British Society for Mental Health and Deafness

What we do

The British Society for Mental Health and Deafness (BSMHD) is the leading UK charity for the promotion of the positive mental health of deaf people in the UK.

Mental health includes healthy emotional, psychological and social development, the prevention and treatment of mental illness and other disorders. BSMHD focuses on those whose first or preferred language is sign language. Additionally BSMHD is interested in the mental health of all deaf people, whatever the age of onset or degree of deafness.

The main activities of the society are:

To promote the development of specialist mental health services that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible for deaf people
to work with the UK Departments of Health and the NHS to promote policies leading to the development of accessible mental health services for deaf people
To support, develop and deliver training opportunities for professionals working in mental health and deafness
To co-ordinate regular open meetings held at venues across the country at which members are given access to examples of innovative developments
Regular eNewsletters providing information and promoting knowledge of the services available and of latest research in the field and supplemented by regular email updates
An Annual Conference showcasing examples of good practice from across the country
Regular specialist conferences and events
A website as a central point of information for all matters relating to mental health and deafness

Members of the Society are professionals and organisations whose work impacts on the mental health of deaf people. You can find out about how to join and the benefits of membership on the Members page.

2010/11 Review of the Year

The Society’s activities continued to expand rapidly in 2010/11 primarily due to two ‘one-off’ activities; the European Congress
and the IAPT for Deaf People development project. Individual Membership continues to grow steadily, reflecting a
growing workforce and greater engagement in our activities. At 31 March 2011 we had 182 individual members (up
6% this year) and 23 organisation members (down 4%). Expenditure has increased 125% to £239,394 whilst Income
has increased by 150% to £253,800, resulting in a net surplus of about £14,400.
The 8th European Congress on Mental Health and Deafness was held in Cambridge over three days in November 2010.
The event was attended by 250 people from 18 countries.
80 delegates attended the 2nd Annual Social Work with Deaf People conference held in Birmingham in March 2011
and an online discussion forum for Social Workers with Deaf People has been established to enable the sharing of
information and best practice and the provision of peer support.
Members meetings during the year were held in Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester.
The Diploma in Integrative Counselling taught in BSL that started in October 2009 has continued with 19 of the original
21 students continuing into the final year in October 2010.
Our previous work with the national IAPT team and NHS North West resulted in their agreement to fund a two year
project to develop a national IAPT for Deaf People service starting in March 2010. The purpose of the project is to
enable the NHS to provide a psychological therapy service that is culturally and linguistically accessible in sign
language in England. The development work will enable deaf people to be part of this new workforce. In 2010/11 the
project was jointly managed by NHS North West and BSMHD. Progress has been made in developing a PWP course to
be delivered in BSL; the translation of assessment tools and guided self-help materials into BSL; and IAPT Information
in BSL.

Outlook for 2011/12

2011/12 will see a return to a more normal level of activity. The final year of the Diploma in Integrative Counselling
will finish in November 2011. In May 2011 we will deliver a two day DBT training course in Bristol. The 2011 Annual
Conference will be held in November 2011. The 3rd Social Work with Deaf People Conference will be held in March
2012. The first members meeting of the year will be held in Belfast in June. We are planning to hold a workshop on
translating assessment tools into BSL in partnership with DCAL. The IAPT for Deaf people project will see the delivery
of the PWP course, the completion of the translation of assessment tools and guided self-help materials, and a
Counselling for Depression course, delivered in BSL. In May 2011 we will be appointing a new General Secretary.

The Trustees of the Society are:

Sally Austen - Chair - retired 11/11/11

Barbara Brown

Emma Ferguson-Coleman - Chair from 11/11/11

Jim Cromwell - resigned 11/11/11

Mary Griggs

Willie Macfadyen - retired 11/11/11

Steve Powell - Treasurer to 11/11/11, Co-opted Treasurer from 11/11/11

Sara Rhys Jones

Joanna Downes - from 11/11/11

Kevin Baker - from 11/11/11

David Reader - from 11/11/11

Chris Bojas - from 11/11/11

All correspondence should be sent to Roger Hewitt, the General Secretary of the Society.

Constitution

Annual Report:

Previous Annual Reports are available on the Charity Commission Website