‘Social media makes it possible for us to connect more easily with colleagues and with the latest news and research, but it also makes it easier to connect with the people we’re meant to be doing this for: people like me. People who experience mental health difficulties themselves.’ @MarkOneInFour thenewmentalhealth.org
Social media can help Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) to share information, advice and best practice with people that we wouldn’t meet in other ways. It enables us to learn from people we are here to help, and understand their concerns and priorities around health and care services as well as societal attitudes towards mental health and the impact of stigma. This ‘who to follow’ list provides a starting point for using twitter for improving your knowledge and understanding in mental health, with the ultimate aim of influencing and improving the care and services you provide.
#AHPmentalhealth
I’ve started to put together this list to support my social media presentation at the North West AHP Network event on 26th November. Starting with people I follow and learn from, then recommendations from the tweeting AHP community; making sure everyone I’ve included has a clear profile and recent content. I realise this only scratches the surface, so let us know your suggestions and we will keep adding to this list.You can also click here for my presentation at the event (via slideshare).
Campaigners and patient leaders
- Alison Cameron @allyc375
- Norman McNamara @Norrms
- Iris Benson MBE @irisbenson100
- Lisa Rodrigues @LisaSaysThis
- Mentalhealth @sectioned_
- Markoneinfour @MarkOneInFour
- TommyOnTour @tommyNtour
- Kate Swaffer @KateSwaffer
Public sector leaders
- Luciana Berger @lucianaberger
- Insp Michael Brown @MentalHealthCop
- Louis Appleby @ProfLAppleby
- Geraldine Strathdee @DrG_NHS
- Dr Alys Cole-King @AlysColeKing
- Rebecca Cotton @BeckyCotton
- Dr Shibley @dr_shibley
- WeMHNurses @WeMHNurses
AHPs
- BADTH Open Space @badthopen
- Music Therapy: BAMT @musictherapyuk
- BritAssocArtTherapy @baat_org
- Maria Quinn @MQuinn2020
- Nichola Duffy @Nnikki_Duffy
- Motiv8 NW Wales @MOTIV8NWWALES
- COTSS Mental Health @COTSSMHealth
- Elaine Hunter @elaineahpmh
- Shelagh Creegan @ShelaghAHP
Organisations
Time to Change @TimetoChange- Mind @MindCharity
- MHN @NHSConfed_MHN
- Alzheimer’s Society @alzheimerssoc
- Sane @CharitySANE
- IASP @IASPinfo
- Dementia UK @DementiaUK
- Dementia Friends @DementiaFriends
- ConnectingwithPeople @Connectwpeople
Hashtags
There are many hashtags relating to mental health used to promote campaigns and raise awareness. Here are a few examples:
- #mentalhealth
- #timetotalk
- #CAMHS
- #wmhd
- #suicideprevention
- #WSPD15
- #connectingwith
- #UcanCope
- #dementia
You can use the Symplur hashtag database to look at tweets and analytics on different hashtags, and find key influencers and people to follow. For example #mentalhealth has been used in nearly 120,000 tweets by nearly 40,00 people in the past 2 weeks alone.
There’s also a good list of metal health hashtags here from Mind.
Don’t forget to comment or tweet us with your suggestions as we will keep adding to this list.
@NaomiMcVey @physiotalk
