Peer Participation Network

People with a Lived Experience Leading Change.

The purpose of PPIMS is for people with a lived experience (PLE) with mental health issues to

• Have an active collective voice
• Support other people to actively participate in system reforms
• Have regular updates, guest speakers from decision makers and service providers
• Provide recommendations on how the system can improve
• Provide advice regarding emerging issues for people accessing services and
• Be involved from the beginning in any co-design activities and in particular the commissioning of services.

In April this year, PPIMS celebrated its 4^th anniversary (virtually), has a mailing list of over 300 diverse people who are community members, sit on committees, peer workers, have a lived experience and working in the mental health sector, carers, students, academics, educators and trainers.

Over the years we have not only had a credible voice in our region but many of our members are also now involved in a range of state and national initiatives that will support Lived Experience Engagement and the workforce.

One of the key roles and projects of PPIMS was to develop Chapter 1 – People with a Lived Experience Leading Change in the “Planning for Wellbeing” Regional Plan in 2017.   The key shared objectives agreed to include:

• Strengthening and diversifying the collective voice of PLE in order to drive service improvements
• Make available training and capacity building for PLE
• Establish more authentic opportunities for PLE to participate
• Establish and sustain a consistent region wide approach to participation.
• Advocate for an expanded and more diverse regional lived experience workforce across all levels of employment.

During 2020, PPIMS has been tasked with undertaking a refresh of these objectives and actions along with updating the associated implementation plan.  To do this piece of work an EOI was put out for delegates to participate on a working group.  PPIMS Members are also represented on the range of partnership groups that are focusing on particular priority areas.

We have definitely seen some progress in a number of areas that our PPIMS Network members have been actively involved in that didn’t exist in 2017 which will support PLE to lead change.   Examples of activities include PPIMS active involvement in:

• QLD Framework for Lived Experience Workforce
• Advocating for a Consumer Peak Body in QLD (we haven’t had one for over 4 years)
• Consumer and Carer Practical Guidelines
• Productivity Commission Submission
• National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum
• National Guidelines for Lived Experience Workforce and
• PHN Guidelines for Peer Workforce Development.

The original actions contained in Chapter 1 in 2017 included areas like ‘develop and create’.  Since this time there has been the development of a range of guidelines and frameworks.  This work sets the foundation for a ‘refresh’ of the regional plan.  In particular further work to be done particularly with the decision makers and service providers.  PPIMS network has a collective goal to be a part of building the culture and commitment at an Executive level to empower PLE from implementation through to evaluation and review.

For further information please contact the Lived Experience Engagement Team (LEET) at BNPHN on (07) 3490 3437 or email ppims@brisbanenorthphn.org.au

YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THIS SURVEY IS SO IMPORTANT.  THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO PARTICIPATE

The information collected through this survey will assist in building a profile of peer participation in the Brisbane North Region and assist in future network meetings and other activities.

In 2016, the Department of Health tasked PHNs with commissioning mental health, suicide prevention and alcohol and other drug treatment services. The development of a regional plan is central to the process, aiming to identify service needs and gaps, reduce duplication, remove inefficiencies and encourage innovation within the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay regions. The goal is to create a shared plan about what we will all do to improve service responses, and outcomes for consumers.

The regional plan will consist of a series of chapters (or 2 year action plans) representing the various streams of activity within the overall areas of mental health, suicide prevention and alcohol and other drugs.

The PHN has asked the Peer Participation in Mental Health Service (PPIMS) network to develop a Consumer and Carer Participation Chapter.

A summary of engagement and participation activities for developing this draft Consumer and Carer Chapter is below:
February Blue Sky Dreaming Peer Symposia (Attachments and data document pg 23-34)
March Peer Delegates Working Group & representation at PHN March Symposia (Attachments and data document pg 35-37)
April Peer Workshop on Alcohol and other Drug issues from a C&C perspective (Attachments and data document pg 38-40)
May Measuring Performance: How do we measure recovery and experience Peer Symposia (Attachments and data document pg 41-50) & survey of Network members about how the regional planning process is going in terms of C&C awareness and participation in the planning. (Attachment and data documents pg 51-53)
June Peer Network Presentation of C&C participation and key themes, issues and recommendations for the Regional Plan.
July Priority Actions for plan across promoting, recruiting/training, ongoing support and employment/participation (Attachments and data document pg 55-64).

The focus of this survey is to consider and provide comment on the ‘proposed priority actions’ to increase PLE participation in Mental Health Services in the region. Please review the 'People with a lived experience regional plan chapter working document' and complete the following survey to provide feedback by 13 November 2017. You may also wish to review the attachments and data document. 

Please note all documents are in working form and not for public distribution.