James Woolnough

Independent Mental Health Advocate and coproduction of mental health care services and commissioning

About Me

In 1994 I was diagnosed with acute anxiety and depression. I was off work for 8 years. During this time, I volunteered for local mental health charities. I then regained employment with the then Suffolk Mental Health NHS Trust where I worked my way up and helped set up and ran their PALS department.

I set up a charity that supported smaller local service user led groups in the area helping them with funding and any issues they were having within their groups. 

I now work at Suffolk User Forum a service user led charity in Suffolk, as an Independent Mental Health Advocate. I am a qualified Mental Health First Aid Instructor and ASSIST trained in suicide prevention.  I have a wealth, of not only my own lived experience, but also 25 years of supporting people with Mental Health issues. I am also a parent carer.

Condition interest or area of knowledge

• Mental Health Advocate, Acute Mental Health Inpatient units, Patient Participation and Involvement, Coproduction; Suicide prevention.

Where I can help

• Cambridgeshire
• Suffolk
• UK (National)

Organisations I am involved with: 

• NSUN
• National Suicide Prevention Alliance
• SCIE
• National Development team for Inclusion (NTDi)
• Think Local, Act Personal (TLAP)
• Suffolk Lives Matter