SOUTHWARK MIND SAYS:
First we are extremely concerned that despite statutory obligations under the 1990
NHS & Community Care Act there has been no user involvement of any kind in the decision to close this invaluable service.
Since Amardeep has been closed there has been:
- No designated safe space for the users of the Asian communities to meet.
- Nowhere for Asian users to hold cultural activities & festivals.
- No Amardeep staff at the Effra Centre leaving Asian users without key workers.
- No Effra centre staff with specific responsibilities for Amardeep users.
- No one to communicate with Amardeep users in their first language and no access
to interpreters.
- No interpreted information e.g. noties about advice and outings in users' first
language.
- No way for Amardeep users to relate to the other workers due to lack of linguistic
skills and cultural knowledge.
- Nowhere for users to sit due to high numbers attending which means users have to
sit in the foyer.
- No free refreshments.
- No halal or proper vegetarian food.
- No cultural activities eg carrom games, 'sangheet' music group.
- No Indian papers.