Since the start of 2025 we have been running our new Wellbeing Get Together Activities, generously funded by The National Lottery. This initiative aims to enhance the lives of Disabled people, people with long-term health conditions and people with mental ill-health by promoting physical and social activities.   So far this year we have been to […]

Surrey’s new mental health inpatient service, Silverwood, has opened on the St Peter’s Hospital campus in Chertsey, on the site of the old Abraham Cowley Unit. It has 64 single ensuite bedrooms across four wards, each with its own lounge, dining area, garden, sensory space and activity room. The therapies department contains a gym, sports […]

We recently held our latest Wellbeing Event at Boxhill Village Hall, Surrey on Thursday 19th September. We had 6 members attend which included our IMHN Chair David Muir and Vice Chair Jacob Adams as well as Immy Markwick and IMHN Coordinator Guy Hill. It was an opportunity to catch up and have a chat over […]

For World Mental Health Day Jacob Adams tells us about what drew him to become Vice-Chair of the IMHN and more about his role. Where did you hear about the IMHN and how did you get involved? The IMHN was one of several groups I joined when I took a career break due to my […]

Surrey County Council would like your help to monitor our Supported Living and Community Connection mental health services. Surrey County Council meet regularly with the different service providers that we commission to deliver mental health services in the community. These meetings are to follow up on how providers are achieving the outcomes of the service […]

Katy, our Physical Activity Navigator, looks at the benefits of moving more for our mental health and gives some tips on how to get started with physical activity. The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness week is Moments for Movement. Why? Because we know that being physically active is great for our mental health, […]

The Community Mental Health Transformation Programme asked Surrey Coalition of Disabled People to employ three staff members with mental health lived experience to help them develop community-based mental health support in Surrey and North East Hampshire. Project in numbers What did the project focus on? Who did it focus on? The adult population (aged 18 […]

Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is about using everyday conversations to help people make changes to improve their physical and mental wellbeing by signposting to local services. Rather than telling people what to do, Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is about recognising opportunities to talk to people about their wellbeing using the skills of asking and […]

On Thursday 22 June, Alex and Immy presented the In and Out report findings to Surrey and Borders Partnership (SABP)’s Governors at Dorking Halls. The Governors are local people with an interest in mental health services in Surrey and North-East Hampshire and hold SABP’s Board of Directors to account for the Trust’s performance. Future public […]

This podcast contains sensitive material, please read the YouTube description for more information. Kirsty our Trainee Peer Researcher features on the Richer Minds Podcast to talk about the In and Out Project. You can find out more about the In and Out Project via the following link: In and Out Project full report – Surrey Coalition […]

Surrey Adult Mental Health Alliance decided its priority for 2023 through a series of workshops. Firstly, the Advisory Forum held a virtual workshop in December 2022 with attendees representing Independent Mental Health Network, Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum, Mary Frances Trust, Oakleaf, Catalyst, Surrey and Borders Partnership, Active Prospectus, and Age UK. The workshop was to […]

The Surrey Adult Mental Health Alliance exists to improve mental health support and services for people in Surrey. Organisations have come together to work with each other and people with lived experience. Partnership working increases capacity and capability whilst reducing rivalry between service providers. This enables Surrey to focus more on what our residents need […]

Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum (SMEF) and Surrey Coalition of Disabled People (The Coalition) are currently working on a research project looking at the experiences of South-Asian adults within mental health services in Surrey and North-East Hampshire. The project is titled ‘Pathways to Change’ and began at the end of 2022. It specifically focusses on whether […]

The In and Out Project looked at admissions to and discharge from mental health hospitals. Please find below the full report from the research project. We are looking for Surrey-based adults (18+) with experience of admission to, and discharge from mental health hospital to develop recommendations from the In andOut Project’s findings. Please contact us if […]

Compassion in Crisis (CIC) is a research project, which explores and documents experiences of crisis which may or may not have led to an unplanned admission to mental health hospital or specialist units. It focuses on the experiences of autistic individuals and/or individuals with learning disabilities. This animation explains the aims and process of the […]

In and Out: People with lived experience, carer and professional perspectives on avoiding admission to mental health hospitals, and how discharges could be safely made more quickly  In Spring 2022, Surrey Coalition of Disabled People (The Coalition) was asked to undertake a research project to better understand:  Data Collection  The In and Out Surveys ran […]

Our research team at Surrey Coalition of Disabled People are currently working on a project looking at admissions to and discharges from mental health hospitals. If you would like to find out a bit more about the project and a bit more about the research team, please check out our other blog posts and our […]

Kirsty catches up with Dr Dawn Benson who is supervising the research project.

My name is Kirsty Smith, I am a Trainee Peer Researcher from Surrey Coalition of Disabled People. We are currently working on a research project looking at admissions to and discharge from mental health hospitals.

SIAN is an open forum including representatives from Active Surrey, Sport and Activity Development Officers from Surrey Borough Councils, Leisure Operators for the Local authorities, activity providers, not-for-profit organisations and experts by experience.

Coalition member, Jean, shared her experiences of the Get More Active Project with us at The Big Coalition Catch Up on Friday. If you missed it, or would just like to read it again, here are her answers to our questions. Q: How active were you before COVID? A: Quite active, mainly walking Q: How […]