Public reports pack Wednesday 22-Jul-2015 19.00 Council

Page 64Black Health and Wellbeing CommissionThe aim of the Black Health and Wellbeing Commission is to improve the outcomes formembers of the black African and Caribbean community experiencing mental healthproblems and ensure that services in Lambeth are designed and delivered in a way thatmeets their needs.Co-chaired by Cllr Ed Davie and Ms Jacqui Dyer (now councillor), the Black Health andWellbeing Commission started its work in autumn 2013 and held five evidence gatheringsessions with invited guests and also considered a wide range of supporting papers. As partof the evidence gathering and to test its initial recommendations the commission held apublic engagement event at Lambeth Town Hall in March 2014. This was attended by about150 people including service users and carers, members of the public, representatives ofcommunity organisations, and mental health commissioners and service providers.The commission submitted its final report ‘From Thriving to Surviving’ to the Health andWellbeing Board in July 2014. It made a series of recommendations to address inequalitiesin care and health outcomes for the black African and Caribbean population and how therelevant decision makers working with the community might take actions to improve thehealth and wellbeing of Lambeth’s black community and promote opportunities for residentsto shape mental health services. A clear message that came across in the review was thedesire to reduce reliance on institutional care for mental illness and increase prevention andearly intervention and improve access to support. The commission’s recommendationsfocus around three headline issues:Prevention: Promoting and improving Health and WellbeingAccess to Appropriate ServicesPatient Experience: Improving the Care and Support ExperienceA launch event for the ‘From Thriving to Surviving’ report was held on World Mental HealthDay, 10 th October 2014. Opened by the Mayor Ade Aminu and Chuka Umunna M.P., theevent again attracted over 150 people to the assembly hall and round table discussionsengaged those present with the points of the commission’s report and how mightdevelop the user-led engagement. Held in conjunction with ‘Time to Change’ – a nationalcampaign challenging stigma around mental health - participants also heard from speakers,panellists and poet Jean Binta Breeze M.B.E.Since then the commission co-chairs have continued to promote the work of the BHWC andthrough the two public events the commission has built up a reference group listing of over250 interested individuals – public and professional - through which the community cancontinue to be engaged and test how well Lambeth is doing in taking forward therecommendations.http://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=648&MId=9025&Ver=412