Partners sign Gloucestershire’s first Social Inclusion Strategy

27/10/2009

The NHS joined forces with Gloucestershire County Council and other leading statutory, non-statutory organisations and charities to sign the county’s first ever Multi-agency Social Inclusion Strategy.

The strategy sets out a vision to remove mental health inequalities and tackle the stigma that surrounds mental illness. It also aims to improve the quality of life of people with mental illness, their carers and families.

The strategy was launched at a conference at Gloucester Rugby’s Kingsholm ground where it was signed by organisations including ²gether NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire County Council, Carers Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire Media and Jobcentre Plus.

Shaun Clee, Chief Executive of ²gether, said: “The conference was not only an opportunity to publicly sign the Social Inclusion Strategy but marked the beginning of turning that strategy into a reality.

“People who attended the eight workshops held on the day gave their views and suggestions on how we can develop positive action across the county. Once in place, we hope that the plan will make social inclusion the expected norm within our communities, not an exception.”

The strategy was introduced at the conference on behalf of the county’s Social Inclusion Executive by Jan Stubbings, Chief Executive of NHS Gloucestershire.

Margaret Sheather, Group Director of Community & Adult Care at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “Signing this strategy is an important step to ensure that people with mental illness, their carers and families receive the support they need to experience the same life opportunities that the rest of us take for granted.

“By us all working together we can challenge the inequalities and prejudice that surround mental illness and help people to live a full life.”

Tackling stigma: Signing Gloucestershire’s Multi-agency Social Inclusion Strategy are, back row from left, Margaret Sheather, Group Director of Community & Adult Care at Gloucestershire County Council; ²gether Chief Executive Shaun Clee; Tim Poole, Chief Executive of Carers Gloucestershire; Jem Sweet of Scout Enterprises; Chief Fire Officer Terry Standing and Ian Mean, Editor-in-Chief of Gloucestershire Media. Front, from left, are Jan Stubbings, Chief Executive of NHS Gloucestershire; ²gether Chair Baroness Fritchie; Barbara Marshall, Chair of Gloucestershire LINk and Martin James of Jobcentre Plus