Angela Becomes 'First Member'

10/10/05

Angela Lewis from Cinderford is the first member of the public to ‘sign up’ as a member of the proposed Gloucestershire Partnership Foundation NHS Trust.

The Partnership Trust is currently consulting on why it wants to become a NHS Foundation Trust and is recruiting members who will play a vital role in making sure that the organisation provides services that meet the needs of local people.

An important feature of an NHS Foundation Trust is that local people – staff and members of the public – can become members. The Trust is now raising the profile of its membership recruitment campaign and is calling on people who may wish to find out more to come forward.

Angela met Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust’s Director of Social Care David McGrath before ‘signing up’ and explained what had motivated her to apply. She said:

“I want to see a continual improvement in mental health services for all. I have many years of experience as a service user and feel I have something to give in making this happen.”

“I also want to help remove the stigma of mental health issues. Some people still have many of the opinions that existed in Victorian times, but the chances are that some of their relatives, friends or associates will at some point in their lives need to call on these services to help them.”

“One of our greatest statesmen, Sir Winston Churchill suffered with mental health issues, but he still led the country through the Second World War. He was valued for who he was. I want to try to help people see the value of individuals with mental health problems and so remove the stigma.”

Director of Social Care, David McGrath explained that they were committed to reaching out to people and ‘spreading the word’ about their membership drive.

He said:

“Angela clearly wants to help make a real difference and we want to attract other potential members with their own experiences and positive motivations to help move the organisation forward.”

“We think mental health and learning disability services are well suited to this kind of membership organisation. The consultation currently underway provides the people of Gloucestershire with the opportunity to hear more about the Trust and its application and to give their support to the organisation and its future by signing up as members.”

Foundation Trusts are a new type of NHS organisation accountable to local people. Members provide a strong link between the services that Foundation Trust’s provide and the local communities they serve.

Members will help the Trust to raise mental health awareness and tackle stigma and also help to improve ways of responding to the needs of local communities.

The Trust’s membership recruitment campaign coincides with a period of formal public and staff c onsultation on its application to become a Foundation Trust which ends on 27 November 2005.

To order a copy of the consultation document, to sign up as a member or to receive an up to date meetings schedule:

Write to: FT Consultation, Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Rikenel, Montpellier, Gloucester, GL1 1LY

Telephone: 01452 891094

E-mail: foundationconsultation@glos.nhs.uk

Fax: 01452 891094.

Visit the Trust’s website: www.partnershiptrust.org.uk – you can also enroll to be a member here