03/02/2016 - Permalink

Time to Talk Day – 4 February 2016

Related topics: Community / Health / Leisure, culture and heritage / Partner organisations

Shropshire’s Health and Well-being Board and partners are supporting Time to Talk Day, as part of a campaign to get the nation talking about mental health and to end misconceptions and stigma around the topic.

Time to Talk Day takes place on Thursday 4 February 2016. The aim of the day is to get as many people as possible talking about the mental health, to help break the silence that often surrounds the subject.

Shropshire’s Health and Well-being Board which comprises of health, social care and voluntary and community sector organisations, will be undertaking various activities to support the campaign.

    • Shropshire Council’s public health and library services will be issuing regular tweets throughout the day about mental health and Time to Talk. Follow them @shropcouncil @shroptogether, @shroplibraries and @P2Psocialwork.
    • South Staffordshire and Shropshire Mental Health NHS Trust will be speaking on BBC Radio Shropshire during the Jim Hawkins show (9am onwards), discussing how talking about mental health doesn’t need to be difficult and explaining how it can make a big difference to reducing isolation and stigma around the topic.
    • People2People will be offering some ‘time to talk’ and access to helpful information about local community services at Let’s Talk Local information and advice drop-in on Thursday 4 February at Louise House, Roman Road, Shrewsbury, between 10am-12pm.
    • Healthwatch Shropshire will be seeking people’s views on their experiences of mental health services throughout February. If you would like to share your experiences and provide feedback, then you can contact Healthwatch Shropshire by phone on 01743 237884 or by email enquiries@healthwatchshropshire.co.uk.

Councillor Karen Calder, Chair of Shropshire’s Health & Well-being Board, and Shropshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Health said:

“Given that one in four adults experience a mental health problem in any year, it’s really important that we work to try to reduce stigma around mental health. Mental health is still a relatively hidden problem, and due to the stigma, many people tend to conceal it.

“Time to Talk is about encouraging us to do the opposite; to ask questions and to increase our understanding around the subject so that we can talk to family, friends and colleagues about mental health. I hope that people in Shropshire will join us in supporting Time to Talk.”

There are a number of different types of mental health problem and each has a different impact on the individuals who are experiencing them. Each year, one in four people will experience a mental health problem, yet mental illness is still surrounded by prejudice, ignorance and fear. This can make it difficult for those of us with mental health problems to work, make friends and go about everyday life.

In 2012/13, 6% of over 18s in Shropshire had a diagnosis of depression. The Public Health Outcomes Framework showed that in 2012/13, 17.9% of people in Shropshire self-reported experiencing ‘high anxiety’, and 9.1% of people self-reported ‘low happiness’.

Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust provides child and adolescent mental health services in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, and will be joining in the conversation and urging people to talk or tell others about how they are feeling and any problems they have.

Steve Gregory, Director of Nursing and Operations at Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust, said:

“It’s really important that people feel able to talk or tell others about how they are feeling and any problems they have. We need to help remove some of the stigma that exists around talking about emotions, mental health and well-being so that people not only feel comfortable accessing support, but know how they can get it when they need it. This is why we are keen to support Time To Talk Day 2016 and help develop this conversation locally. Often having someone to talk to and who will listen without making judgements is really helpful for people.”

If you want to join in with Time to Talk Day, follow the hashtag #timetotalk online. You can find out more about on the Time To Change website.

To find out more information about mental health in Shropshire, you can also visit Shropshire Libraries’ Health Zones. Shropshire Libraries offer a wide range of health information and resources like Reading Well Books on Prescription collections designed to offer assistance with common conditions such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. Library staff can also provide customers with advice on choosing uplifting and mood-boosting reads.

In April 2016 the Books on Prescription scheme will be extended to Reading Well for young people with an emphasis on mental health and well-being. For more information about staying healthy with Shropshire Libraries see shropshire.gov.uk/libraries or visit your local branch.