Blog

Partnership In Action – Touchstone Community Support Team and Leeds South Community Mental Health Team – Part 2

Continued from Partnership In Action Part 1 A further update from the CMHT Partnership, from Anna Simpson: 11th July -  Attended the team meeting, discussed first were Causes for Concern,.  The workers discussed SUs who are unwell at the moment and need flagging – similar to the CST Red/Orange/Green Traffic Lights. In the meeting are the clinical leads and the consultants so workers can get their opinions and extra support

2020-04-17T10:20:09+01:0031st October 2016|Blog, News, Partnership|

National Coming Out Day

Coming out - speaking the truth that we're not sure others want to hear - it's a courageous act. What reaction will we meet? Celebration, condemnation, curiosity or indifference? Will people stand by us, or will they walk away? Will we, maybe, inspire someone else to have the courage to speak their hidden truth? What we can be certain of is that the moment we stop hiding who we really

2020-04-17T10:06:22+01:0011th October 2016|Blog, LGBT*|

Celebrating Black History Month

Our colleague in Touchstone IAPT Carlyn B has written a piece about a topic close to her heart to celebrate Black History Month. We hope you enjoy reading it... BLACK HISTORY MONTH Many people do not know but the month of October every year is dedicated to black history month. The month is dedicated to remember the history of African diaspora; remembering events and important people throughout history.  Black History

2020-04-17T10:19:48+01:006th October 2016|Black History Month, Blog|

Raat Di Roti – support through sharing

Raat Di Roti is ever increasing to become a popular project where volunteers and matched elderly participants come together in a cosy environment to share stories, laughter, joy, and a meal. We have had positive feedback from a few of the elderly participants and likewise from the volunteers expressing they find the experience so endearing that they have decided to engage in Raat Di Roti on a weekly basis rather

2020-04-17T10:19:10+01:0010th September 2016|Blog, Families, Feedback|

Parity of Esteem for Mental and Physical Health

‘Parity of Esteem’ is essentially: ‘Valuing mental health equally with physical health’. More fully, parity of esteem means that, when compared with physical healthcare, mental healthcare is characterised by: Equal access to the most effective and safest care and treatment Equal efforts to improve the quality of care The allocation of time, effort and resources in proportion to need Equal status within healthcare education and practice Equally high aspirations for service users;

2020-04-17T10:18:19+01:0016th August 2016|Blog, CDS Publications, Data and Statistics, Downloads|

Client feedback from PEP social prescribing service

The Patient Empowerment Project is a social prescribing service commissioned by the West Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group and delivered in partnership between BARCA Leeds, Better Leeds Communities, Mind and Touchstone. The project supports people to take control of their health and wellbeing. Participants are referred by their doctor and are supported to access groups, services and resources in their local community to help them achieve a better life. Following a one

2020-04-17T10:18:25+01:0015th August 2016|Blog, Complex Needs, Feedback, Partnership, Social Prescribing|

The rainbow flag – what it means and where it comes from

As businesses and communities prepare for Leeds Pride this weekend, we can expect to see a plethora of rainbow flags adorning the buildings of Leeds city centre. The flag has been a symbol of LGBT unity and strength for nearly 40 years – so much so, that we rarely think about what they flag’s origins might have been. In 1977, artist Gilbert Baker was asked by gay rights activist Harvey

2020-04-17T10:18:02+01:001st August 2016|Blog, Events, LGBT*|

Connecting Punjabi-speaking families and isolated older people to share an evening meal

Delivered by Touchstone, Raat di Roti matches Punjabi-speaking volunteers with Punjabi-speaking older people to share an evening meal together. Though originally planned as a fortnightly event, some volunteers have enjoyed the activity so much that they have increased their visits to every week. In this short video, a volunteer talks with Project Worker Jesvinder about how she has benefited from the experience. For more information, please contact: jesvindert@touchstonesupport.org.uk (originally published on the Time

2020-04-17T10:17:35+01:0029th July 2016|Blog|

World Hepatitis Day

Photo by Bruce Wetzel, Harry Schaefer, via Wikimedia Commons 28th July is World Hepatitis Day.  This year is particularly special as The World Health Organisation will deliver its Global Elimination Strategy for Viral Hepatitis, outlining the goal of eliminating the threat viral hepatitis by 2030. Viral hepatitis is curable.  Hepatitis B can be prevented and hepatitis C can be treated.  Better still, they can be avoided. Hep. B

2020-04-17T10:17:37+01:0027th July 2016|Blog|

SES on the "orient Express"

Sikh Elders Service manager Chani Batebajwe describes the most recent outing organised for users of the service. SES went out on their annual trip on the 25th June to Whitby via Pickering on a steam train experience. Everyone, all 55 of them, attentively listened to the volunteer guide talking about the history of the railway and the area. At one time I thought I was going to see us riding on

2020-04-17T10:17:29+01:0018th July 2016|Blog, Events, Feedback, Friendship|