Last updated 20:09, Thursday, 17 April 2008

A NATIONAL programme to improve mental health services for people with learning disabilities will be launched in Cumbria next week.

Ken Holland from the Care Services Improvement Partnership will visit the county to tell people about the new Green Light: Making it Happen programme.

The event takes place at Rheged, near Penrith, on Monday, April 21.

It has been organised by the Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust – formerly the mental health trust – and the county council.

It aims to involve people with learning disabilities in improving mental health services.

Janice O’Hare, the trust’s director of mental health, explained: “This is an opportunity for service users, carers, staff and representatives from other agencies to be involved in future plans and talk about how mental health services for people with learning disabilities can improve across Cumbria.”

The event runs from 9.30am to 4.30pm, and will also see the launch of a new Charter of Rights, which sets out the standards of care service users and carers can expect.