Hearing Voices Network

Consultation Report

Recommendations

April 2009

Aims:

Actions:

  • HVN must continue to provide opportunities for mutual support, solidarity and befriending and promote awareness of voices/visions in the context of normal experience.
  • HVN must continue to support self-help initiatives by and for voice hearers including development of groups, facilitator training, providing opportunities for on-going personal and group development.
  • The 3rd aim needs clarifying – e.g. HVN isn’t providing groups it is promoting support.
  • More emphasis should be placed on alternative experiences, such as visions and tactile sensations.
  • The fact that we work with visions, tactile sensations etc can be incorporated into a new logo as a strap line.
  • HVN needs to continue supporting a wide range of explanations for voice hearing including telepathy, psychic abilities etc.
  • HVN needs to promote more positive reflections of voice hearing by stating that hearing voices is not an illness but a human variation and that many voice hearers live meaningful, productive lives WITH the experience of hearing voices.
  • HVN needs to emphasise the importance of understanding voice hearing from a multidisciplinary perspective - developing on Romme and Escher’s pioneering research through involving anthropology, philosophy, theology and spiritual disciplines as well as psychology, social psychiatry, meditation and mindfulness practices.

Membership & Structure:

Actions:

  • HVN should adopt a regional structure. Regionalisation would ensure more equal distribution of quality services throughout the UK and provide a framework for making our work more effective.
  • HVN should coordinate the running of the regional network which should be locally controlled and be supported by NHVN.
  • It is important that the national structure agrees and coordinates running congruent regional organisations (i.e. groups and organisations should be consistent with the HVN philosophy).
  • HVN needs to clarify affiliation arrangements so that regions aren’t in competition with each other.
  • The affiliation arrangements with the London network could serve as a template.
  • Organising regional meetings is a good way to meet the 2nd aim.
  • Increase cost of membership for waged and statutory services.
  • HVN needs to update its Charter so that it reflects the membership – i.e. – affiliated/full membership and create a self assessment tool for groups to establish where they are in relation to it. The Charter needs to be more meaningful and positive – it needs to emphasise what people should be doing rather than what they shouldn’t be doing.
  • HVN needs to promote more effective networking between existing groups.
  • Additional points:
  • Some organisations currently involved in running groups expressed a strong interest in being the host organisation for a regional network as they already have the expertise and a proven track record in running groups locally.
  • Local statutory services might consider providing funding todevelop partnerships with voluntary sector organisations taking the lead on developing HVN regions with HVN’s endorsement.
  • HVN needs to ensure that raising its profile and establishing an HVN ‘brand’ does not compromise the integrity of its grassroots work and user-run origins and ethos.
  • HVN also needs to protect ‘the brand’.
  • HVN needs to ensure that more service-users and carers (in addition to trustees) can contributeto running the organisation.
  • Membership needs to offer clear benefits to members and there needs to better communication between the network and members so that member’s feel better informed and more valued.
  • HVN needs to emphasise that members who use medication and/or medical frameworks are no less valuable or welcome than those who cope without.
  • HVN needs to make opportunities to become a trustee more accessible.
  • Raising profile/Campaigning:
  • Actions:
  • HVN needs a communications and publicity/press strategy to ensure that it has a media presence and is ‘the voice of voice hearers’.
  • HVN needs to create a media pack with facts about hearing voices for journalists.
  • HVN needs to develop a media/speakers bureau.
  • HVN should support more research into hearing voices and allied subjects, place more emphasis on establishing an evidence-base through conducting clinical/academic research, particularly the importance of delineating hearing voices from ‘schizophrenia’ and ‘why’ people hear voices and disseminate the research more widely.
  • HVN needs to produce more advertising and publicity, make leaflets and newsletters available to download from the internet and make web based films of real life experiences.
  • HVN needs to actively offer workshops/training events to professional bodies/societies & NHS bodies to encourage understanding amongst staff groups.
  • HVN needs to encourage each hospital/ trust to have a worker who takes the lead on Hearing Voices work.
  • HVN should attract patrons, preferably voice hearers if possible.
  • Additional points:
  • HVN could fund for campaigning work under ‘challenging stigma and personal development’.
  • HVN should consider linking with other high profile mental charities and campaigns like the ‘Time to Change’ campaign.
  • Better promotion and raising awareness of HVN is important in preventing more people ‘getting lost’ in the psychiatric system.
  • HVN’s profile needs to be raised more effectively amongst the general public and media. At present, witnessing the fulfilment of its aims feels more applicable to a limited section of people (i.e. the mental health community).
  • HVN needs to campaign more actively to challenge stigma, stereotypes and discrimination more assertivelyby increasing our media profile, raising public awareness and by providing public forums (i.e. conferences, newsletters, publications, direct action, publicity stunts) to share understanding.
  • HVN needs to campaign and actively promote its innovative approach to challenge the pathologising of voice hearing and the overuse of biomedical approaches.
  • HVN needs to encourage and support active participation, empowerment etc.
  • Activities/Provision:
  • Actions:
  • HVN needs to provide necessary support and resources for more voice hearers to become trainers and to continue to emphasise the importance of voice hearers, not professionals, facilitating groups.
  • HVN needs to promote itself more effectively. Many group members are unaware of the existence of HVN and many people expressed frustration at the difficulty in finding groups.HVN needs an up to date database of current hearing voices groups running nationally which needs to be maintained and made more available.
  • HVN must ensure that its members are adequately informed of the background to HVN’s work, the current structure, membership arrangements and other operational information. We need to develop our membership packs to include this information in the future.
  • HVN needs a proper database of membership and membership fees, and a system to ensure that all membership fees are up to date, paid annually and encourage more members to pay by direct debit.
  • HVN needs to liaise pro-actively with, promote and offer training to more GPs, psychiatrists etc on HVN and its approach.
  • HVN needs to involve more volunteers.
  • HVN needs to produce more publications and booklets, on a wider range of subjects including: talking therapies, info for family members, children, nutrition, voice dialogue, medication, meditation, talking therapies, taking control, 3 phases, Romme and Escher approach etc.
  • The helpline is highly valued but if it is too resource heavy an advice and info line with signposting to more local resources – happening via national office and regions would be useful.
  • If HVN cannot run a helpline then we could train the Samaritans and Saneline in hearing voices awareness.
  • In the future, the regions could share the running of a help line. It could be free if people are on same phone networks, i.e. Orange, O2 etc.
  • HVN needs to have well resourced contact points. HVN needs a more substantive information line and improved web site.
  • Operating a phone line and developing HVN’s web site is a good way to meet the 3rd aim.
  • HVN’s newsletter is highly valued and needs to be capitalised on as a means of promoting our approach, developing the network and staying in touch with our members. The newsletter needs to be improved in terms of content and quality, produced more regularly and frequently. HVN could charge more for it and use it to increase membership.
  • Put membership applications in the newsletter for members to put in drop ins, resource centres, GP surgeries etc.
  • Develop an assessment tool, like teacher training, for potential trainers, which evaluates people’s skills, expertise and readiness to become HVN trainers. HVN needs to ensure that there is consistency in terms of quality and material.
  • Apply for funding for smaller projects like the newsletter, web site etc.
  • Make better use of the web site to sell publications, places at conferences and workshops, have a facility on our web site where people can make donations, leave legacies etc.
  • Sign up to ‘Charity Flowers’.
  • Produce a calendar of events – an annual schedule for HVN’s AGM, newsletter deadlines, WHVD, conferences and events, trustee meetings etc and distribute it to members.
  • Additional points:
  • Working with children and young people is important, both as a preventative measure and also in challenging stigma and discrimination.
  • HVN needs to improve accessibility to resources within inpatient settings.
  • HVN needs to actively work to develop links with BME organisations and develop more BME specific hearing voices groups.
  • HVN needs to consider offering other kinds of support outside of groups as many people would like 1-2-1 support. IF HVN does not have the capacity to offer 1-2-1 support itself, it could train others to do so more effectively.
  • HVN needs to promote psychological therapies more assertively within the network, possibly by employing counsellors or therapists or offering NHS and private practitioner’s accredited training via HVN.
  • HVN could make links with other organisations and share resources – i.e. in Leeds – Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture.
  • HVN couldmake more links with human rights groups.
  • HVN shouldprovide more support for family members, carers and allies – which would provide more support for voice hearers.
  • HVN should consider making the newsletter available in non mental health settings to increase awareness, challenge stigma etc.
  • HVN couldencourage members to do more sponsored and charity events for HVN which would raise funds and awareness.

HVN Consultation Report

Recommendations

April 2009, Jacqui Dillon.

HVN Consultation Report

Recommendations

April 2009, Jacqui Dillon.