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Arts & Health Charter Event
Knightsway Centre, Brentwood, Essex , Tuesday 17th January 2012, 12.30pm - 4pm
For full details, see:
Outside In
Outside in 2012 is a National Open Art competition for people who find it difficult to access the art world. We are hosting a surgery day for artists who would like to load their work onto the online gallery on Feb 16 and there is an additional surgery day at Kettle's Yard on March 26. Download the pdf flyer 2012 Surgery Day for full details.
Inside Out'
Our new project involving children, family and staff from The Croft began in partnership with Anglesey Abbey at Hoe Fen. See Projects for more information.
Arts and Minds contributes to Parliamentary Inquiry into Dementia care
Our Trustee Christina Rowland- Jones has had evidence accepted for a Parliamentary inquiry into Dementia Care in the UK. Her contribution centres on more than 10 years of delivering participatory arts workshops for patients with dementia in the wards at Fulbourn Hospital. Work whose benefits are evident to patients, relatives and staff alike, but whose funding is under threat!
The APPG on Dementia
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia (APPG) is a cross party group made up of MPs and Peers with an interest in dementia. Its aim is to raise awareness of dementia amongst parliamentarians and to influence legislation and policy making in order to improve the lives of people with dementia and their carers.
Current inquiry
As you will know, the 2011 inquiry of the APPG is exploring how to save money in dementia care and deliver better outcomes for people with dementia during the difficult financial climate for public services.
The inquiry will seek to identify good practice examples that providers and commissioners of dementia care in the UK can draw on.
Why was this inquiry chosen?
The number of people living with dementia in the UK is set to increase from 750,000 in 2010 to over a million by 2025. The financial cost of dementia in the UK is estimated to be £20 billion a year, and is estimated to grow to over £27 billion by 2018.
Who has submitted written evidence?
The inquiry's official call for written evidence ended on 27 February 2011.
People with dementia and their carers, health and social care commissioners, providers, and stakeholders have submitted written evidence explaining what they see as the opportunities for saving money and making the most of existing resources on dementia, whilst also ensuring quality of life for people with dementia.
Over 200 submissions were received.
Read the evidence submitted to the inquiry from people with dementia and their carers and organisations with an interest in dementia care.
Who has submitted oral evidence received?
At oral evidence sessions in the House of Commons on 15th and 16th March 2011, members of the APPG heard a summary of the written evidence provided by Sam Sharp, Senior Policy Officer at Alzheimer's Society.
Following members heard from the list of expert witnesses below:
- Professor Martin Knapp, Professor of Health Economics and Director of the Centre for the Economics of Mental Health at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College
- Karen Taylor, Formerly Director of Health Value for Money at National Audit Office and currently independent advisor on end of life care to Marie Curie
- Simon Williams, Lead on Dementia for Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and Director of Adult Social Services at Merton
- Dr Dan Harwood, Consultant Psychiatrist in Memory Services and Clinical Director, NHS Isle of Wight
- Leon Smith, Chief Executive, Nightingale House care home
- Dr Graham Stokes Director of Dementia Care, Bupa Care
- Dr Helena McKeown, GP and Chair of the BMA Committee on Community Care
- Rachel Thompson, Dementia Project Lead, Royal College of Nursing
- David Walden, Director of Adult Services and Regional Development, Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
Read transcripts of the oral evidence sessions.
What are the next steps for the inquiry?
Following the oral evidence sessions members of the APPG on Dementia met to discuss what they have heard and consider recommendations for the final report that will go to improve the quality of life for people with dementia.
The inquiry will publish the report, including its findings and recommendations, on 12th July 2011. Alzheimer's Society, as secretariat of the APPG on Dementia, will ensure you are kept up to date with the details for the launch.
Mobile Arts Studio
Taking art to the people!
The Disability Sports & Arts Festival was held on Sunday 15th May, 10-4 at Chesterton Sports Centre.
- See Disability, Sport & Arts Festival for further details
Delivery is now possible wherever there is a need...care homes, artist training, arts on prescription....we can park up and deliver. It is fully accessible, air conditioned and finished to a really high spec.
- Visit us on Facebook for more information
Arts & Minds: The Festival 2010
In October 2010 we launched England's very first mental health, film, comedy and arts festival. It took place over the weekend of October 16/17 at The Junction in Cambridge. Susannah Price worked as a volunteer producer on the event and succeeded in securing waved screening fees for the two films (Stuart: A Life Backwards & The Devil and Daniel Johnston), the comedy (Cracking Up!) represented true innovation by combining public health promotion, mental health care and comedy.all commissioned by Surrey PCT! The debate around the role of storytelling in mental health pulled in panelists from as far away as South Wales while the music and spoken word (presented in collaboration with Little Episodes) was of real quality.
First off, Susannah and I were pleased that all events had an audience. The only disappointment (and personally a real surprise as Cambridge prides itself on having a thriving indie music scene) was the audience who showed up for The Devil and Daniel Johnston. He is the godfather of grunge and a leader in singer songwriter indie pop from the 1980's to present day. I guess you were all in your garages and cellars.
Kicking off with the Cambridge based story of homeless man Stuart, we witnessed the compound trauma of a life that descended into violence, addiction and untimely death. A story of extremes, but one that resonates for many people and stands as an ultimately life affirming epitaph of some weight for people who live with similar experience.
All other events including the storytelling debate had respectable audiences and demonstrated to us that there is a demand for this kid of festival.from performers and audience alike. We shall certainly aim to grow the initiative over the coming years and would love to hear feedback from those who attended or took part.
Here are some images from the weekend:
