NEWS


Some councils spend ‘next to nothing’ on prevention


A Freedom of Information Act request by Mind has found that local authorities in England spend ‘an average of 1% of their public health budget on mental health’. The charity said: “Local authorities have a remit to promote both good physical and mental health. While they spend millions of pounds on physical health programmes, our findings show most areas of the country spend close to nothing on preventing mental health problems.” The Department of Health requires local authorities to report on their public health


spending against a set list of categories, including sexual health services, obesity, and ‘stop smoking’ services. Currently, Mind points out, “any spending on public mental health is reported under ‘miscellaneous’, grouped together with 14 other areas” – undermining the Government’s commitment to giving mental health equality with physical health. The charity said: “All this comes despite


conservative estimates that mental health problems cost health and social care services £21 billion annually, with a further £30 billion


Increasing business sees Primera expand


Blackpool-based Primera Life, which manufactures specialist window and door hardware, has made two new appointments to its team ‘in response to continued business growth, in turn fuelled by the increasing understanding of the importance of purpose- designed products for the mental healthcare sector’.


The company’s two newly-appointed business development managers, Keith Evans and Martin Lees, who join from ASSA and Lloyd Worall respectively, both have considerable experience in the ironmongery trade, and hold the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers’ Diploma. Primera has also expanded its premises, with both larger manufacturing and assembly areas, as well as a new training facility and refurbished offices, and striking new signage. Jerry Smith, director of Primera Life, said:


“We like things to be busy, and change is always exciting, but we’re glad to have completed the alterations. This expansion and


Life-sized murals with impact


A new range of ‘cost-effective’ murals that ‘are visually striking, and can transform corridors or rooms into a vibrant, meaningful space for all who live, visit, and work there’, was shown by Care Home Murals at November’s Care & Dementia Show.


The company designs decorative wallpapers exclusively for care homes and other establishments, and in particular those caring for residents and patients with dementia. It said: “The life-size, detailed, and colourful imagery creates visual interest to engage the viewer and encourage response.


Strong visual references help residents identify different areas within their care home.” Shop Fronts feature prominently in Care Home Murals’ range, with eight different designs available, each configurable to the customer’s choice of shop.


Care Home Murals said: “Consider the unassuming door to the room where your visiting hairdresser works. Now imagine how good it would be if that door, and the wall space around it, looked like a real hairdresser – simply choose a design, select the appropriate shop interior scene, and then specify the shop signage you want. Imagination is encouraged.” Murals are


available to fit almost any wall space, and ‘application is easy’, with either traditional ‘paste the wall’ paper, or a self-adhesive material.


6 THE NETWORK January 2016


the growing team mean that we are better equipped than ever to help deliver improved outcomes for those facing mental health problems.”


lost in economic output. Data we have obtained shows some areas don’t plan to spend a single penny on preventing mental health problems this year. Responses from many local authorities also paint a picture of enormous confusion about what local public health teams


should do to help prevent people becoming mentally unwell.”


Mind says the Government must “send a clear message to public health teams to prioritise mental health by asking them to no longer label public mental health spend as ‘Miscellaneous’, and instead give public mental health its own category”. It has produced a best practice guide* outlining the kinds of initiatives local authorities could be commissioning to help people in their communities stay mentally healthy. * Our communities, our mental health, can be downloaded at: www.tinyurl.com/pqupdhh


Keith Evans. Martin Lees.


Improved Safevent easier to clean and maintain


Britplas says a new version of its award- winning Safevent window, the Safevent Access, ‘represents a continuation of the product innovation’ that has helped it become ‘a market-leader in specialist healthcare fenestration’. The company said: “The original Safevent window is widely specified in mental health facilities. It allows natural light and ventilation and a high degree of patient control, while still ensuring a safe and ligature-free environment. The Safevent Access has a glazed sash which can be opened via a key-operated dual point locking system to allow easy access to the inside of the glazed sliding sash section and the outside of the window’s mesh for cleaning and maintenance.”


The window is available in aluminium in any RAL colour, and, like the original Safevent, is manufactured at Britplas’ Warrington factory. It can be retrofitted into previous Safevent models if required.


Photo courtesy of Mind.


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