NHS East Midlands and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) are hosting their first ‘Think Family’ event for the East Midlands in Nottingham on the 4th and 5th November 2010.  The conference aims to explore the key issues for families with parents with mental illness, with a focus on improving services for this group of families through more collaborative partnership working.

The event, for frontline professionals and managers working in mental health and children’s statutory and voluntary services will explore the ‘Think child, think parent, think family’ agenda,  which identifies what needs to change to improve service planning, delivery and practice in working with parents experiencing mental illness and their children. It promotes new ways of working – a cultural shift – towards recognising the importance of addressing the needs of the whole family, across Adult Mental Health and Children’s Services.

LPT Chief Executive Antony Sheehan said;

“Mental health, social care and voluntary sector experts will come together to share their ideas and experiences and explore ways we can help vulnerable families to ensure they are properly supported.

“It’s down to those of us who provide services to make sure that we develop ways to work in partnership to help people get support that is acceptable, accessible and effective for the whole family, and takes into account family circumstances and responsibilities.”

Jane Appleby, Lead for Children at NHS East Midlands said:

“Protecting the most vulnerable in our society is a high priority for the NHS in the East Midlands.  Mental health care has many complexities and requires strong partnership working with health, social care and the voluntary sector, patients and their carers.  This event will bring together key professionals, patients and carers to continue to improve and develop the best possible services to protect the people we serve.”

Some of the region’s leading experts in mental health care, including doctors, commissioners, academics, clinicians and managers, are attending the conference which is split into two elements.  The first day is for frontline professionals and managers, who will concentrate on how service provision can be improved for families with parents with mental illness. The second day is for commissioners, planners and senior managers who will look at how the improvements can be taken forward and the implications for future service developments   

Guest speakers at the conference include experts Dr Adrian Falkov, Dr Gráinne Fadden and Mr Hugh Constant, who each have a special interest in the effects of mental health problems on families.


NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust provides mental health and learning disability services for the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and seeks to advance wellbeing through the development of communities, rights and inclusion.

2. The Think Family event is being held on 4th and 5th November at The Britannia Hotel, St James Street, Nottingham NG1 6BN 9am - 4.30pm.

3. The media are welcome to attend the event and there will be an opportunity for interviews and photos at 12.30pm on 4th November – please the contact Communications Departments at LPT 0116 295 8997 for more information.

4. Speaker’s biographies

5. NHS East Midlands is the headquarters of the NHS in the East Midlands and was formally established on 1 July 2006, replacing the former Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic Health Authority and Trent Strategic Health Authority. NHS East Midlands provides strategic leadership to NHS organisations in the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland. The role of NHS East Midlands is to ensure that local health systems operate effectively and efficiently and that national standards and priorities are met in order to continually improve services for patients. The organisation works in partnership with local NHS trusts, regional government and other partners. NHS East Midlands is ultimately accountable to the Secretary of State for Health.