The Consultation & Advocacy Promotion Service

Collective Advocacy

One of the tasks of CAPS development workers is to involve groups of service users across Edinburgh and Midlothian in the planning of local services. Service users’ views are informing the development of local and Lothian-wide mental health strategies which will underpin the development of services over the next ten years.

We continue to promote an understanding of the new mental health legislation. CAPS development staff have met with groups of service users and staff of other agencies to explain new measures introduced by the legislation intended to safeguard the interests of service users.

CAPS supports the work of KnowUs, a group of service users providing training on mental health issues to professionals. The group includes people from Midlothian and Edinburgh and has been involved in delivering training to Mental Health Officers.

Nationally, we have responded to consultations on the Code of Practice for the new mental health Act, and contributed to the work of reviewing the ‘Principles and Standards’ for independent advocacy in Scotland.

Edinburgh

In Edinburgh, we work closely with the Edinburgh Users Forum (EUF) at its meetings, in the production of its monthly newsletter, and in enabling its representatives to have a voice on various working groups. We represent service users’ views in the development of independent advocacy services, on the Employment Service Action Group, on Edinburgh Choose Life Steering Group, and in reviews of projects funded through Mental Health Specific Grant. CAPS supports EUF’s participation in the ‘Partnership’ developing a new Crisis Centre in the City. We support service users involved in the planning and management of mental health resources in North East Edinburgh.

Midlothian

In Midlothian, the Service Users Midlothian (SUM) group is now well established. CAPS provides support for its meetings, in the production of a monthly newsletter, and to its representatives on the Joint Planning Group. Staff attend Midlothian’s Mental Health Forum and have represented service users’ interests at the Employment Action Network, Social Crisis Steering Group, Midlothian Wellbeing Intervention Network, Short Breaks Sub-Group and Midlothian Choose Life Steering Group.

Get involved!

Follow this link if you are a service user and are interested in finding out more about user groups in Edinburgh and Midlothian.