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Mental Health Watch

Our Mental Health Watch campaign was launched in October 2015. 

Its aims are to reduce the stigma around mental health issues, raise awareness as well as campaign for improved services in Norfolk and Suffolk, where the trust is in special measures.

Eastern Daily Press •

Waiting time figures not accurate, says latest mental health report

Staff on the frontline of community mental health services are reporting much longer waiting lists than those recorded by bosses.

That was one of the findings in a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report, published earlier this month, into Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust's (NSFT) community services for adults.

Inspectors rated the service inadequate and found the waiting time "figures locally differed and generally were higher than the figures held by the trust."

In one case, in Ipswich, st
Eastern Daily Press •

Open Up: 'I still have very dark times - but now I have the tools to cope'

Open Up: 'I still have very dark times - but now I have the tools to cope'

In the final day of this newspaper's special coverage on the topic of men's mental health, where we give a voice to those impacted, light is shed on how help can be accessed, even when the situation seems bleak.

I chose the subject of male suicide because I have seen first hand the devastating fall out from suicide. There is a lot of shame around suicidal thoughts. They are very common, and having suicidal thoughts does
Eastern Daily Press •

Open Up: 'I did not know what was happening to me, my life fell apart'

Open Up: 'I did not know what was happening to me, my life fell apart'

In the second day of this newspaper's focus on men's mental health, those from Norfolk and Waveney tell of struggles when the world feels like a dark place - but with encouragement the sun will shine again.

I have been a reservist for over 13 years and also work in the entertainment industry. I have two beautiful girls, Sophie, aged eight, and Charlotte, aged 18.

I suffered with mental health over eight years ago. I did no
Eastern Daily Press •

Children and young people with mental ill health 'slipped through the net' as staff were forced to make own waiting lists

Children and young people with mental ill health 'slipped through the net' as staff were forced to make own waiting lists

Staff working in children and young people's mental health were forced to make their own waiting lists as official data was so inaccurate and cases "slipped through the net".

Those were the findings of a report into services provided by the region's mental health trust when inspectors visited in April.

In the Care Quality Commission (CQC) report into Norfolk and Suffolk Fo
Eastern Daily Press •

Mother tells how crisis mental health line would just ring and ring

“The phone would just ring and ring and ring.”

That was one Norwich mother’s experience as she desperately tried to access crisis services to help her mental ill health.

Rochelle Brown, who lives on the Mousehold estate in Norwich, suffers with borderline personality disorder and has been under the care of Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) for four years.

“I had to wait to see anyone for quite a long time,” Miss Brown, a mother-of-two, said. “I was quite quickly diagnosed with borde
Eastern Daily Press •

The lives lost in Norfolk and Suffolk’s mental health crisis

Mental health services have been in crisis for at least five years.

At NSFT doctors first raised concerns over cuts in January 2013, as more than 500 mental health jobs faced the axe in what was known as a radical redesign of services.

Senior psychiatrists warned at the time that patient safety would be put at risk and said the trust was being “downright dishonest’’ for failing to state that the cuts would have detrimental effects on patient care.

Since, campaigns have been launched - includi
Eastern Daily Press •

‘Services have been fantastic’ - praise for mental health trust amid terrible report

A number of people using mental health services in Norfolk and Suffolk have praised the care they receive despite a damning report from inspectors released today.

John Durrant, 30, and from Brampton near Beccles was first under the care of mental health services in 2006.

He said at that time he was misdiagnosed and left to his own devices.

But last year he had a psychotic breakdown and has been under the care of Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) since.

He said: “Services have been
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Get Behind Your Market

Although Norwich Market has changed with the times – and faced periods of uncertainty – its colourful striped roofs are now an iconic part of the city centre.

But the market can only continue to thrive if people back the traders on their doorstep.

That’s why the Evening News today launches our Get Behind Your Market campaign, to encourage everyone to support the market, so it can carry on for many years to come.

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Hemsby Inshore Rescue Service

As part of the Great Yarmouth Mercury campaign to help Hemsby Inshore Rescue Service raise the money it needs to keep saving lives off shore and on the Broads, we will be getting to know the crew, who are all volunteers, that keep the service running not just out on the water but behind the scenes too.




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