Our Mental Health Navigator Richard Burdon is working on a project to help link up VCS and faith services in Gloucester with NHS Secondary Mental Health services, to help build a partnership approach to supporting adults with a significant mental illness.

The project was jointly set up by GRCC and Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, and Richard works alongside NHS colleagues in the Trust’s Locality Community Partnership (LCP) team. Richard, who was previously one of GRCC’s Social Prescribers, regularly meets with community and faith organisations in Gloucester to help strengthen this new partnership approach to supporting people. He also helps individual clients to access support in the community alongside the clinical care that they receive from NHS professionals.

Examples of Richard’s work include:

• Accompanying a client to an art group to help them reduce their social isolation and make new friends.
• Meeting with a client to help them find a local exercise group and friendship group as part of their recovery following a period of mental ill health.
• Visiting a community hub or church to understand the support and activities they can offer, and to provide a pathway of support when they engage with individuals who may be experiencing mental ill health or emotional distress.
• Attending professional cross-sector network events and meetings to promote the Locality Community Partnership model of supporting those with significant mental ill health.