News for Service Users

SUAS is a forum established here in SPMHS to facilitate extensive service user participation, which directly informs how we as an organisation develop our services. SUAS meets remotely on the first Wednesday of each month. This is a summary of SUAS meetings in 2024; you'll find updates from previous years further below.

January

The SUAS Annual General Meeting (AGM) took place, during which the Terms of Reference for the council were reviewed, updated, and agreed. A new Chair and Vice-Chair were elected, while the outgoing Chair was thanked for their hard work and dedication to the role and to SUAS over the last three years. We are delighted that they are remaining as a member of SUAS. 

SUAS also outlined its goals and objectives for 2024 which are to:

• Increase awareness of SUAS among service users and their family members and supporters, including include developing a "SUAS Wall" on the ground floor of St Patrick's University Hospital (SPUH) to provide information about SUAS and the work it does, and to give space for people to post positive quotes or their own messages of hope
• Ensure that SUAS membership is representative of family member and all service users
• Continue to drive the proposal to introduce peer support workers in SPMHS
• Increase visibility of actions taken by SPMHS as a result of feedback provided by service users
• Establish collaborations and relationships with other service user councils in Ireland, the United Kingdom (UK), and Europe.

February

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SPMHS, Paul Gilligan, attended the February 2024 SUAS meeting. He provided members with an update on the strategic objectives achieved from the current organisational strategy, The Future in Mind.

SUAS reviewed the overview report compiled from responses received from the Service User Experience Surveys between July and December 2023. They noted several comments from inpatient service users who questioned the continued use of remote access to services as an inpatient. The SUAS Chair agreed to discuss this with the CEO at their next monthly meeting.

SUAS referred to the improvement in feedback relating to the quality and selection of inpatient food. They acknowledged that this improvement was a result of SUAS highlighting the decrease in positive responses in July 2022 and the response taken by the catering team. 

March

SUAS agreed the type of content to display on the digital screen to be developed as a ‘SUAS Wall’ on the ground floor of SPUH. They also suggested hosting an event to launch the space and to help to increase visibility of SUAS among service users, family members, supporters and staff. The Communications Manager and Digital Communications Manager will attend the April meeting to help SUAS advance this project.

The SUAS Chair raised with SPMHS’ CEO concerns that SUAS members had about the continued use of remote access for inpatients. The CEO informed the Chair that the Senior Management Team (SMT) was putting steps in place to ensure that service users were informed of the continued use of remote access for inpatients ahead of admission. While members welcomed this update, they felt both that this was not sufficient to fully address their concerns and that service users should be offered the choice to select the mode of care delivery that best suits them. The Chair wrote to the CEO outlining these concerns; members will consider the response received during their April meeting.

SUAS also discussed feedback received around some service users experiencing delays in getting appointments in Dean Clinics, and around appointments being cancelled and how this is being communicated. The Chair wrote to the Dean Clinics Programme Manager outlining this feedback; the Programme Manager agreed to attend the April meeting to discuss this feedback with them.  

April

SUAS welcomed the response received from SPMHS' CEO, Paul Gilligan, that:

• service users will be informed that they can request inpatient clinical sessions to take place in person if that is their preference
• clinical teams will facilitate requests for one-to-one, in-person sessions from inpatients, taking into account occupational health and/or clinical factors.

Programme Manager of the Dean Clinics, Debbie Van Tonder, attended the meeting to hear from SUAS members about their concerns and specific experiences of attending Dean Clinics. Members provided suggestions for ways to improve communications service users receive about appointments and Debbie agreed to attend the May meeting to provide members with an update on how these suggestions can be implemented.

The Communications Manager and Digital Communications Manager attended the April meeting to discuss how they can support SUAS to develop content for a permanent display to promote SUAS and the work it does.

May

Programme Manager of the Dean Clinics, Debbie Van Tonder, and Dean Clinic Administration Manager, Claire Hannigan, joined the SUAS meeting in May to discuss solutions proposed by SUAS to address concerns members had recently highlighted.

Advocacy Manager, Louise O’Leary, also attended the meeting to discuss the SPMHS Advocacy Strategy for 2023 to 2027, which is aligned with our organisational strategy, The Future in Mind. Louise discussed our annual stigma survey and asked SUAS members for input on additional questions to be included in the 2024 survey.

June

SUAS reviewed the content of the service user engagement information and leaflets, which are currently being updated. Members also reviewed and provided input into the annual stigma survey to be carried out over summer 2024.

July

Work commitments saw the SUAS Chair resign their membership of SUAS. The group thanked the Chair for their hand work and dedication. As there were no new nominees for this role, the previous Chair kindly agreed to step into the role once again.

At its July meeting, SUAS reviewed the monthly overview of feedback provided by service users in response to the Service User Experience Survey. SUAS noted the continued increase in positive responses received in relation to inpatient dining.

SUAS finalised the content and layout of the SUAS Wall display area in SPUH.

August

No SUAS meeting took place in August.

The SUAS Wall display area was in place in time for the annual Recovery Festival on 25 August. The display is located in the Art Space on the ground floor of SPUH. Plans are in place for a similar display area in St Patrick’s Hospital Lucan.

September

SUAS members reviewed the monthly overview of feedback provided by service users in response to the Service User Experience Survey.

It was agreed that, at their next monthly meeting, the SUAS Chair would request an update from Paul Gilligan, CEO of SPMHS, on the progress of SUAS' proposal to introduce peer support worker roles in SPMHS.

October

Mary Needham, Clinical Nursing Placement Coordinator in SPMHS, attended some of the meeting to get members' feedback on the survey questions that address service user experience in the nursing metrics survey. Members made suggestions to improve the questions by making them more specific and by including a question about key workers as a prompt to service users that they should be seeing their key worker regularly.

SUAS discussed a request made by the family of a former service user who contacted SUAS to ask them to request that staff do not use block numbers when phoning service users. Members agreed to write to the CEO to formally request an end to this practice.    

November

Two new members were welcomed to SUAS at the November meeting.

Members welcomed the response received from the CEO that their request to end the use of blocked numbers is being considered by the relevant Directors in SPMHS. It is hoped that a revised policy addressing this issue will be available in the coming weeks.

• SUAS activity in 2023

  January

  Paul Gilligan, our CEO, and Tamara Nolan, our Director of Communications and Advocacy, attended the meeting to update members on the next five-year organisational strategy.

  A SUAS proposal to introduce peer support workers into SPMHS was reviewed by the Senior Management Team (SMT).

  February

  The SUAS Annual General Meeting (AGM) took place, during which the Terms of Reference for the council were reviewed, updated, and agreed. The incumbent Chair was re-elected for a third and final term.

  SUAS also outlined its goals and objectives for 2023 which were to:

  • Drive the proposal to introduce peer support workers in SPMHS
  • Continue to develop user-friendly version of the Change of Treating Team policy
  • Increase visibility of actions taken by SPMHS as a result of feedback provided by service users
  • Establish collaborations and relationships with other service user councils in Ireland, the United Kingdom (UK), and Europe
  • Establishing a physical presence from SUAS monthly in the Information Centre in St Patrick’s University Hospital (SPUH)
  • Extend an invitation to Mary Butler TD, Minister for Mental Health, to attend a SUAS meeting

  During the SUAS meeting, Gary Kiernan, Chair of SUAS, and Paul Gilligan discussed inpatient catering. Both agreed more action was needed to address the decline in positive feedback received from service users.

  The SUAS proposal to introduce peer support workers was reviewed by the Clinical Governance Committee (CGC).

  Members of SUAS met with researchers who were completing an independent evaluation of our service user engagement structures.

  March

  SUAS reviewed the list of possible organisations that SUAS may be interested in contacting to find out more about their service user councils or structures, with a view to establishing links.

  April

  Professor Paul Fearon, our Medical Director, attended the SUAS meeting to discuss the Changing Treating Team policy and process. SUAS will update the service user guide they are working on to reflect this discussion.

  A working group overseeing the development of an exciting new mental health education centre in SPUH also attended the meeting. Their attendance aimed to gather feedback from SUAS as part of the consultation process on the proposed visitor journey and experience.

  CGC responded to the SUAS proposal to introduce peer support workers. The committee suggested that SUAS organises an initial working group to consider and document these issues and produce more focused, defined proposals for the committee to consider.

  May

  Aisling Downey (Acting Advocacy Manager) attended the May SUAS meeting where she presented the Draft Advocacy Strategy to members and invited their feedback on this.

  June

  SUAS hosted a Consultative Forum on 20 June to gather feedback from members of SUAN and the FCS Advisory Network on their proposal to introduce peer support workers in SPMHS.

  Those in attendance supported the proposal and a working group will now be established to drive the project forward in SPMHS. Membership will be made up of representatives of service users, their families and other supporters, our multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), and our Department of Human Resources (HR).

  July

  On 1 July, SUAS members completed Committee Skills training. The second part of this training will take place this autumn.

  SUAS requested a status update from the Nurse Practice Development Coordinator on the improvements made to the medication administration process for inpatient service users. This status update showed that improvements have been made with twice yearly status updates requested to ensure this practice is maintained.

  The SUAS Chair took part in the filming of a video on the effects of self-stigma on people experiencing mental health difficulties and how this can be a barrier to seeking treatment. This video became available in autumn 2024.

  SUAS reviewed the actions taken by the catering team in response to a decline in the positive responses received from inpatient service users in relation to their dining experience. Members were pleased that these actions have been introduced and that they have resulted in an increase in positive responses received from inpatient service users.

  August

  The Walk in My Shoes (WIMS) team attended the first hour of the August SUAS meeting to get help and input from SUAS members that will be used in the development of the visitor journey in the new National Centre for Mentally Healthy Living.

  Two new applications to join SUAS were received in August. Both applications were to be reviewed by the Board at its September meeting with new members to be invited following approval of their applications.

  SUAS is aware that some service users have found the process of changing treating teams to be confusing. To help with this, SUAS developed a new Changing Treating Team leaflet that is available digitally (such as in the Your Portal Library) or in a printed version from the Information Centre.

  The SUAS Chair took part in the filming of a video to launch our new five-year strategy, The Future in Mind. You can watch the video here.

  September

  There was no SUAS meeting in September.

  October

  Two new members were welcomed to SUAS at the October meeting. Sherrie Buckley, our Occupational Therapy Manager, attended the meeting to discuss ways to advance a SUAS suggestion to create a SUAS Wall, a space in a high traffic area on the ground floor of SPUH, aimed at increasing awareness about SUAS and the work it does.

  On 14 October, SUAS members completed the second part of the Committee Skills training. The purpose of this training is to support members to work effectively as a committee to achieve their objectives with the resources available to them.

  November

  SUAS agreed to develop a sub-committee in 2024 to define the purpose and content of the SUAS Wall.

  Some members contributed to the Green Paper on Disability Reform, a public consultation to reform disability payments in Ireland. The closing date for this public consultation was extended until 15 March 2024.

  SUAS members were asked for their feedback on SPMHS being used as a possible site for a Gardens, Walking and Wellbeing research project; they supported this research.

SUAN provides opportunities for service users to engage in a time-limited, project-driven way. Members can take part in surveys or focus groups or join an advisory group. SUAN offers service users the opportunity to participate in ways that suit them, and to get involved in projects that are of interest to them.

The FCS Advisory Network enables us to engage and consult with people who support our service users. This ensures that the views and perspectives of our service users’ family members, carers and supporters are included as we develop and implement our organisational strategic plans.

Members of SUAN and the FCS Advisory Network receive monthly newsletters with updates and information about ways to get involved.

In 2024, SUAN and FCS Advisory Network members have been invited to:

• take part in making a submission to inform the new National Disability Strategy
• attend a webinar on eating disorder recovery held by our multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Programme team to mark Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2024 
• attend the Leaders in Lived Experience conference from Mental Health Reform on 29 February
• make a submission and/or attend the Joint Committee on Disability Matters meeting in the Seanad Chamber on 8 April to discuss how Ireland has adhered to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)
• join the Mental Health Commission (MHC) Stakeholder Forum which will provide valuable feedback to the MHC on ongoing and future work in regulating mental health services
• participate in a project to inform a play on experiences of isolation
• visit a photography exhibition on the theme of dementia taking place in the Dean Clinic St Patrick’s
• join our Remote Care User Advisory Forum, a collaborative project group which meets on the last Thursday of each month to inform our Digital Transformation Strategy 

Members have also been invited to:

• attend our Consultative Forum on the topic of Your Portal
• attend the online Health Service Executive (HSE) Mental Health Engagement Conference: Implementing Our Framework on 5 June
• take part in two public consultations on the terms of reference for the evaluation of the National Advocacy Network and on input to inform the successor strategy to the National LGBT+ Inclusive Strategy
• register their interest to join the research panel for the Compassion-Focused Therapy for Eating Disorders programme
• attend the Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum on 17 to 19 July
• take part in the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Review on 23 July
• attend the annual Recovery Festival on 25 August
• vote for their favourite artwork as part of our 2024 Favourite Painting exhibition and competition
• provide notes of gratitude for mental healthcare workers to mark World Mental Health Day 2024.

Further invitations have included opportunities to:

• make a submission to inform the development of guidance for staff working in mental health services on the care and treatment of LGBTQIA+ service users
• take part in a public consultation on developing an Inclusion Health Framework
• attend our Consultative Forum on the topic of access and disability requirements for service users, family members and visitors.

In January and February 2024, 10 members also completed Media Interview Skills training to support them to take part in media interview opportunities as they arise.

You can see more of what SUAN and FCS Advisory Network members were involved in over previous years below.

• SUAN and FCS Network activity in 2023

  In 2023, SUAN and FCS Advisory Network members received updates on the new organisational strategy, which they helped to inform in 2022, and were invited to:

  • complete a survey from researchers conducting an independent evaluation of our service user engagement structures
  • take part in the panel discussion at our Remote Care Conference: A New Era in Mental Healthcare Delivery organised by our Digital Health team
  • participate in the #NoStigma in the Workplace: Mental Health and Your Rights webinar
  • attend a Consultative Forum on the topic of Your Portal: What’s Next? (consultative forums give an opportunity to share views and opinions on the topic being presented; they are attended by representatives of the Board of Governors who update the Board on the views shared)
  • join the Remote Care Users Advisory Forum (an advisory group that helps inform our Enabling Remote Care project)
  • attend a Consultative Forum on the topic of The Introduction of Peer Support Workers in SPMHS
  • join the working group to drive the introduction of peer support workers in SPMHS forward
  • attend the strategy launch and Recovery Festival that took place on 2 September 2023.

  Members of SUAN were also invited to:

  • complete a survey aiming to produce practical evidence-informed guidance for Irish mental health services on a human rights-based approach to care and treatment
  • take part in media skills training
  • contribute to research being conducted by Ita Fitzgerald, a senior pharmacist in our Pharmacy team, on shared decision-making in the choice of antipsychotic medication for people with psychosis
  • take part in our Accept. Act. Adapt. campaign to mark World Mental Health Day 2023, including an event on 5 October with service user representatives and experts by experience, and an interactive installation in Dublin city centre
  • attend a Consultative Forum with Paul Gilligan, our CEO, on the topic of improving service user engagement, which is one of the key objectives of The Future in Mind
  • take part in a focus group to provide feedback on the character personas that will form part of the visitor journey in the National Centre for Mentally Healthy Living.