Patient Advocacy Project Appeal

In Summer 2009 Kirsty Patterson will be taking up a volunteer placement with Antara. Kirsty is aiming to raise £200 a patient advocacy project.

Patient involvement in healthcare is recognised as an effective way of aligning the needs of care recipients and providers, shaping and improving services and empowering patients and families. An important first step is providing opportunities for the voices of patients and families to be heard.

Kirsty writes: My aims for the project are:

• To set up a regular magazine for patients, families, and staff at Antara. They will be involved in the writing, editing, and printing of the magazine, with the intention that this will:

1. Increase advocacy
2. Promote self-expression through writing
3. Enhance the sense of community within Antara, as well as reducing isolation from the wider community via local and world news updates.
4. Reduce boredom and apathy.

• Create connections between Antara and UK mental health centres. This will give patients the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences with others going through similar issues, on the other side of the world.
• To complete a report on how patient and family views are represented in Antara. This report will seek patient, family and staff views on Antara's services, how they may be improved and how patient views can be represented in shaping care.

My target is to raise £200, which will allow me to set up the project and help to ensure its continuation after I have left India. Funds will be used to set up facilities for collecting patient inputs, editing,  printing and disseminating the patient magazine.

To support this project you can:

Pay on-line here -

Send a cheque made payable to "Friends of Antara UK" to Patient Advocacy Project, 66 Princess Drive, York, YO26 5SY