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Caithness News Bulletins February 2003
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Launch Of New Mental Health Online Conference Centre The Mental Health Foundation will launch its groundbreaking, online conference centre on Thursday 27 March 2003 with a consultation on the Government�s National Framework of Values for Mental Health. Sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health, the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health and the University of Warwick, the Values in Mental Health conference aims to bring together for the first time online service users, service providers and policy makers from around the world to discuss and help develop the Values Framework. Dr Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, says: �Traditional conferences are limited by their location, number of delegates, cost and confidence of delegates to share information. The online conference is an exciting answer to all of those problems. It will create a dynamic, interactive community where everyone can have their say, whether they are in the Outer Hebrides or central London. �The online conference has the potential to bring together thousands of people. It will promote partnerships between service users, service providers and policy makers enabling each to participate on equal terms. It will give greater access to people who might otherwise not speak out at a conference because of stigma or lack of confidence. By meeting the unique needs of mental health users, it will make the consultative process truly inclusive and comprehensive.� Delegates can discuss key themes about the role of values in mental health in relation to social inclusion, the user/survivor movement and the Mental Health Act. Once delegates have registered free online at www.connects.org.uk/conferences, they can then move through the virtual conference centre, meeting other delegates in the Foyer, reading papers about the key themes and finally moving onto the Discussion area. Delegates can register on the site from Monday 3rd February 2003. The conference will use technology developed by the Mental Health Foundation. Website by online conference and web based community specialist Nemisys Ltd www.nemisys.uk.com The Online Conference will open on Thursday 27 March 2003 at 1pm and closes at 5pm. However the discussion forum will stay open for a two weeks after or until interest has ended. The Foyer and Exhibition is open now. Delegates can view papers for the conference from Thursday 20 March 2003. Contributors include Louis Appleby, Bill Fulford and Piers Allot from the National Institute of Mental Health (England), Matt Muijen and Kim Woodbridge from the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, Dr Andrew McCulloch and Toby Williamson from the Mental Health Foundation. Over 24,000 potential delegates have already been contacted to participate. The Mental Health Foundation is the leading UK charity working to improve services for both people with mental health problems and people with learning disabilities. It is the only charity to fund and work with both service users and providers and plays an important role in funding research and new approaches to prevention, treatment and care. The Foundation�s work includes: allocating grants for research and community projects; contributing to the public debate; educating policy makers and healthcare professionals and striving to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness and learning disabilities. Mental Health Foundation website at
www.mentalhealth.org.uk |