Waltham Forest Black People's Mental Health Association offers a range of services to adults with mental health problems and their carers who live in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. People are usually referred by the local mental health teams and other agencies. We also accept self-referrals - those not yet in the system.

The Association aims to provide a forum for black people and people from ethnic minorities to meet, discuss and raise awareness of mental health needs in the community and to support and empower black people suffering from mental health problems.

BPMHA is a voluntary organisation managed by a management committee made up of volunteers. Like other voluntary organisations, BPMHA has considerable difficulty attracting suitable and enthusiastic people to manage an organisation in their spare time when they are already working in demanding, stressful occupations.

It is not surprising that it is often a few people carrying the main burden of the work, and it is problematic accompanying the manager to meetings or events where a management member is required.

The day to day running of the service is organised by the Manager (Currently Marie Walker) who also has to provide the Management Committee with the information to make the necessary decisions, and to manage the staff. There are three support worker posts (one for a male support worker) to provide the following:-

Individual support of clients through care plans
Advocacy at:
Care programme approach meetings
Hospital
Tribunals
Community care fund appeals (and many more)
Outreach : Home, Hospital, Prison
Initiating and running daily activities
Empowering clients in developing independent living skills and
identifying suitable training for work or personal development.
Monitoring clients welfare and liaising regularly with CPN, Social
Worker, Consultants in regards to their care.

There is no leeway for staff being absent because of annual leave, study, sickness or leaving the post. One person is always needed to ensure the centre’s activities are fulfilled so it isn’t difficult to imagine what happens if one person is away and a clients needs individual attention where a CPA has to be attended or an important planning meeting needs a representative let alone an emergency. In the past two years these has been unprecedented difficulty in staffing because of the departure of two support workers (very unusual for BPMHA) one after many months of absence. In addition it has taken more than one year to recruit a cook. This has meant using temporary staff - expensive as well as awkward in terms of continuity.

It has taken an enormous toll on staff particularly the Manager who has had not only to do full time support work as well as managing the centre but to supervise the catering for the midday meal (often cooking herself).