Reducing stigma and increasing awareness of mental health issues

Dartmouth House staff nurse and active member of the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) (UK), Angela Levene hosted a mental health awareness day at her local church on 16 September to increase understanding of mental health issues. Angela helped arrange speakers covering subjects like treatment, use of the mental health act, stigma, signs and symptoms of mental health illness and carers perspectives; one of the speakers was our own Dr Lewis. Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) (UK) is a non-profit making charitable organisation and was formed in 1978. The overwhelming goal of the organisation is to promote the study and practice of nursing, midwifery and health visiting; it also focuses on promoting and improving the health and wellbeing of the community in the UK and in Jamaica. NAJ (UK) have expanded their membership to include all cultures, health disciplines and anyone with an interest in reducing stigma and raising awareness of mental health within the wider community and can be found online at http://naj.org.uk/.