Background
In April 2009 the Mental Health Division of the ScottishGovernment played host to Dr. Eija Stengard(see biography below) from the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland. Eija was in Scotland to see the Scottish Government's work on wellbeing. During her visit I had the pleasure of sharing our work with Eija who was particularly interested in how national policy translates through to regional action.
During our meeting Eija had asked about the possibility of visiting Lanarkshire with some of her colleagues at some stage during the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival in October 2009 to share our work and experience and establish an ongoing collaboration. Eija has just confirmed that a delegation of 4 colleagues(including Eija) from Finland will be visiting Scotland and Lanarkshire from the evening of Friday 16th Octobe rto the afternoon of Wednesday 21st October.
This is clearly an excellent opportunity for the Lanarkshire mental health and health improvement community to learn about the Finnish experience and build an alliance which will assist us in our work into the future.
Our four esteemed visitors are:
Eija Stengard(Ms)
Eijua Stengard has a PhD in Psychology and is adjunct professor at the University if Tampere in Finland.She has worked about ten years as a researcher studying th outcome of new schizophrenia patients and detection of depression in primary health care. Her main interest has been in family work with caregivers.
Esa Nordling(Mr.)
Profession: Psychologist(PhD)
Organisation/Unit: National Institute for Health and Welfare/Mental Health Promotion work: Development Manager.
Interests of work: Mental health promotion and prevention of mental health problems; rehabilitation of schizophrenia; psychoeducation.
Minna Laitila(Ms)
I have worked ten years as a nurse mainly within psychiatric rehabilitation.
Before starting in the Ostrobothnia Project I worked three years as a teacher in a vocational school providing education for practical nurses. Within the Ostrobothnia Project my main role is to support municipalities and regions in the drafting of strategies to address issues concerning mental health, alcohol and drugs. Strategy work is a multi-professional collaboration, and during that work we try to take into account mental health promotion, prevention and reduction ofalcohol- and drug-related harm and development of services. I am also the team leader in the South Ostrobothnia team.
Antero Laitila(Mr.)
Mainly I am working at Hospital district of South Ostrobothnia and leading its Psychiatric Department(consisting of outpatient care and hospital units).
Until 31.10.2009 I also work as the leader of Ostrobothnia Project and after that I will continue to work with other things within this project.
I have a PhD in medicine and I have specialised in psychiatry and family medicine.