Equal Opportunities Committee – Disability Inquiry

Visit to Stepping Stones Centre – 11May 2005

Present: Cathy Peattie MSP, Marilyn Livingstone MSP, Shiona Baird MSP, George Bruce, Administration Manager, Bernadette Moran, Centre Manager, Zoé Tough, Scottish Parliament and Roy McMahon, Scottish Parliament.

Background to visit

1.Caithness Mental Health Support Group was established in 1990 in response to a lack of social work provision within Caithness for people with a mental health impairment.

2.Caithness Mental Health Support Group operates two centres in the Caithness area. The Haven in Wick and Stepping Stones in Thurso.

3.Stepping Stones is a purpose-built drop-in centre in Thurso. The aims of the centre are to provide:

  • a friendly and supportive meeting place for those who may be experiencing isolation, unemployment and other social difficulties related to mental health problems;
  • social support and encourage user participation in a wide range of activities including self-help support, leisure, hobbies, education groups;
  • a contact point for accessing a range of other supports and services provided by other voluntary and statutory agencies such as Welfare Rights, Mental Health Team Services, Housing Associations, Social Work etc.

Note of the visit

  • The centre provides people with somewhere to meet other people with mental health impairments – some people travel up to 40 mileseach way to attend the centre;
  • The Caithness Mental Health Support Group provides employment for 21 staff who mostly work part time;
  • The service is open seven days per week all year round and is able to give support at the crucial times of Christmas and New Year. It is open because of the dedication of the staff and the founding ethos that it must be able to assist people at all times;
  • Both centres run by Caithness Mental Health Support Group are self-referral centreswhich means people come in of their own accord. Both centres work closely with the CommunityMental Health Team;
  • Still stigma attached to mental health impairments so unlikely to be used by people who do not really require it;
  • The legislation to ban smoking in public places may have a severe effect on the centre. Currentlyeach centre has only one room in which smoking is allowed and this room is the most used in each centre. If users were no longer allowed to smoke in the groups premises, they may just stay at home, increasing their isolation and worsening their conditions;
  • More similar centres would be cost effective in the long-term. It helps people everyday and is somewhere they can go. Having somewhere to go for company and social interaction assists in managing some peoples conditions meaning that it helps keep costs down for the NHS;
  • Need more centres like this in the Highlands as they provide somewhere for people with mental health impairments to meet people socially and share experiences. It gets people out of the house and gives them somewhere to go;
  • Would like to offer outreach service to get to people in their own homes however there is no funding available to support this;
  • There is a major issue if people require more intensive treatment – they have to go to Inverness which is over two hours away by car or a minimum of six hours by public transport. This is very isolating and stressful for family members.