Independent SUPGAP….

Service Users & Providers Getting Actual Progress….

I’ve been using the image below since 2017….

And then, following a few meetings I’ve had recently, mainly with Adult Social Care organisations like WMADASS, ADASS and Dudley Adult Social Care….

I created the image below….

I have a lot of positive things I could say about the guys at Dudley Adult Social Care, WM ADASS and ADASS, they are working extremely hard and have been actively seeking input from “US”!!!! 

However….

I don’t think you would want to hear these positive things at the moment., especially if you’re not getting the support you need, you would probably disagree with me….

So….

What’s ‘Service Users & Providers Getting Actual Progress’ all about?

You guys will feel you are very rarely actually listened to, very often ignored and very often totally on your own with no support. The ‘system’ that should support you is disjointed, broken and on its knees!!!!

Since I had my mental breakdown in 2013, I’ve been involved in a lot of varying stuff with many varying people and organisations. From all of that it’s very obviously apparent that ‘Peer Support’ and ‘working together’ (which is why I tried to setup an organisation called 2day2gether) is without doubt the way we get the changes we all know need to happen actually happen.

Over the years many organisations like the NHS, Social Care, Police, MP’s, Government etc…. Have paid lip service to ‘Coproduction’, ‘Peer Support’, and ‘working with carers and service users’ but, in the main we all know they actually do very little about it.

’Peer Support’, ‘Service Users’, ‘Carers’, ‘Third Sector Organisations’ etc are considered by the big boys as being ‘part’ of the solution when in actual fact….

WE ARE THE BEGINNING, THE MIDDLE AND THE END!!!! of the solution for the many many problems with the current disjointed, broken and on its knees ‘System’!!!!

I spoke to a GP recently about some ideas I discussed many years ago with the people in power and am trying to raise again as a start to really changing things for the better. But, understandably, they don’t have the time or capacity to look into these ideas at the moment. The GP even said “Ironically I know what we have spoken about will save us time in the long run, but currently we are stuck’….

So….

SUPGAP is all about us ALL coming together and saying: –

“Look, we know what to do and how to do it and we are going to do it, please get on board with us!! We will find funding, maybe through the Lottery, maybe through ‘Healthy Communities’ maybe other options. We are all coming together and what we will be doing is closing that Super gigantic Gap (SUPGAP) there is between Service Users, Carers, Service Providers (Primary, Secondary and Tertiary) Social Care, NHS, Councils, Police, Politicians, Government etc and we will be doing that TOGETHER IN COLLABORATION!!!! Not just because we can but because we HAVE TOO!!!!”

Because….

WE ARE THE BEGINNING, THE MIDDLE AND THE END!!!! of the solution for the many many problems with the current disjointed, broken and on its knees ‘System’!!!! FACT!!!!

Those running and working in all the organisations that are disjointed, broken and on their knees are, (Please trust me on this!!), amazing, driven, passionate, caring people, but they are spending all their time fire fighting serious issues every single hour of every single day. They don’t have the time to step back and see what they need to do to get the changes and progress that’s needed to sustain and improve those services beyond recognition for now and for the future….

However….

WE AS A COLLECTIVE DO HAVE THE TIME, PASSION, DEDICATION AND MORE KNOWLEDGE THAN THEY COULD EVER IMAGINE TO MAKE ACTUAL PROGRESS HAPPEN!!!! FACT!!!!

A phrase that comes to my mind fairly regularly these days and whilst in many meetings over the years with those in charge is: –

“They cannot see the wood for the trees….”

This is not meant as an insult!! It is just honesty and reality and I think many of them would agree….

Please also bear in mind I’m not just talking about ‘Them’ needing to change things up. I’m talking about ‘Us’ having to make many changes too!!!!

We (‘Us’) have to approach ‘Them’ in a better, more productive, more positive and different way!!!!

It all has to be done differently, I will explain that more later. (This is explained under the N for NHS entry in my “a to z guide of navigating Mental Illness, Addiction and Associated Issues”)

So….

What now?

We need to bring EVERYONE TOGETHER AS A COLLECTIVE!!!!

I know what you are thinking….

”Yeah right, like that’s ever going to happen, you’ll never make that work Jon. This is proof you’re a bit bonkers….”

And…. I totally and utterly agree with you!!!!

However….

Yes, people have failed to do this many many times before, but we aren’t just ‘people’ we are a COLLABORATION OF AMAZING, LIFE EXPERIENCE WARRIORS, WE ARE ‘SUPGAP’ AND WE CAN DO THIS!!!!

And again….

“TOGETHER IN COLLABORATION we can do this and not just because we can but because we HAVE TOO!!!!” FACT!!!!

This is the WATERSHED MOMENT, we cannot afford to continue going down the same route to inevitable Armageddon!! (No the word Armageddon isn’t too dramatic and deep down you know that!!).

Our backs are against the wall and WE ALL HAVE TO COME OUT FIGHTING AND FIGHTING ALL TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY!!!! FACT!!!!

When we say EVERYONE TOGETHER we mean EVERYONE TOGETHER, Service Users their Carers, Friends and Family, Service Providers (Primary, Secondary and Tertiary), NHS, Police, Ambulance, Fire Brigade (and the employers and employees of these organisations) GP’s, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, CBT Practitioners, Mindfulness Practitioners, Anyone who cares about making the world a better place to live and not allow people to suffer horrendously in silence and solitude, Politicians, Councils, Government, Adult and Children Social Care, CAMHS and any other organisation you can think of including WM ADASS, ADASS, West Midlands Combined Authority, Spiritual People, Meditation, Reiki, Indian Head Massage Practitioners (qualified and not qualified) and most importantly LIFE EXPERIENCE WARRIORS!!!! If you don’t know what a Life Experience Warrior is you will very soon!!!!
(SUPGAP will NEVER!! and we mean NEVER!! ask employers and employees of organisations to divulge any sensitive information, that’s a cast iron guarantee from me!! We need you guys as part of the SUPGAP COLLABORATION TEAM!!!!).

We need numbers to make this work so we become a force of nature that cannot and will not be ignored!!!!

SUPGAP will cover a wide area of issues. I use the term “Mental Illness, Addiction and Associated Issues”. Those associated issues are endless and include physical issues….

Basically, anyone that uses or comes into contact with the services of ‘Health and Social Care’ (or as I prefer ‘Social Care and Health’) in any way, physical, mental, learning disabilities, self harm, eating disorders, blind, deaf, Autistic, Asperger’s, abused, isolated, homeless, etc…. (apologies if any of that is phrased incorrectly).

If in doubt give us a shout….

So….

Register your support for SUPGAP, it couldn’t be easier….

Send an email with your name and postcode.

If you want your Organisation involved – name, postcode and website if you have one.

You will not be spammed….

I can’t get contact forms working so we need to go old school, please email the above information to….

SUPGAP@exboozehound.co.uk 

(Select the email address above, Copy and Paste it into the ‘To:’ field of a new email).

NEVER GIVE UP!!!!

Keep fighting 😉

“enjoy the good and ride out the bad” 

#MentallyIllNoShameWhatsoever #GetChangeGetInvolved #PickYourBattles #RealiseReevaluateReact 

Catch you very soon 😉

Jon Mansell aka exboozehound @ Service Users & Providers Getting Actual Progress.