The Singleton and Greta/Branxton Mental Health support groups are inviting members of the community to attend the forum to work on a way forward in getting mental health services in the Upper Hunter.

“It is an opportunity for the community to tell us what services they want to be able to access and what they want in the area to support them,” Singleton group secretary Barbara Shepley explained.

Held on October 28 at the Singleton Uniting Church Hall Greta/Branxton group member Sonnie Moran said travelling to Newcastle or even further to access services is just not good enough.

“It is even worse for those people who are further up in the Upper Hunter and it takes two hours for them to just get to Singleton,” she said.

The forum is not a support group meeting, but an opportunity to work on moving forward with getting more for both carers and consumers of mental illnesses.

It will include a panel that will consist of representatives from the NSW Ambulance Service, police, medical facilities and a carer and consumer of a mental illness.

“It is about identifying positive solutions on a way forward,” Mrs Shepley said.

Community development and education officer Nadine Farrell from the Sunflower Centre will also be at the forum visiting Singleton again to provide assistance.

The Sunflower Centre is a service of the Schizophrenia Fellowship of New South Wales.

A normal meeting will be held the following day as a debriefing from the forum.

Anyone wanting to see Nadine at the meeting the following day is encouraged to make an appointment through Barbara by calling 6571 2275.

The forum on Thursday, October 28 is from 6.30pm for a 7pm start.