Enterprising Healthcare - Liverpool 2010 year of Health and Wellbeing event

Last Friday I attended the Liverpool PCT 2010 Year of Health and Wellbeing event at Blackburne House. http://www.blackburnehouse.co.uk/
See the programme here
http://www.lcvs.org.uk/news-and-events/enterprising-healthcare-third-sector-potential

Across the UK third sector organisations are delivering outstanding products and services to the NHS. This free one day conference was an opportunity to bring together North West health and social care commissioners with third sector organisations to explore:

• the potential of the third sector in improving health
• how the NHS can help achieve this potential
• how the third sector can meet NHS needs and win contracts 

Mike Farrar, Chief Executive of NHS North West (with whom I shall share the platform with next week at the NW NHS leadership awards) spoke about his vision for adding Social Value to the NHS.
http://www.northwest.nhs.uk/whoweare/boardprofiles/

We then had the pleasure of listening to the inspirational Lord Andrew Mawson from Bomley-by-Bow centre. http://www.can-online.org.uk/pages/lord_mawson_biography.html
He is Founder and President of the renowned Bromley by Bow Centre in east London and Co-founder and President of Community Action Network (CAN), a national charity supporting 850 social entrepreneurs across the UK. He is one of the leading social entrepreneurs in Britain and has created a family of projects, which demonstrate in practice the potential of social entrepreneurs. Andrew's career in the social sector has spanned over 25 years.

His work made me think that the efforts I have put into bringing the NH, church and other agencies together in Leeds to form a postnatal depression group (see previous blogs) could be the first of many!

Olivia Butterworth, Third Sector Delivery Manager from the Department of Health gave us 'hot-off-the -press' insight into her role under the new Government and how the 'sector' is going to be involved in working with the NHS.

Claire Dove, chief executive, social enterprise company Blackburne House Group spoke about delivering outcomes.
http://www.itzcaribbean.com/claire_dove_social_enterprise.php

Wallen Matthie, Race for Health Thinkng Partner spoke to the delegates about Equality and Diversity.
http://www.talawaconsulting.com/about.php?page=3

Louise Penfold, passionately told us about her Third Sector showcase - Bubble Enterprises.
http://www.partnershipwtp.co.uk/casestudies/bubble-enterprises-cic/bubble-enterprises

Blackburne House provided an excellent lunch - highly recommend them for a conference venue.

Sadly I could not stay for the afternoon.

Delegates were invited to showcase their area of expertise and were given a handout of those who contributed. I shall invite them to add their details as comments to this blog.

Well done to Liverpool NHS trust, Social Enterprise London and the Department of Health for a good event.

Elaine Hanzak

www.hanzak.com

Launch of Antenatal sessions for expectant parents

Last week I was privileged to work with Ann Girling /http://www.onthethreshold.co.uk/ and the Wellbeing project /http://www.wellbeingproject.co.uk/ for an antenatal session for expectant mums and dads, funded by Halton Council and the Primary Care Trust.

We ran two sessions, one in St. Helens and one in Widnes, Cheshire.
See the press release here
http://www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.co.uk/tags/elaine-hanzak/

We are waiting for the official feedback of the events but hope there will be more to come.

Project Manager Mark Swift, New mums Emma MacKerllar and Bonnita Collin of Widnes flank author Elaine Hanzak. On the right Halton Borough Council's Angela Haughton.

Elaine Hanzak

www.hanzak.com

Many congratulations to Grace - twins after puerperal psychosis!

Not long after my book 'Eyes without Sparkle' was published in 2005 I was contacted by a man who said he felt that one of his employees would be interested in talking to me.

I will never forget that first conversation with Grace as we got excited about the fact that we had both wandered the streets as 'mad women in our night clothes'! We compared our journeys of puerperal psychosis.

Since then we have kept in touch and finally met up a few times last year. In the interim Grace has been writing her story - to be published soon. One thing that I have had to come to terms with was no more children (Dominic is brilliant but I had wanted him to have a sibling as I love mine so much). 
I was prepared to take the risk again, but it wasn't to be. Even at 46 that dream hadn't gone but a hysterectomy last year finally put a stop to it! I now am content being Mum to Dom, Auntie to baby Sophie and godmother to baby Ruby and Katie.

Grace and I discussed the issue that we both felt we wanted to have another child to enjoy it next time - given the right support behind us from the appropriate health and family teams.

So I was thrilled when Grace told me she was expecting twins! All the plans were put in place and big sister Ellie now has Thomas and Maggie as siblings. Mum and babies doing well!

Read their story in the Daily Mirror,
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/05/17/i-didn-t-believe-my-little-girl-was-mine-115875-22263712/ 

Many congratulations to all the family!

Elaine Hanzak

www.hanzak.com

Stepping inside HMP Altcourse - life and work on the inside.

This morning I attended an unusual event with Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, http://www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk/ who have a series of unlikely venues for networking under the name Area 51. It was at HMP Altcourse http://www.hmpaltcourse.co.uk/, a category B local prison for Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales.

Getting there proved a challenge. I left my parent's home in plenty of time and being organised had set my Sat Nav the night before ..... for the Liverpool venue I was due at in the afternoon!!! Stupid me took ages for the penny to drop as I was so organised, wasn't I?! Once I realised my stupid mistake, I corrected myself and still felt confident I would be on time. However, the postcode takes you to a back lane which is now blocked off and there were no signs telling me otherwise! Luckily for me another car was doing the same manoeuvrings to get out of the fix - we consulted and after several more wrong turns and asking friendly pedestrians we made the venue - late but succeeded where 15 others had not!

14 years ago I had entered another environment which I previously hadn't considered myself 'to be the type' - in a psychiatric hospital. That experience has taught me not to judge others. Many of us have possibly walked a fine line between the right and wrong side of the law and I have a 'there but for the grace of God go I' attitude these days.

The prison is modern, spacious and seems to have a passion for making a positive change for the inmates, providing them with opportunities to work in a variety of workshops and activities. I could almost feel that considering the deprived and poverty-stricken backgrounds some must be from, that HMP Altcourse is comfortable. I was impressed with the relationships between the staff and inmates - all made us feel very welcome.

We ate breakfast in the chapel and then had a tour of some of the workshops and one of the accommodation block. Of course security was very high and every door, gate and fence was locked and unlocked behind us but it was nonetheless an informative and enjoyable morning. Thank you Jenny and team!


Some of the other members I chatted to were

Jon Harris, of Launch Resources www.launchresources.co.uk which is a recruitment company for IT and financial services.
Joanne Finnerty, branch manger at the business connection http://www.tbc-recruit.com/
Clare Beavan, Philanthropy Development manager at Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services http://www.lcvs.org.uk/home.php?/site/home
Gill Underwood, Recognition Express Wigan and Wirral http://www.re-wigan.co.uk/home/

John Arnold, Head of Enterprise and Vocational Training at HMP Altcourse. www.g4s.com

So where are we going next Jenny?

Elaine Hanzak

www.hanzak.com

Perinatal and Infant Mental Health eBulletin

Here is the first monthly Perinatal and Infant Mental Health eBulletin produced by the national Child and Maternal Health Observatory (ChiMat) in partnership with the National CAMHS Support Service (NCSS).

This eBulletin highlights the latest resources relating to Perinatal and Infant Mental Health which have been added to the mental health and psychological wellbeing knowledge hub in the last month.

http://www.chimat.org.uk/resource/item.aspx?RID=90300

There is a wealth of useful information in this bulletin and I think the layout works very well.

Elaine Hanzak

www.hanzak.com

Perinatal Mental Health Effectiveness Day

Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust is having a Perinatal Mental Health Effectiveness Day on Friday 11th June.

The aim of the day is to enhance the effectiveness of professionals working in or with perinatal mental health settings. Any health professional or representatives from charities or groups related to perinatal mental health and children’s services can attend.


Here is the programme. http://www.scribd.com/doc/31351652/Perinatal-Mental-Health-Effectiveness-Programme-11-6-2010

Attendance is free and you can register with Pamela.Marron@mhsc.nhs.uk The venue is the Longford Sports Stadium in Chorlton (Post code is M21 9TA).

What are you waiting for?


Elaine Hanzak

www.hanzak.com

I'd like to help companies to show more understanding about mental health problems!

Mental health, stress in the workplace and it's effects on the ecomony and individuals continues to be a major issue.

Look at the news today, for example, on the BBC news is the article that there is a stress link to financial pressures
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8683184.stm

The charity Mind is calling on companies to improve the atmosphere in workplaces and show more understanding about mental health problems.

Perhaps I can help? Although my mental illness was related to becoming a mother, the signs, symptoms, stresses are applicable to those in the workplace, and I have testimonials to prove it.

Have a look at my brochure here:-
http://www.scribd.com/doc/31474349/Hanzak-Keynote-Flyer 

Please pass on to where it is needed!


Elaine Hanzak

www.hanzak.com