A BLUEPRINT setting out high standards for mental health care in County Durham has been launched.

The charter was devised by County Durham and Darlington Mental Health Service User and Carer Involvement Team, for use by the health, social care and voluntary organisations involved in service provision.

Kate Harrington, from the involvement team, said: "This is an innovative piece of work, which will lead the way nationally for standards of care for people who have mental health problems.

"This pioneering initiative is in line with recent Government guidelines on patient choice, which recognises that people are looking for more control and flexibility over the way they are treated.

"The charter provides people with a guide to support them when they have contact with services during what can be a very difficult time."

Staff from primary care trusts and NHS trusts will receive training on how to use the charter effectively, and work together to improve adult mental health care.

The document explains what services are available and what service users can expect at each stage of the care process.

This includes having their mental health needs identified and assessed, as well as their physical health. They must also be kept well informed about the planning and process of care.

It contains a section on Being in Hospital, which outlines how they should be allocated a mental health worker that will co-ordinate their care throughout their stay in hospital.

It also provides someone to talk to about the service, such as a mental health worker, or the Advocate and Patient Advice and Liaison Services.

For carers, the charter will provide information so they can support the person they care for more effectively, as well as addressing their own individual needs.

Bob Kelly, service user, said: "Using the charter myself, having been a passive patient, if I had had this in my private fight to survive, I would have been able to find out where I stood."

* Bid to improve gap in mental health service: Page 19