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World Mental Health day
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Gibraltar Health Authority's Mental Health Services Team, in conjunction with The Psychological Support Group, Mental Welfare Society and the group ?Tomorrow it could be You? will highlight Gibraltar's contribution to World Mental Health Day.
Together, they will host a stand outside the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned between 10.00 am and 2.00 p.m. today.
The programme will include an information table, several health professionals and others available to answer your questions including users and relatives. For the first time, a Cake Stall organised by the Activities Centre within GHA's Mental Health Services will be part of the programme. Last month the Activity Centre members organised a spectacular photography exhibition at the John Mackintosh Hall.
At 11:30 on Wednesday, the Health Minister, Ernest Britto, will be taking some time off from his election campaign to be in attendance at the stand, says the GHA.
World Mental Health Day?s theme this year is ?Mental health in a Changing World: The Impact of Culture and Diversity?. The 2007 World Mental Health Day Campaign will bring attention to trans-cultural mental health services and treatment.
?I fully support the World Federation for Mental Health?s effort to develop an approach to health care that incorporates our cultural backgrounds and beliefs, deals with language barriers, and creates culturally sensitive forms of dialogue? said Minister Britto.
Dr Cantos, the GHA?s Director of Mental Health Services added that ?the GHA?s Mental Health Team wishes to bring attention to the fact that culture may influence many aspects of mental health, including how individuals from a given culture communicate and manifest their symptoms. Their style of coping, their family and community supports, and their willingness to seek treatment also vary according to culture?.
Dr David McCutcheon, the Chief Executive of the GHA who has been responsible for the delivery of mental health services in three countries stated that ?I fully concur with Federation?s view that cultures of the clinician and the service system can profoundly influence diagnosis, treatment, and service delivery?. Adding that ?cultural and social influences are not the only determinants of mental illness and patterns of service use, but they do play important roles?.
Next week, on Wednesday 17th October, the GHA will sponsor several presentations on this topic at the John Mackintosh Hall from 7.00 to 9.00 p.m. Gibraltarians representing different cultural sectors from our community will speak at this event. The Minister for Health, Dr. Arthur Cantos, Director of Mental Health Services and Ms. Emily Olivero, from the Psychological Support group, will host this event.
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