
• A phasing period of up to five years is allowed to confirm that all current employees are checked and registered with the ISA.   However, the trust proposes to undertake this work within 12 months, in line with good HR practice and to minimise risk to the organisation.

The Substance Misuse service advise that the National Treatment Agency is working with ISA to reach a position on the specific issues concerning substance misuse service users.  Once the Trust has the benefit of this advice, it can clarify its own position.

We hear that if you are a Grove Unit patient there are no advocates to be seen.  All that they offer is a telephone service.  Is this a new innovation?

The whole issue of mental-health advocacy was raised at Camden Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee on 15th July.  The Committee expressed its concern.  A report has been requested but has not been swift in arriving.  At the meeting, the Commissioners said that the contract would be re-tendered in 2010.

We are pleased to report that the face-to-face advocacy service has been restored at the Grove Centre.

There is still a veil of secrecy over the Independent Mental Health Advocacy contract.  CMHC’s Freedom of Information request on this issue was refused by Camden Council on the grounds of Commercial Confidentiality.  CMHC has appealed.

At the North Camden User Forum a number of issues were raised about the 6-bed Crisis Flat at Daleham Gardens.

One of the issues was around medication and another around communication.   We are told that the Medication Policy is being reviewed and we need to ensure that service users are part of that review.

The North Camden Recovery Centre and Crisis Flat was formally opened by Glenda Jackson MP on Friday, 21st August.

If you have anything to say about the Crisis Flat, we want to hear from you.  This is an issue which you could take up with the FT Governors too.

CMHC’s AGM was held from 6.00 pm om Friday, 31st July in The Presidential Suite at The London Irish Centre in Camden Square NW1.

The meeting went well but there was great concern abou the Motion to wind up CMHC if it doesn’t succeed in its joint bid with Disability in Camden (DISC) to obtain the service user involvement contract.  Suggestions included boycotting any different organisation.  Everyone was concerned at the delay in awarding the contract.

The item on the Agenda allowing for CMHC to be wound up if it is not awarded the Camden User Involvement contract was adjourned until Wednesday, 25th August 2009 at 15.00 hours at The Hoo, 17 Lyndhurst Gardens, London NW3. It is now known that CMHC was not awarded the contract.  The AGM will back on an Open Meeting from 13.30 – 14.30 hrs which will provide an opportunity to discuss the new Camden Mental Health User Involvement scenario.