On Friday I met with my constituent Claire Shortland who came to me to discuss her campaign ‘Different Minds, Same Hearts’. Her project is a very inspirational effort to improve awareness and treatment about and for patients who present with self-harm and suicide attempts in hospital, based around hers and others’ own personal experiences of needing help at this incredibly difficult time in their lives.
Claire’s efforts don’t aim to criticise hospital and mental health services staff, but she feels that seeking treatment can sometimes be made difficult by negative attitudes to self-harm. She’s managed to secure the involvement of the Mental Health Action Group in Ilkeston, and is seeking out involvement from people with their own experiences and other mental health charities and services.
High levels of self-harm cases is just one example as to why it’s vitally important that we continue to improve provisions for people affected by mental health problems in the area, and I fully support Claire’s campaign and will assist in any way I can to support her work.
If you’d like to get in contact with Claire to offer assistance, please contact my office and I will put you in touch with her.