Mental Health in Surrey Workshop

Mental Health in Surrey: exploring how Fellows could ‘do something’ practical.

On 28 June, Jeremy Ross led a discussion about the current crisis in mental health services and the pressures on modern society that are leading to increasing levels of mental ill-health, greater levels of anxiety, stress, and depression in the general population, and increased demands on statutory and voluntary agencies at a time when other resources are also in short supply.

As Jeremy pointed out, services are struggling to cope with ever-increasing demand with the reduction in stigma, changing family patterns, workplace stress, uncertainty over employment with the end of jobs for life, fractured social bonds, insecure housing, and debt all playing a role in driving up that demand.

A lively debate took place at our first event, at the end of which many of the participants said that they wanted to pursue the subject further, and in particular to explore whether RSA Fellows could contribute in an active way to any initiatives which would have a practical impact on health-based or voluntary and social projects in Surrey and surrounding counties.

This workshop on 30 August has been scheduled to give Fellows and others the opportunity to generate and kick around some ideas about whether and how we could make a practical contribution. We hope the workshop will lead to further action over the autumn of 2017 and beyond. Whether or not you attended on 28 June, you are most welcome to attend on 30 August.

Assemble between 18:00 and 18:30 for light refreshments. The session will begin at 18:30.

For information, please email your local Fellowship Councillor caroline.clark@virgin.net

If you have any accessibility requirements or require any reasonable adjustments, please let the team know: networks@rsa.org.uk

Location: Guildford Institute, Ward Street, Guildford, GU1 4LH