New Members Welcome

NEWS:

1. GOOD NEWS! The Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group have just confirmed (12 April 2013) that they have increased the funding for the Bristol Adult ADHD Clinic so that people currently on the waiting list will start receiving appointments.  They have also increased overall funding for the clinic. Information about the Bristol NHS Adult ADHD Clinic including contact details can be found here.

2. Our next meetings will be from 7pm to 9pm on the following dates:

Friday, 10th May 2013

Friday, 14th June 2013

Friday, 12th July 2013

Friday, 9th August 2013

Friday, 13th September 2013

Friday, 11th October 2013

Friday, 8th November 2013

Friday, 13th December 2013

3. Our meetings are held in the large meeting room at Bristol Mind. Bristol Mind is in the centre of Bristol at 35 Old Market Street, Bristol, BS2 0EZ. A leaflet with directions to Bristol Mind can be found here,

4. Claude Jousselin is undertaking an important research project with the help of Professor Philip Asherson, AADD-UK, ADHD support groups, and others.

Claude is a PhD candidate in Social Anthropology at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and he has received ethical approval from the NHS and the University of London for his study.

In Claude’s own words here is some background information about his study:

The purpose of my research is to gain better understanding of the different processes involved in diagnosing adult ADHD from the point of view of the patients, the clinicians and the scientists. My study aims to 

•    Provide insight into the relationship between childhood and adulthood in diagnosis and therapy

•    Explore the impact of ADHD on the individual’s life course

•    Analyse the collaboration between patients, doctors and scientists.  

I am spending time in a specialist NHS team in London observing and interviewing and I also want to hear the views from people attending support groups and would like to interview people with or seeking a diagnosis of ADHD.

A leaflet with more information and contact details is available here.

5. Dr Tamsin Newlove-Delgado is conducting a research project that aims to improve services for children and young people with mental health problems, in particular those with ADHD

In Dr Newlove-Delgado’s own words here is some background information about her study:

I am a Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Exeter Medical School.

My research is entitled ‘Service Use and Unmet Mental Health Need in Children and Young People’.

This is a PhD project funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and is being carried out at the University of Exeter Medical School.

This research aims to improve services for children and young people with mental health problems, in particular those with ADHD. It has three main parts:

1. Following up young people with ADHD leaving Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) as they move from child to adult services, and finding out about their experiences and what services they use.

This part of the research will involve recruiting young people aged 17 and 18 with ADHD from local CAMHS, and following them up over the course of a year as they are ‘in transition’

2. Using a large national dataset to examine what happens to prescriptions of ADHD medication and other medications such as antidepressants over time as young people with ADHD move into their early and mid-twenties

3. Looking at what happens to children with mental health problems (including ADHD) with and without health service contact over three years, using a large set of data from the national Child Mental Health Survey.

As well as letting people know about the research, we’re also interested in getting feedback from people with ADHD on how the research should be carried out. We’re especially interested in views on how best to approach and recruit young people to the first study mentioned above, as well as in opinions on the sorts of questions about experiences and service use that we should be asking the participants in the study.

We will also be looking to recruit official ‘advisors’ to the project to help with this from amongst people with ADHD and families of children with ADHD, and I will be able to talk about this more at the meeting if people are interested.

A leaflet with more information about this project can be found here.

MEETING INFORMATION

We meet on the second Friday of the month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Bristol Mind. Our meetings are friendly and loosely structured. We exchange information, talk about issues related to adult ADHD, and have a good time. All meetings are confidential, and no judgements are made. For more details you can email me at bristoladhdadults@googlemail.com

Bristol Mind is located in the centre of Bristol at 35 Old Market Street, Bristol, BS2 0EZ, and directions can be found here.

There is no fee for the support group. It is free and you do not need to reserve a place.

Adults with or without a diagnosis, as well as spouses, partners, and friends are welcome.

If you need further information email me at bristoladhdadults@googlemail.com

BRISTOL FAQ’s

1. HOW DO I GET A REFERRAL TO THE BRISTOL ADULT ADHD CLINIC?

If you are over 18 and need an assesment or treatment for ADHD, you should ask your GP to refer you to the Bristol Adult ADHD Clinic.

2. WHAT ARE THE CONTACT DETAILS FOR THE BRISTOL ADULT ADHD CLINIC?

Adult ADHD Clinic, Petherton Resource Centre, 3 Petherton Road, Hengrove, Bristol BS14 9BP; Tel: 01275 796262

3. WHAT CAN I DO IF MY GP WON’T REFER ME TO THE CLINIC?

If you are having difficulty getting a referral to the clinic for assessment for potential ADHD, or your request for a referral has been turned down, you can contact the following people for help:

1 Bath & North East Somerset residents: Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at 01225 831717 or pals@banes-pct.nhs.uk.

2. Bristol residents: Patient Advice and Liaison Service at 0117 900 3433 or pals@bristol.nhs.uk.

3. North Somerset residents: Patient Advice & Liaison Service at 01275 5467555 or pals@nsomerset-pct.nhs.uk.

4. South Gloucestershire residents: Patient Advice & Liaison Service at 0800 073 0907 or pals@sglos-pct.nhs.uk.

5. Wiltshire residents: Patient Advice & Liaison Service at 0800 389 7671 or pals@wiltshire.nhs.uk.

6. Residents of all areas can also ring the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) for free, confidential, and independent help with filing a complaint about lack of access for assessments and/or treatment for ADHD on either 0845 120 3782 or or 01249 468 261.

A copy of the ICAS leaflet can be found here. ICAS provides an excellent service and is well aware of the issues and difficulties that adults with ADHD may encounter.

CRISIS HELP

If you are in a crisis situation of any kind please see AADD-UK’s list of Crisis Helpline Numbers available in ”Living with ADHD.”

Bristol Community Groups

1.  BRAVE Enterprise: helping entrepreneurs to start & run businesses in Bristol.

2. Bristol Drugs Project: providing free & confidential help with drug & alcohol problems.

Other things to see, hear, & do in Bristol 

1.  Simply Sorted: Decluttering Help

2. St Paul’s Carnival on Saturday, 2nd July 2011.

3. Bristol Community Radio.

4. Bristol 24-7 What’s On

5. Bristol Open Doors on Saturday, 10th September 2011.

6. Avon Valley Railway.

7. Windmill Hill City Farm.

8. Venue: Bristol & Bath’s website. 

9. Bristol University: The Access Unit works with students on an individual basis to ensure that they have equal access to their course and to University life

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