DDN/Alliance service user involvement conference

[steve]

see  guys the bottom line is this we all work (well most) or at least were all part of a country were there is a nhs system in place to treat anyone without prejudice and whatever the illness so at the the very least we should expect  a service we are actually paying for i only see things as right or wrong and i feel im bright enough to work out when something is very wrong,but what can i do.

[Jimi]

Hi All

May i just add thats its my belief that we must always act a diplomats for the cause of user involvement. Acting ungraciously & stirring up muddy waters further by winding
up members of the medical proffession (whilst a bloody good wheeze!) is totally bad form. We are engauged in winning the war of hearts & minds. We must control our personal
anger & resentment & work individually & collectively to improve treatment for substance users by useing all means in our power to inform educate & empower ourselves & all the
proffessionals working in the field. Collaberation and not competition should be our mantra. We are entering a new enlightened era where we are making inroads towards changing public perception. User involvement acts as a check and balance for the treatment system and can benefit everyone. Well run services generally welcome user involvement and actively seek it, realising that it can help them improve treatment and outcomes. At NUN, we aim to be a supermarket of solutions, with a range of tools available for anyone to use. Our approach is very broad - we don’t have a particular agenda or philosophy. What we look for in our members is dedication and commitment to choice, regardless of their background. So join up & lets commit to making a very real diference. Lets acknowlegde the gains made by our peers & be realistic of the complexity & size of the task ahead.

See you at the conference

James Grieve, Chair, National User Network

(Aka Jimi of Hug)

 

[mikey]

Whilst I agrre with what you just said entirely I do think it is important not to have a policy of appeasement. Individual cases of bad practice or just plain discrimination might need to be challenged and that might be by gentle diplomacy or full on with dug in heels. It depends on the individual situation. It is just that whatever tactic is appropriate it is always important to try to keep focussed and factual (although I personally know that I can ignore my own advice when a good wind-up is seems somehow essential). Generalisations based upon the same bad logic and discriminatory thinking as 'the enemy' is always counter-productive. So grouping people as 'the enemy' at all needs good logic and non-discrinatory thinking or it does more harm than good due to being so transparently idiotic. When it comes to GPs, a personal bad experience with one or two or even a handful is not sufficient eveidence to either group them or assign enemy status and that is so obvious that attempting to do so actually damaging to 'the cause' (God I hated using that phrase.)

[simon]

I wonder if it's me being thick. I can't see where this conference is going to be held, have I missed something or does it just say Birmingham?
If I'm not thick then it needs clarifying quickly so people can book hotels, also it mentions some evening entertainement err where is this and on what night?
Apologies if I've totally missed this on the flyer.
best wishes

Simon

[admin]

Sorry, I meant to come back to you a couple of days ago.  The conference is at www.secondcitysuite.co.uk - five minutes walk to New Street station and the nearest hotel is http://www.ibishotel.com/ibis/fichehotel/gb/ibi/1459/fiche_hotel.shtml

[simon]

Ursula,
Thank you, but could you also confirm what night the entertainment is?

[bedwa]

this is my second post lost the 1st one
i just wanted to say that i am amazed and really happy that after many many years of trying to get involved trying to help or get alongside folk   at last  we may be to offer out a helping hand i spent years doing talks in schools GPs surgerys newly qualified doctors in hospitals and that was as far as it went.
It now seems that we are now welcome to be part of Clinical decisions that affecrt OUR LIVES thank God for this change  To  be honest @ first i viewed the new involment with deep suspicion alas I can report YES it is true they want us in as for me this is Music to my ears ..........

I welcome the chages and hope that we can change , Help and even make the user involment better than any expectations  POWER  TO CHANGE is what i wanted but most of all power to change old ideas that did not work in the treatment of the past
long may it continue


Bri

[Imorang-utan]

DAVY PENN,  can I come & do a talk at the service user involvement on the 31st jan 2008???

IMO-URANGUTAN