A new strategy which explains how the region's mental health trust will support people to develop the skills to create and maintain a fulfilling and meaningful life will launch next week.

Eastern Daily Press: Marcus Hayward, NSFT�s Head of Recovery, Participation and Partnership. Photo: NSFTMarcus Hayward, NSFT�s Head of Recovery, Participation and Partnership. Photo: NSFT (Image: NSFT)

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) will launch 'Our Recovery Strategy' on Tuesday, June 27, during a special day-long event at the King's Centre, King Street, in Norwich.

Open to anyone who uses NSFT's services, their carers, stakeholders and partner agencies, the event will give people the chance to find out more about the strategy, listen to inspirational service user stories and feedback their ideas about its implementation.

It will also feature a keynote talk from Geoff Shepherd, who is a senior consultant with the Implementing Recovery through Organisational Change (ImROC) programme – a national initiative supporting recovery and wellbeing.

'Our Recovery Strategy' has been developed over a six-month period in partnership with service users and carers, and promotes a culture which focuses on health, strengths and wellness rather than illness and symptoms.

Marcus Hayward, NSFT's head of recovery, participation and partnership, said: 'Recovery is vitally important as it helps people to rise above their symptoms and enjoy a fulfilled life by focusing on their strengths and not on illness.

'We have already introduced a wide range of initiatives to promote the concept, such as our Recovery College, peer support workers and learning from our staff who have lived experience of recovery.

'This strategy will build on those strong foundations by further embedding a culture of recovery across our trust while also encouraging close partnership working with other health, social care, voluntary groups and charities to improve resilience within individuals as well as the wider community.'

It sets out four priority goals, which are:

• Place recovery at the core of every conversation and make sure that recovery principles are central to everything our Trust does. Actions will include: - Collecting and sharing personal stories of recovery

- Developing new workshops and encouraging more staff, service users and carers to attend the Recovery College

- Sharing experiences of implementing recovery locally and nationally

• Ensure co-production in decision-making at every level to promote equal partnership between service users and staff. Actions will include:

- Producing a booklet bringing together information about all the involvement opportunities available at NSFT, from FT Membership to employment in peer roles

- Establishing a network of people with personal experience of receiving care who would like to work with NSFT to improve services

- Involving service users or carers when recruiting staff

• Share responsibility for keeping people safe by revising the trust's approach to risk assessment and management. Actions will include:

- Helping to embed the principle of 'no decision about me without me'

- Moving from a risk assessment approach that focuses on deficits to a safety planning approach that emphasizes strengths and assets

- Continuing to promote carer involvement in all aspects of care

- Involving people with lived experience of restrictive practice in reviewing risk management methods and policies within inpatient areas, including use of restraint and seclusion

• Develop partnerships to promote meaningful living so that people with mental health problems can get involved in things which are important to them and build a life beyond illness. Actions will include:

- Prioritising partnerships that provide benefits advice, helping find employment, tenancy advice and support while helping people be more involved in activities which interest them and maintain connections with others

- Building on the success of the Recovery College by strengthening partnership, working within local communities and increasing accessibility for staff, service users and supporters

Tuesday's event takes place between 10am and 4.30pm.

Places are limited, so anyone who would like to attend should book by emailing dawn.edwards@nsft.nhs.uk or calling 01603 421414.

For more information about the Recovery College, which provides a range of courses and workshops to help service users, carers and staff develop their skills and understand mental health, visit www.nsft.nhs.uk/recoverycollege