There are several leaflets which were produced for the Deptford Hearing Voices Service: these have now been transferred to this Website and may differ is some detail as the Website offers more word space than the hard paper copy leaflets. The limitations of this website also means that it is only the content of the leaflets that can be reproduced and not their  original hard copy format which also includes the DHVS logo.  The leaflets on the Website will be updated with more references as these come to hand. Dates shown on each leaflet simply show when they were last revised.

Retention of the leaflets near to their hard copy form means there will be some duplication of information. This has occurred because the leaflets particular 1, 2 and 3 were written for different purposes. For example leaflets 1 & 2 generally go together and were for all people using the service, while the content of leaflets 3 & 4 was mainly aimed at people who wanted to have more detail on the organisation of the service.

Leaflet 1 below is the  leaflet (or flier) that introduces the services.

Leaflet 1

The Deptford Hearing Voices Service primarily is for people who hear voices, their carers and for voluntary and professional workers.

‘Hearing voices’, also called auditory hallucinations, can affect people differently and at different times in their life. These ‘voices’ are not thinking or thinking aloud and people who experience them may feel that the ‘voices’ are coming from other people, animals or even objects that are close by them. The ‘voice hearer’ may also interpret the ‘voices’ as the thoughts of people around them that they are able to hear. The ‘voice’ or ‘voices’ can come and go, or they can last for long periods. The ‘voices’ can say good things or bad things. Sometimes they can seem to tell people to do things that they may not want to do. Resisting the ‘voices’ can at first seem impossible, frightening, tiring and preoccupying.

The Deptford Hearing Voices Service provides a service that enables the ‘voice hearer’ to speak with other ‘voice hearers’ or with the Project Worker. This form of contact can help people feel less alone and can also provide useful information about how to manage or cope with the ‘voices’. The service can also be used by people who care for ‘voice hearers’.

The Deptford Hearing Voices Services aims to encourage people who ‘hear voices’ to talk informally to the Project Worker to find out more their ‘voices’ before deciding whether or not they may want to discuss them further with their GP, other professional worker or with someone close to them.

The Project is funded by South London and Maudsley Mental Health NHS Trust or SLAM. It is based at Compass a Health and Social Services Day Centre. The Service is given professional support through the Clinical Psychology Department (Lewisham) of Mental Health Services.  The service is confidential within the guidelines set by SLAM and the NHS.  Any information collected by the worker will not be disclosed without prior permission of the person using the service.
 

The service offers, (i) three weekly support groups, two at the Compass Centre in Deptford (one of which is specifically for ‘voice hearers’) and one at the Northover Centre in Downham South Lewisham,  all groups are also supported by user co-facilitators (ii) individual support with the Project Worker focusing on the ‘voices’ and how to cope with them, (iii) visits to the community centres and drop-ins and, (iv) an information and advice service for ‘voice hearers’, their carers and for voluntary and professional workers who may wish to find out more about ‘voices’ or the service.

If you wish to find out more about ‘voices’ or about the services that the Deptford Hearing Voices Service offers you can write to the Project Worker, John Robinson, at the Compass Centre, 32-34 Watson Street, Deptford, SE8 4AU, or you can leave a message for the Project Worker on telephone number 0208 694 6519.

The Project Worker will be happy to send further information on the Service together with details of the three facilitated support groups. People who wish to use the services of the Project can refer themselves by contacting the worker or staff at the Compass Centre. Workers or carers may also refer people to the service but only if the person referred wishes.