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2023 DiMHN AGM


AGM attendees hear of ‘evolutionary journey’


A well-attended online Design in Mental Health Network 2023 AGM on 16 November saw the Network’s Workstreams report on a busy year during which the charity took on its first full- time CEO, saw manufacturers begin testing products under the jointly developed Informed Choices scheme, staged another successful annual conference and exhibition, and initiated an independent review of its governance and policies. The Network’s editor, Jonathan Baillie, reports.


The ‘online’ 2023 DiMHN AGM began with a welcome from Chair, Philip Ross. After apologies for absence, and confirmation that the Minutes of the 2022 AGM were a true record, he explained that the reports from the various Workstreams had already been circulated to Board members, and asked each to introduce themselves. While at previous DiMHN AGMs, the authors of each report have read them out in full, Phil Ross said that this year – for brevity – only the highlights would be discussed. To give readers of The Network a fuller picture of each Workstream’s activities during 2023, however, here we will include relevant detail from each. Introducing his Chair’s report, Philip


Ross said that with a step-up of activity and significant change, both at the Design in Mental Health Network and in mental healthcare generally – and with new innovations ‘continuing to challenge long-standing ideas of what mental health environments should look like’, the phrase ‘the days are long, the years are short’ had never felt so true. He said one of the main drivers was that ‘more technology is being used than ever before’.


One of the biggest changes in the charity’s history The DiMHN Chair said the charity had seen one of the biggest changes in its history in the past year – appointing its first full-time leader, Hannah Chamberlain, who had brought ‘resource and focus to


At the 2023 AGM, the DiMHN’s first full-time leader, CEO, Hannah Chamberlain, thanked the Board for their support and warm welcome to her.


drive forward the many ideas we have’ as CEO. He added: “For so long, we’ve relied heavily on a few volunteers, to whom we owe huge gratitude.”


Hannah Chamberlain had, he said, not


only brought operational resource and ideas for how the charity can ‘further its purpose’ of disseminating best practice design ideas for mental health environments for service-users’ benefit, but also personal lived experience, a history of mental health policy and communications campaigning, and a long


history of involvement with the Network. He said: “Another part of the evolutionary journey with Hannah joining is recognising that the Board needs to adapt. Since DiMHN began in 2006, we’ve been what is known in the charity sector as a volunteer/ operational Board – essentially a group of people passionate about making a positive contribution providing Board oversight and being operationally active. Now we have an employee – hopefully the first of many – we need to acknowledge the need for a Board that has some distance, provides the challenge/support for our Executive, and ensures good governance.” As ‘part of this journey’, the DiMHN has


asked the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) to undertake an independent review of the charity and its governance and policies, and supply recommendations for further improvement. A full-day review during September, hosted by NCVO, had seen the Board get together to discuss the findings and ‘consider some big questions that come from this’. Over the coming year, Board members would continue to work through the improvement suggestions, keeping members updated.


Since DiMHN began in 2006, we’ve been what is known in the charity sector as a volunteer/operational Board – essentially a group of people passionate about making a positive contribution providing Board oversight and being operationally active. Now we have an employee – hopefully the first of many – we need to acknowledge the need for a Board that has some distance, provides the challenge/support for our Executive, and ensures good governance


THE NETWORK | FEBRUARY 2024


The BRE product testing initiative Hannah Chamberlain had also led on growing the adoption of the joint BRE and DiMHN product testing initiative, Informed Choices, and Philip Ross said he had been pleased to have heard ‘so many positive comments’ from those attending the BRE’s Watford testing facilities to learn more about the testing process. He thanked all who ‘contribute to the DiMHN mission’, and especially the charity’s Board Trustees, Associates, those who help find speakers for the annual conference, and the organisation’s ‘delivery partners’. He also thanked all the organisations who contribute to the charity financially, either through corporate membership, or as an exhibitor. He explained that during 2023 two


Philip Ross


directors had reached the end of their three years as Trustees, and were required to re-stand/apply to continue in the role.


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