"My Journey Through the Services"

Thank you for sharing your journey on Patient Opinion. You have obviously been through a great deal over the years.

I hope that now you are in a different hospital you will feel more able to speak out about your experiences and share them with Trust staff.

I would like to reassure you that staff are keen to listen and support you with the fight against stigma.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare encourages people to talk about experiences of being stigmatised through their mental health.

I hope you can progress from this point and move forward with your life. I have included information about our new postcard campaign to illustrate one of the many campaign resources we use to raise awareness.

If you would like to become more involved with the Trust Anti Stigma Campaign please call Jonathan Wright Anti Stigma Campaign Manager 0115 9691300 ex 10225

Fighting the stigma of mental health and learning disability

A range of postcards featuring local people with personal experience of mental health and learning disability issues has been launched by Nottinghamshire Healthcare as part of its ongoing anti-stigma campaign.

The postcards feature individuals who have used the Trust’s mental health, learning disability and substance misuse services and carers who have experienced discrimination themselves and witnessed it aimed at those they care for. Combining eye-catching images and frank quotes, it is hoped that the postcards will provoke thought and discussion about the ignorance and fear that surrounds many of the conditions which commonly affect people, but still remain a taboo subject.

Holly is 18 and has bi-polar disorder. She said: “Sadness is an emotion that everyone feels. If I’m sad, it doesn’t mean that it’s just because I’m bipolar. I still have normal emotions.”

35 year old Adrian has mild Down’s Syndrome and has been bullied his whole life: “People have always called me names. I used to get called ‘mongol’, ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘retard’ by my next door neighbour. That doesn’t feel good.”

The postcards also feature people talking about their experience of schizophrenia, dementia and self-harm.

The individuals featured and their quotes were brought together by service user Noel Oxford whose work on the campaign is part of his own ongoing recovery process.

Professor Clair Chilvers, Trust Chair said: “I think these postcards are absolutely stunning. I find them all very striking and emotive and hope that they will encourage people to think about how they view people with mental health and learning disability issues and ultimately how they treat them.

“Mental illness can happen to anyone at any time; in fact 1 in 4 will experience it in their lifetime and sadly many of those will also be affected by stigma and discrimination. I hope that through this campaign we can raise awareness and understanding and encourage people to talk openly about mental health issues.”

The postcards will be widely available across the Trust and at many public events including Nottinghamshire Healthcare’s Annual General Meeting in September.