Health News October 2009
A ray of light
Singer songwriter KT Tunstall hopes to use the power of the sun to record her next album thanks to a Hackney-based solar installation company using workers provided by City and Hackney Mind.
The singer, who rose to fame with ‘Eye To The Telescope’, has unplugged her Hungerford studio from the National Grid to use solar panels instead.
City and Hackney Mind helps its clients back to work through its employment service and two residents, Edward Dunne and Augustine Louis, were trained by Joju Ltd to work on the installation. Jamie King, from City and Hackney Mind, said: “Working with employers like Joju who have a positive attitude to mental health is brilliant; our clients have benefited enormously and we are working together to break down stigma surrounding mental ill health and help people back to work.”
Joju linked up with City and Hackney Mind after they both won prizes at the 2009 Mayor of Hackney’s Business Awards. From her solar powered studio, KT said: “Ethical entrepreneurialism is the positive future of being human! Any company that helps others whilst achieving honest success is worthy of great respect.”
The solar array shares its home with KT’s vegetable patch in Berkshire. The panels should generate more power than the singer needs at a rate of around 5,000 KWh of electricity a year. Any excess will be sold back to the National Grid. An average house uses about 3,500 KWh of electricity annually.
Joju founder, Joseph Michaels, said: “We’re experiencing an explosion of interest in panels for the home. There is no better time than now to get involved. A capital grant is currently available from the Government.”
More information
For more details on mental health services visit: www.cityandhackneymind.org.uk
19 October 2009
Teething problems overcome
The pain of toothache is often made worse by the bill that follows treatment.
It’s another reason to be grateful for a service for the borough’s young residents.
In Hackney, 27 per cent of five-year-olds screened each year suffer from dental decay, with 80 per cent of it left untreated.
To combat this, the Happy Teeth scheme has been set up by Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust (THPCT). Working closely with children’s centres, schools and parents in the two boroughs, the project will help families access dental treatment.
This includes providing mobile dental clinics that bring treatment to the doorstep and running a preventive programme in schools that will apply a fluoride varnish to the teeth of three to six-year-olds every six months to protect against tooth decay.
Residents can also drop in for advice and support about local dental services. Adults receive a free screening and are put in touch with treatment services at three high street dental practices. Look out for the mobile dental clinic in November on Tuesdays and alternate Sundays at Tollgate Lodge Walk-in Centre, N16, 10.30am-5.30pm; and on Wednesdays, 9.30am-4.30pm, at Wentworth House, Northwold Estate, 131 Upper Clapton Road, E5.
More information
For more details, including info on mobile dental clinics, call the THPCT Community Access Team on: 020 8121 4327, or email: faith.kapora@thpct.nhs.uk
19 October 2009
In the running for top award
A partnership project between local health and education services has been short-listed for a prestigious national award.
The Children’s Integrated Speech and Language Therapy Service (SLT) is one of three in the running for The Guardian’s coveted National Public Service Awards in the children and young people category.
The innovative project was developed by NHS City And Hackney and The Learning Trust to strengthen the language skills of the borough’s young people and boost their future prospects.
The service is available in schools, children’s centres and early years settings, and has no waiting list.
Sally Shaw, Children's Therapy Manager, said: “We are extremely proud to be short-listed for this award; it shows that when health and education work together great success in the community can be achieved."
The winner will be announced on 24 November. For more info, visit: www.guardian.co.uk/publicservicesawards
19 October 2009
Social Action for Health moves
Charity Social Action for Health is inviting residents to its Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, 21 October at its new premises.
The theme of the conference is ‘Building Social Capital’, which will discuss ‘the methods and implications of developing networks, trust and mutual benefit’.
Elizabeth Bayliss, Executive Director of Social Action for Health, said: “We are really excited to be moving into our new premises, which will allow us to grow and better serve local communities in Hackney. We have a conference room too that local groups can hire. We do hope you can join us to celebrate.
The conference and AGM will be held at 1-9 Sidworth Street, off Mare Street, E8, from 10.30am, during which some constitutional changes will be proposed.
If you are interested in attending, call Pauline Facey on: 020 7426 5370; or email: paulinef@safh.org.uk.
19 October 2009
Finding strength
Pioneering work in Uganda is the theme of photography show Strength and Hope, which opens in World Mental Health Week.
It features the work of award-winning photographer Hannah Maule-ffinch, who was commissioned in 2004 by The Butabika Link – an exchange programme created by the East London NHS Foundation Trust and Ugandan Mental Health services. The images were mainly shot at Butabika Hospital, Uganda’s only referral mental health institution. The programme has run training and projects on subjects such as post-traumatic stress and child mental health.
Hannah also visited remote areas benefiting from the service with Trust staff and Ugandan health professionals. Coordinator, Cerdic Hall, said: “The photographs capture so well the incredible strength and resilience of Ugandans suffering from mental illness. East London has an opportunity to learn so much more about working across barriers, but most of all we are inspired to be part of the solution.”
The week will also be celebrated in Hackney at The Round Chapel, from 11am to 4pm, on 8 October. Activities include photography, dance and poetry along with workshops on therapies and well-being and recovery.
The event is run by Hackney Community Services, local voluntary groups and NHS mental health services.
05 October 2009
The world comes to Hackney
A party with an international flavour celebrated the work of carers at the new and improved City & Hackney Carers Centre on 30 September. Music, dance and exotic dishes gave spice to an event recognising the role of carers.
A magic show and Bollywood dance display were highlights from a day that allowed guests to discover more about everything from an old English teashop to a Turkish bazaar.
It’s hoped the facilities will become a centre of well-being for carers who make big sacrifices without any financial reward. Unpaid caring work saves up to £87billion a year. The centre offers welfare advice, counselling and therapies for unpaid carers over 18. It also offers extra support for younger and older carers, and those with mental health problems and learning disabilities.
05 October 2009
Have your say in local health
The public can now have a say in how healthcare is run locally following a call for ‘People’s Platforms’ by North-East London’s Primary Care Trusts.
Local hospitals along with primary and community health are the main areas under review. Working groups have investigated urgent surgery and medicine, children’s services, maternity and newborn services.
Joint clinical director for the programme, Dr Mike Gill, Medical Director and Consultant Geriatrician at Newham University Hospital NHS Trust, said: “Our aim is to improve the health of residents and ensure that if people are ill, they get the right services at the right location from the best clinical teams.”For more details call: 020 7092 5233, email: healthfornel@thpct.nhs.uk, or visit: www.healthfornel.nhs.uk.
05 October 2009
Choose community chest
A pot of money is available from the local NHS to support projects that promote the idea of being a healthy weight among residents.
As well as eating healthily, the aim is to encourage physical activity, emotional resilience and well-being.
The project hopes to attract small voluntary sector organisations, tenants and residents associations, especially those involving children and older people, and residents from black and ethnic minority communities.
The first category of funding will cover 15 projects for up to £1,000 each. A second is for eight projects up to £7,500 each. A number of criteria will be used to make decisions on funding. These include factors such as the wishes of local residents, their needs, likely health benefits, value for money, innovation and experience of managing public grants. Proposals must be received by 12noon, Friday, 30 October. For further details call: 020 7683 4044; or visit :www.cityandhackney.nhs.uk/news.
05 October 2009
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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