Mind in Tower Hamlets and Newham (MITHN) is committed to ensuring progress towards meaningful service user involvement in all aspects of our work.
We have a number of ways by which we involve service users in the development and planning of our organisation including the design, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of services; staff selection and governance.
Involvement takes place in ways appropriate to the individuals and issues concerned. Examples of involvement include: 1) giving information and listening; 2) consultation, 3) shared decision making and 4) working together. Involvement is voluntary and can be as much or as little as people feel able to do. Full details of how we involve our Service Users is in our Service User Involvement Policy.
Why be involved?
Local experience and national evidence demonstrates that genuine service user involvement can positively:
- promote self-esteem of those who take part
- raise service user’s expectations
- promote partnerships to improve service quality
- reduce conflict and exclusion
- facilitate development of skills and experience which is valued by service users
Come to our Service User Forum
‘Minders’ is our Service Users Forum that meets every six weeks to discuss anything of interest to our Service Users about the business of the organisation, and to put forward views and feedback to our Executive Committee (EC) and Management Team (SMT). ‘Minders’ is open to all MITHN service users and we welcome new members.
The meeting is chaired by an elected service user with an elected vice chair, and supported by a worker, who does the minutes, publicity and collates items for the agenda. The Minders’ minutes are circulated to the EC and SMT, put up in Open House on the Minders’ notice board and on this website. The Minders’ chair and vice chair with support from the organisations Service User Lead, attend the EC regularly to maintain communication between the EC and Minders.