A SPECIAL group will be visiting and monitoring conditions in mental health wards in the borough.

Members of the North East London Mental Health Trust (NELMHT) Patient and Public Involvement Forum (PPI) will take part in ward watch visits between this month and mid-May as part of a London-wide visiting scheme.

The group will visit acute psychiatric wards to assess the environment, the facilities available to patients and the level of support provided.

The forum is particularly interested in issues surrounding patients' medication, nursing care, privacy and safety and will take any points raised by their visits up with the trust, which is required to respond within 20 days.

Claudia Conway, a forum member, said: "These visits are important because mental health is an issue that affects everyone.

"The trust is a resource for anyone in the area in times of mental distress and the forum aims to raise its profile in the community so that mental health is seen as integral to it, not apart from it."

The PPI forum is an independent body of members of the public, some of whom are patients or carers, which gives a representative voice to the public and users of mental health services.

The forum is still seeking members and anyone interested in joining should call 7788 4900 or e-mail michelle.spargo@cppih.org.