Join us for BIMHN’s next Monthly Meeting – Monday 13th May
May 7, 2019 at 9:06 pm
The next monthly meeting of the Bristol Independent Mental Health Network will take place on Monday 13th May, between 13:00 – 15:30, at St James Priory (near Bristol Bus Station). You are welcome to come along and join us for light refreshments before the meeting starts (served from 12:30).
Monthly meetings are where our members come together to discuss matter relating to mental health that are important to them. There will also be updates of ongoing projects, and guest speakers may be scheduled.
Members will have been sent a notification and documents relating to the meeting to their email addresses. If you think you should have received this but haven’t, please contact us.
Note: we would like to emphasise the importance of attending meetings to ensure that your views are heard. If you can’t make any meetings and want to let us know about your experiences of mental health services, please contact us. You don’t need to sign up or ‘RSVP’ for meetings in advance; the only condition to attendance is membership of BIMHN.
May 7, 2019 at 9:06 pm | News | No comment
Join us for BIMHN’s next Monthly Meeting – Monday 8th April
April 2, 2019 at 10:00 am
The next monthly meeting of the Bristol Independent Mental Health Network will take place on Monday 8th April, between 13:00 – 15:30, at St James Priory (near Bristol Bus Station). You are welcome to come along and join us for light refreshments before the meeting starts (served from 12:30).
Meeting Details
Monthly meetings are where our members come together to discuss matter relating to mental health that are important to them. There will also be updates of ongoing projects, and guest speakers may be scheduled.
If there is anything you would added to the agenda, please contact us with the details. Otherwise, there will be allotted time in the meeting for ‘any other business.’ We are also pleased to welcome Aden from the national Time to Change campaign as a guest to this meeting.
Further Information
Members will have been sent a notification and documents relating to the meeting to their email addresses. If you think you should have received this but haven’t, please contact us.
Note: we would like to emphasise the importance of attending meetings to ensure that your views are heard. If you can’t make any meetings and want to let us know about your experiences of mental health services, please contact us. You don’t need to sign up or ‘RSVP’ for meetings in advance; the only condition to attendance is membership of BIMHN.
April 2, 2019 at 10:00 am | News | No comment
Focus Group Opportunity with Time to Change!
March 27, 2019 at 8:15 pm
Time to Change are a national campaign that tackles mental health stigma by working to change the way we think and act about mental health problems. They run a number of ongoing initiatives, including Ask Twice, the annual Time to Talk Day, and more. Their work also includes support local hubs, which are centres of focus around anti-stigma work and activities. BIMHN is a partner of Bristol’s Time to Change Hub.
Time to Change runs in ‘phases’, responding to changing and prevailing concerns in the mental health landscape. The main campaign has, is, and always will be about ending negative attitudes towards mental health. However, Time to Change are looking to hear from people about their experiences, so that the priorities and focuses for phase four (which commences in 2021) are effective in ending all mental health stigma and discrimination.
The Focus Group
Time to Change are running a focus group to discuss and gather day-to-day experiences of those with lived experience of mental health problems, to assist them in their future planning.
The session takes place on Monday 29th April, between 13:30 – 15:30 at The Station, Silver Street, Bristol (BS1 2AG).
To recognise your contributions to the session, you will receive £25, plus travel expenses up to a maximum of £15.
It is recommended that you have some knowledge of Time to Change if you wish to attend. You may also find it useful to have a read about our Bristol Time to Change hub, including the work of the Champions Fund. Additionally, you can read more about Time to Change Champions, and how to become one, here.
March 27, 2019 at 8:15 pm | News, Opportunities | No comment
Raising Feedback about Mental Health in Bristol
November 14, 2018 at 7:52 pm
One of BIMHN’s main roles is to represent the voice of those with lived experience of mental health within Bristol.
How Do We Do This?
BIMHN supports both its members and a number of lived experience representatives, who sit on a variety of meetings within the local civic and healthcare authorities, and associated agencies.
An example of such sessions are mental health service monitoring meetings that are run by Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (BNSSG CCG). BNSSG CCG hold these meetings as they are the body ultimately responsible for introducing and designing local healthcare services, overseeing the implementation of the service providers, and reviewing such services during their operations. These monitoring meetings scrutinise the service on an ongoing basis.
Feedback
Such meetings also provide an opportunity for feedback to be raised. Often other agencies, authorities and stakeholders are present at the meetings we sit on, like Bristol City Council, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP), Public Health England, and more. This gives us an opportunity to raise concerns and comments at a high level.
So, if you have feedback or comments on anything to do with your experience of mental health treatment or care within Bristol, please get in touch with us. We will arrange for it to be raised, and do our best to update you along the way.
Other Ways of Giving Feedback
BNSSG CCG’s Customer Services Team welcome feedback from service users on every aspect of care on an ongoing basis. For more information, including advocacy services available, take a look at their flyer.
November 14, 2018 at 7:52 pm | News | No comment
Funding to help challenge mental health stigma in Bristol
July 2, 2018 at 9:21 am
Today (2 July 2018) Time to Change Bristol is launching its Champions Fund – a £10,000 pot of money to help residents with personal experience challenge mental health stigma where they live.
Each applicant must be a registered Time to Change Champion and can apply for up to £500. The funding will be used to spark conversations between people who have experienced mental health problems and those who have not. Talking about mental health problems and sharing real life stories helps to change the way we all think and act about mental health problems.
Activities can range from stalls in shopping centres or festivals to free haircuts by bantering barbers and even ‘walk and talk’ dog walks.
A spokesperson for the Time to Change Bristol Hub said: “This is a great opportunity for residents who have experienced mental health problems to share their story and encourage people to talk more openly about mental health.
“When we talk to each other and establish common ground, prejudices and assumptions are often challenged and replaced with mutual understanding and respect. This can lead to changes in attitudes and behaviours and our campaign is proving that it is an incredibly effective way to reduce stigma and discrimination.”
Cllr Asher Craig, Cabinet Member for Communities, Equality and Public Health said: “I’m looking forward to seeing how our local champions would like to spend this money and their ideas to get more people opening up about their mental health. Since becoming a Time to Change hub we’ve offered training for people to become champions and this new funding pot will help to really bring the campaign alive. Only by working together will we bring about change that lasts, break down stigma and put our mental health at the top of the priority list.”
The funding is made available through Time to Change, a social movement run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness to change the way we all think and act about mental health problems. Time to Change Bristol was successful in its bid to become a Time to Change hub in March 2018. Time to Change Bristol is made up of the city council, Bristol Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN), Rethink Bristol and Wellbeans Initiative CIC and with support from partners across the city – including employers, unions, universities, police and the NHS.
Time to Change hubs are local partnerships which demonstrate their commitment to:
- Putting people with personal experience of mental health problems at the heart of their work
- Embedding anti-stigma and discrimination work locally, whether that be local schools, workplaces or other community settings
- Proactively campaigning to improve people’s attitudes and behaviours towards mental health.
To apply for funding applicants need to be registered Time to Change champions, be at least 18 years old, have lived experience of a mental health problem and live in Bristol.
The deadline to apply for the first round of funding is 24th August. Applications will be assessed by 7th September and successful applicants will be notified by 14th September.
To register as a Time to Change champion visit www.time-to-change.org.uk/get-involved
To apply for the Champions Fund visit www.bimhn.org.uk/ttcbristol/
July 2, 2018 at 9:21 am | News | No comment
Mental health support in emergency departments – we want to hear from you!
May 17, 2018 at 10:59 pm
We want to hear your views about your experiences of accessing mental health support at an emergency department.
In collaboration with UWE Bristol, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, and Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (BNSSG CCG), we are gathering views to understand the journey that people with mental health problems experience when attending an emergency department.
This work precedes a change in service delivery planned for the local emergency departments that aims to support people needing urgent mental health treatment in the service.
We really want to hear from people who have recently attended an emergency department in Bristol (within the last 12 months), South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
All responses will be treated with the highest confidentiality, with no personal details shared or used; only summary data will be used in the report. It will not be possible to identify any individual.
We are currently doing this in two ways: by asking you to fill out a short questionnaire or by arranging an interview with the research team at UWE Bristol.
Emergency Departments Questionnaire
The questionnaire should take no more than ten to fifteen minutes to complete and you can fill out the questionnaire by clicking here.
Interview with the research team
Would you like to take part in an interview with the research team to share your story and help improve available support for people in the future? We are aiming to interview up to six people and slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis. A voucher to the value of £15 will be provided for your time and the interview should last no more than one hour and 15 minutes.
We have slots available on the following dates (venues will be in central Bristol unless otherwise agreed):
- Tuesday 5th June – Between 9 am and 12 pm
- Friday 8th June – Between 9 am and 4 pm
- Wednesday 13th June – Between 9 am and 4 pm
- Friday 15th June – Between 1 pm and 5 pm
- Friday 22nd June – Between 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm
- Thursday 28th June – Between 9 am and 4 pm
You can book by emailing and we will put you in touch with the research team at UWE.
Want to take part in an interview and none of the listed slots are convenient? Drop us an email and we will try and make alternative arrangements.
May 17, 2018 at 10:59 pm | News | No comment
Presentations from Mental Health Conversations event now available!
May 6, 2018 at 2:11 pm
The presentations from our second Mental Health Conversations event are now available to download and share.
You can access the presentations here.
More updates will be available soon to let you know how the key themes raised at the event will be taken forwards.
If you have any queries in the meantime, or would like to get more involved in this work, then drop an email to
More information from the event
As Bristol prepares for the roll out of Universal Credit in 2018, Bristol Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN) and Community Access Support Service (CASS), Bristol City Council Public Health and the Clinical Commissioning Group invite workers, group leaders and service users to join the city’s second mental health conversation, this time about debt and benefits.
The finalised programme for the next sold-out event, taking place on Tuesday 8th May, can be found here and also below:
Representation & Accountability Officer, Tom Renhard, said:
“We are looking forward to welcoming over 120 people to the event on Tuesday. Many are attending to share their lived experiences of their personal situation and what could have been done differently to better support them. These will include people talking about challenges of mental health combined with debt or benefits issues they have had where their voices may have previously gone unheard. Professionals and key local decision makers will also attend so that collectively, we can work together to see what can be done to improve the situation, or what needs to be our ask as a city to ensure the experiences of people are heard, acknowledged and appropriately addressed.”
About the event
In this period of growing austerity, mental health and finance often impact each other; issues with either one can cause people to spiral into crisis.
With service users already affected by welfare reform and Universal Credit on the horizon, how do advice and mental health workers join together and ensure clients have a safety net in place?
Join us to:
- Make connections between the mental health and advice sectors
- Identify issues relevant to both mental health work and advice work
- Work together to identify solutions
Rather than being a Universal Credit update or a chance for individuals to discuss their benefit entitlement, this event will provide a rare opportunity for interested parties to come together with a view to improving the services provided to Bristol’s communities.
The event will include information stalls, networking opportunities, discussion groups and speakers, with outcomes feeding into the Thrive Bristol program.
Speakers will present a national perspective on welfare reform and mental health, a local Bristol-focused view, an advice sector view and most importantly a lived experience of mental health perspective.
If you have any queries about the event then please do get in touch by emailing
May 6, 2018 at 2:11 pm | News | No comment
Bristol wins bid to become a Time to Change hub to change how we think and act about mental health
February 28, 2018 at 12:00 pm
This week Bristol has been named a Time to Change hub, set up to change how we all think and act about mental health locally.
Time to Change hubs are networks of local organisations and individuals committed to ending negative attitudes and behaviours towards people experiencing mental health problems in their communities.
Too many people with mental health problems are made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless. But with the right support from those around them, people can recover and have equal opportunities in all areas of life. Encouraging people to open up to mental health – to talk and to listen – is the first step.
Time to Change hubs have been created to combine the insights from the national campaign with local knowledge to support communities, workplaces and schools to take action to improve the way everyone thinks and acts about mental health problems in their area.
Time to Change, the national campaign run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, launched its first regional hubs in March 2017. The announcement of four further hubs (Waltham Forest, Nottingham, Bristol, and Worcestershire) is part of the campaign’s three year plan to establish a network of hubs across England to provide a focus for local campaigning work.
In order to be named a Time to Change hub, local partnerships had to demonstrate their commitment to:
- Embedding anti-stigma and discrimination work in their own organisations
- Campaigning for change in their communities
- Putting people with personal experience of mental health problems at the heart of their work.
Time to Change Bristol is made up of the city council, Bristol Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN), Wellbeans Initiative CIC and Rethink Bristol with support from partners across the city – including employers, unions, universities, police and the NHS.
Time to Change champions at Cabot Circus, Bristol
Cllr Asher Craig, Cabinet Member for Public Health said:
“One of our key ambitions is for Bristol to become a city where everyone feels safe speaking out about mental health issues and where we can secure the support we need when we need it. Becoming a Time to Change hub will be instrumental in the work to bring our city together to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination as part of our new ‘Thrive Bristol’ programme. We are leading this with Bristol’s Anti Stigma Alliance with the help of our local universities, employers and unions alongside our partners in the voluntary sector, NHS and police. By working together as a city and using the expertise and support offered by the national Time to Change campaign we be believe we can make great progress towards Bristol becoming a city free from stigma and discrimination around mental health.”
Tom Renhard, Representation & Accountability Officer for BIMHN, said:
“Here at BIMHN we are thrilled that Bristol will be hosting a Time to Change hub. It is a testament to the work of local individuals and organisations that have been at the forefront of challenging mental health stigma and discrimination for many years. As a member-led organisation for those with lived experience of mental health, we are pleased to be leading the coordination of the hub, alongside Bristol City Council and local partners, ensuring that those with personal experience of mental health problems are truly at the heart of everything the hub does.”
Liz Andrews, Open Dialogue Therapist for Wellbeans Initiative CIC, said:
“We were privileged to be involved with the Time to Change Pilot Hub, 2015 / 16 and what an amazing, incredible year it was! To work with, and, witness such change in self-esteem and confidence with so many passionate and dedicated champions was all inspiring! We are thrilled yet again, to work with Time to Change during the coming year, enabling us to embed the work of Time to Change throughout the city and wider communities, creating sustainability and continuing its legacy in the years to come.”
Debi Hadley, Service Manager for Bristol Community Support Services, said:
“Our Bristol Community Support Services (Rethink Mental Illness) feel passionate about being part of the TTC Bristol Hub, and look forward to working with our partners to enable more people with lived experience to fulfil their ambitions of challenging discrimination and promoting mental health across the City.”
Since their initial launch, Time to Change regional hubs have successfully campaigned to end mental health stigma and discrimination. Their work has ranged from closing down a stigmatising game ‘experience’ where participants are challenged to escape from a scary ‘asylum’ to supporting Time to Talk Day (1 February 2018) and running events to delivering PR campaigns aimed at improving understanding and respect for people living with a mental health problem.
Jo Loughran, Operations Director at Time to Change, said:
“We’re really pleased to be working with organisations and individuals in Bristol to create a sustainable campaign for change, tailored to the needs and priorities of the local community.
“In the past our work locally has been driven by the passion and commitment of individual champions. By having hubs in place we’re making sure the wider community is more involved and that there is strong local leadership and expertise in place to provide support.”
February 28, 2018 at 12:00 pm | News | No comment
Bristol mental health services Christmas opening times 2017
December 18, 2017 at 1:25 am
Please note: this item was published ahead of the Christmas 2017 period. The information contained in the guide is therefore out of date.
Following the success of last year’s Christmas opening hours guide to mental health services in Bristol, we are pleased to announce we have produced an updated version for this year.
The guide, produced in partnership with Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group and Bristol Mental Health, lists relevant mental health and wellbeing support available over the holiday period. It brings together information about mental health services from both NHS and voluntary & community sector partners on support that can be accessed.
BIMHN Representation & Accountability Officer, Tom Renhard said:
“The Christmas period can be especially difficult for some, particularly for people who may feel increasingly isolated during this time or who may be struggling with their mental health and well being.
“The aim of this guide is to assist in helping people access the right support at the right time, should they need to. I would encourage people to make use of this guide as appropriate and share with work colleagues, family and friends.”
You can find a copy of the guide here.
December 18, 2017 at 1:25 am | News | No comment
BIMHN calls for increased scrutiny on treatment of inpatients after ward closure
September 13, 2017 at 11:54 am
BIMHN is calling for increased scrutiny over the treatment of inpatients. The call, follows the continued closure of mental health inpatient unit, Laurel Ward at Callington Road Hospital. This will include a user-led visit to review the ward.
Laurel Ward is a later life inpatient ward at Callington Road Hospital in Bristol. It was closed shortly before a CQC inspection in June 2017 with limited information made publicly available at the time of the closure.
It has since emerged that the closure was as a result of safety concerns raised amid a patient being “unlawfully restricted” after being locked in their room.
A spokesperson for Bristol Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN) commented:
“We are deeply concerned over the ongoing closure of Laurel Ward. There must be increased scrutiny of the care people are receiving when residing in an inpatient setting. We recognise that patient safety and dignity must be a top priority when someone is being supported by mental health services, especially where their legal rights may be restricted under the Mental Health Act 1983. BIMHN will continue to monitor the situation closely and is making regular communications to both Bristol CCG and the service provider of the ward: Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP).”
Questions to AWP on Laurel Ward closure
In a response to a public statement released by AWP on 16th August, the following day BIMHN has written to the organisation. We are requesting further information and assurances on a number of issues, including:
- Some family members and carers were not made aware at the time and in fact found out via the BBC news article. The statement suggests that all were notified at the time, could you please clarify this?
- What were the circumstances that led to a patient being locked in their room?
- How long was the patient locked in their room for?
- What is being done in regards to training for staff to ensure they are effectively supported to carry out their roles? Does this include face-to-face training or just online/e-learning training?
- Could you please confirm what steps are being taken to make the ward “dementia-friendly” and how this is being co-produced with service user and carer involvement?
Next steps…
Whilst we are yet to receive a formal response at the time of publication, we have separately agreed a visit will take place by BIMHN representatives next month along with visits to other wards at the hospital.
The Board of AWP shall be meeting this afternoon (Wednesday 13th September 2017, 3 – 4:30 pm) and BIMHN members will be in attendance.
Would you like to feedback your experiences of accessing mental health support in the area? Email BIMHN on to confidentially share your personal story and help improve future mental health services in the area.
If you would like to know more about some of the locally available services, please visit: http://www.bristolmentalhealth.org/services/
September 13, 2017 at 11:54 am | News | No comment