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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 17 October 2008

Peter Jones

Plight of patients who must live with anxiety

Sufferers from depression get very little help, says campaigner

MENTAL health campaigners called for a major battle this week against moves to reduce desperately needed services in Islington.
They spoke out following events in Islington to mark World Mental Health Day.
A Town Hall bid to shut Ashley Road Day Centre in Stroud Green was dropped after a public outcry, but a budget and staffing level have still not been guaranteed.
Services have been reduced at the Afro-Caribbean Lambo Day Centre in Archway and Southwood Smith Centre, off Upper Street, Islington.
The borough is still recovering from its share of an £11million programme of cuts to mental health services by Camden and Islington Foundation Trust.
A recent report stated:
• Islington has one of the highest needs for specialist mental health and social care services in the country.
• There are between 19 and 25 suicides a year in the borough.
• Mental health problems in Islington cost the equivalent of £1,482 for every person in the borough.
• 6,500 people are on incapacity benefit due to disability and mental illness.
But the biggest losers in the borough are those who suffer high anxiety and depression and need to talk it over with an expert, according to Peter Jones, director of Islington Borough User Group, based at Highgate Mental Health Centre.
He said: “In Islington we have some of the best services in the country – the ones that the government says everyone should have. The problem is that you have to be very ill to get our services.
“If you just suffer from high anxiety or depression you get very little.”
His organisation is supporting an initiative being launched in April next year to provide a team of eight NHS cognitive behavioural therapists to add to the four psychologists already working in the borough.
Their introduction should reduce waiting lists from months to weeks, depending on demand.
Mr Jones explained: “Cognitive therapy is dealing with the problem of negative thoughts in the now, whereas traditional therapies deal with unhappy or traumatic childhood experiences.
“Cognitive therapy suggests that what you think about is important. It’s simple but makes sense.
“Think positive and you will be positive. It seems to work for a lot of people.”
Peter Djerkallis, who campaigned to save Ashley Road centre, said that Islington Primary Care Trust had finally agreed that mental health service users like himself should join its panel.
The father-of three added: “We shall be arguing for more Ashley Road centres, not less. It is the gentle, softly, softly approach to mental illness and is very popular. It has been a lifesaver for me as I have suffered from high anxiety for many years.”

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