Royal College of Psychiatrists

Service User Forum and Carers' Forum

New chairs and new name: 2013

We are delighted to announced that the new chairs of the Fora are:

Service User Forum: Maurice Arbuthnott and Dougie Pickering

Carers' Forum: Evelyin Bitcon

In March 2013, the Service User Recovery Forum voted almost unanimously to remove the term 'Recovery' from its name.

RCPsych Awards 2012

Thursday 15 November 2012: Graham Morgan from Nairn, Inverness-shire, Manager of SPIRIT Advocacy, and Maurice Arbuthnott from London, a member of the North London Service User Research Forum and Rethink's services and resources committee jointly won Service User Contributor of the Year.

"Professor Sue Bailey, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. said: "Competition was very tough, and the judging panels were hugely impressed by the quality of this year's entries."

A Carer's Perspective

An article by Clare Campbell, Member of the RCpsych Carers' Forum and Dr Michael Yousif, member RCPsych Public Education Editorial Board.

President's Medal 2012

Raymond Brookes Collins, the first chair of the RCPsych Carers' Forum, was awarded the President's Medal by Professor Sue Bailey at the International Congress in Liverpool on 12 July 2012.

About SURF and the Carers' Forum

The first meeting of the Service Users’ Recovery Forum (SURF) and Carers Forum were held in January 2008 and continue to meet four times a year. Both Forums have more than 30 members with representation from the Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh Divisions. 

Remit:

• To support and provide input into the work of the College to ensure that all policy and activity will be informed by the experiences and perspectives identified by service users and carers.

This would be achieved through a regular forum which will:

• respond to and initiate strategic policy;
• contribute to the development of good practice guidelines;
• contribute to the training of College members;
• signpost to a wider constituency of service user and carer groups and individuals;
• improve mutual understanding with College members;
• contribute to supporting good practice.

How do SURF and the Carers' Forum contribute to the work of the College?

• Respond to external policy documents and College policy
• Get involved in consultation workshops on different aspects of College work
• Are represented on the following Committees: 
  • Academy of Royal Medical Colleges Patient Lay Group
  • Council
  • Curriculum and Assessement Committee
  • Equivalence Committee
  • London Deanery Psychiatry Specialty Board
  • Central Policy Committee
  • Parity of Esteem Working Group
  • Psychiatric Trainees' Committee
  • Promoting Recruitment into Psychiatry Committee
  • Public Education Committee
  • Public Education Editorial Board
  • Revalidation Steering Group
  • Special Committee for Professional Practice and Ethics
  • Westminster Parliamentary Liaison Committee.

Annual Meetings

SURF and the Carers' Forum organise Annual Meetings to which all service users and carers involved in the work of the College are invited.

In 2008, the Annual Meeting discussed:

• the Fair Deal campaign
• changes to training and revalidation
• adding the service user and carer voce to the media
• social inclusion

In 2009, the Annual Meeting discussed:

• welfare reform
• direct payments and personal health budgets
• debt and mental health
• the quality of in-patient psychiatric wards (AIMS and Star Wards)

In 2010, the Annual Meeting discussed

• finding/returning to work and mental ill health (patients and carers)
• physical health and mental health (patients and carers)

In 2011, the Annual Meeting discussed

• Collaborative working between Service Users, Carers and Professionals.

Viewpoint

This is a section of the website that is devoted to the views of people who have experienced mental health problems. Please email articles to webeditor@rcpsych.ac.uk.

Resources

• Listening to voices - learning from patients and carers

This is a resource for trainee psychiatrists and their trainers, and other members of the multidisciplinary team. The film takes you through the patients' and carers' journey - from first contact with psychiatric services to recovery and coping - with examples of people's personal experiences at each stage. The film can be paused at different points to allow for group discussion and includes some key principles.

Copies of the DVD are available from the College for £5.00 (inclusive p&p).

Please contact Leaflets Department, The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 17 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PG. Tel: 020 7235 2351 ext.6259 .

• For further information about SURF and the Carers' Forum, contact the Communications and Policy Department.