Promoting Mental Health and Well-being

Service Improvement Stories: Promoting Mental Health and Well-being

Making it Possible across the West Midlands

Promoting the mental health and well-being of local communities alongside tackling the discrimination experienced by those with mental health problems, was the primary aim of the National Service Framework for Mental Health (1999-2009).

Work to achieve this has been co-ordinated in local areas by mental health promotion ('Standard One') Leads through delivery of local mental health promotion (MHP) strategies. Successful strategies have been implemented through co-ordinated activity of a range of partners working together across Health, Education, Local Authorities and in Voluntary and Community sector organisations.

A key part of the (CSIP) West Midlands RDC's MHP project area was the delivery of a support programme to Standard One leads, to help them improve delivery of effective local mental health promotion strategies. The annual programme consists of business meetings, peer review meetings, development meetings, as well as offering direct patch support to locality Standard One leads.

Each year the support programme was evaluated with the Standard One leads, to improve the programme and inform the development of the coming year's activities.

Here are comments from some of the West Midland Standard One leads:

"Particularly helpful to hear from Standard One leads around the region about their own local experiences. Peer support meetings have been valuable as a forum in which to share ideas and approaches to common issues."

"It has also been helpful to have regional support for issues such as the Big Lottery Fund Well-being Programme."

"The option to work as a group across the Region on common issues and pool expertise is also valuable, in promoting/sharing best practice, and from a capacity point of view."

"Useful for keeping up to date with national good practice and networking with colleagues across the region."

"Extremely useful! It has

  • provided us with an opportunity to be part of the bigger picture and keep up-to-date with developments,
  • enabled a ‘checking out' and ‘raising issues' opportunity with support provided,
  • been an informative and supportive process and allowed excellent networking.

We found the pilot ‘MHP Stocktake' exercise particularly useful in establishing a local baseline of MHP activity from which we can chart future progress."

"Ongoing support and regional input through CSIP Mental Health Promotion lead is absolutely crucial to local implementation. Thanks."


CSIP's MHP programme adds value to local activity, giving opportunity for Standard One leads to combine their efforts and work together to produce a number of products which will engender local engagement and improve mental health awareness raising:

  • The West Midlands Charter for Mental Health and Well-being, is designed to inform, encourage and inspire everyone to play their part in promoting mental health and well-being in the region.
  • The Mental Health Awareness Mapping Report, reviews a range of national, regional and local courses and makes recommendations on including positive mental health messages.

Through this year's support programme Standard One leads continue to work together on further developments around the Charter and Awareness raising.

To find out who your local Standard One Lead is and how to contact them, you can download a list of their contact details here.

Kate O'Hara
Mental Health Promotion Specialist