Join 'Our Big Conversation' to shape future mental health and learning disability services

Over the last few months over 2,000 service users, carers, families, partners and colleagues have joined Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust’s 'Our Big Conversation' to explore what could be possible if the Trust got everything right, and what we must do together to achieve this.

From this consultation, a new strategic framework has been created, setting out a shared future ambition and purpose as well as three big goals which the Trust is committed to over the next five years. Those goals are:

• To help create a great experience for its patients, carers and families.
• To help create a great experience for its colleagues.
• To be a great partner.

To achieve those goals, and based on the feedback from ‘Our Big Conversation’, groups of the Trust’s staff, service users, carers and partners have come up with some big ideas for change.

People who use the Trust’s services, along with carers and the Trust’s partners, are being encouraged to have a look at those ideas and comment on them in the next phase of ‘Our Big Conversation’ which is underway now.

Are the ideas focusing on the right things, is there anything missing and could anything be changed to make a bigger difference?

People can join ‘Our Big Conversation’ and have their say online at tewvbigconversation.org

Councillor Stephen Thomas, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Mental Health Champion, said: “’Our Big Conversation’ is a great opportunity to have your say in the future design and delivery of mental health services in Hartlepool.

“The lived experiences of mental health service users, carers and families are massively important in ensuring that the right services and support are available at the right time and in a manner which is accessible, inclusive and appropriate."