Sign language users can share views to help improve mental health care
Sign language users have been invited to share their views on proposals to improve mental health care in West Sussex.
Deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users can make their views on experiences of mental health services heard through an online survey or using a Video Relay Service (VRS) called Signlive – a free app that connects users to a qualified British Sign Language interpreter.
The feedback will form a critical part of a public consultation about proposals to improve the quality and safety of mental health services for adults, older people and those living with dementia in West Sussex.
The 12-week consultation, launched in July, looks at proposals developed over many months by the three clinical commissioning groups (CCGS) in West Sussex and the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
This follows input and feedback from doctors, specialists, service users and staff.
The groups and trust said the proposals aim to provide a higher quality of care by moving services from outdated, poor-quality wards in Chichester and Horsham to safer, more modern wards in Worthing and Crawley.
It hopes to give patients the privacy and dignity they deserve and to meet national standards by making all wards single-sex.
The aim is also to provide an opportunity to create a centre of excellence in Worthing for people living with dementia which will improve the care for both their mental and physical health needs.
Dr Bikram Raychaudhuri, local GP and dementia and adult mental health clinical lead for NHS Coastal West
Sussex CCG, said: “It’s really important to us that everyone is enabled to share their views of mental health services in
West Sussex.
“The feedback from patients and carers is critical to helping us shape a really effective service to support people with mental health needs across our local communities.
BSL users can share their views either by watching and completing the BSL signed online survey or downloading the Signlive app, registering their details, and searching for NHS Brighton and Hove in the Community Directory.
An interpreter will join the call before the call is put through to the engagement team.
The Signlive service is accessible for two hours twice a week at the following times: Thursday, September 26, 2pm to 4pm; Monday, September 30, 1.30pm to 3.30pm; Thursday, October 3, 2pm to 4pm and Thursday, October 10, 2pm to 4pm.
Users will also be able to view a playlist of BSL translation videos of all of the survey questions.
As part of the consultation a total of four open public meetings have taken place in Chichester, Worthing, Horsham and Crawley, all with BSL interpreters present.
Smaller events for organisations representing service users, carers and those with an interest in the proposals are also being offered.
Anyone still wanting to arrange a face-to-face meeting can contact the consultation team on the details below.
The survey will remain open until Friday, October 11, and is available both in hard copy and online can be found at www. sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ west-sussex-consultation
Further information is available by calling 0300 304 0330, emailing westsussex. mh@nhs.net, or by writing to Freepost RTKY-LXHG-BATT, Engagement Team, Coastal West Sussex CC, The Causeway, Goring, BN12 6BT.