Therapeutic Intervention Service

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust launched the Therapeutic Intervention Service (TIS) on 1 April 2022 providing specific evidence-based treatments for two groups of people:

1) people with dementia (older adults who are diagnosed 65 years or older, and young onset dementia for those diagnosed 64 years and lower)

2) people with mild to moderate mental health difficulties.

TIS covers the whole of Nottinghamshire and is divided into North Nottinghamshire (Mansfield Community Hospital, Byron House in Newark, and Bassetlaw Hospital) and South Nottinghamshire (Lings Bar Hospital and Highbury Hospital). All treatments are group-based and take place at one of the North or South locations. The exception to this is our online ‘Managing Changes’ group for people with dementia who prefer to attend a virtual group.

Each team comprises of a Clinical Psychologist, two Assistant Psychologists, two Assistant Practitioners, one Community Psychiatric Nurse, one Occupational Therapist, and one Family Peer Support Worker.

We are currently running a Psychoeducational Dementia group for people who have recently been diagnosed with dementia. The group runs for eight consecutive weeks, and each session lasts two hours long (with a break in the middle).

The course is designed to educate and support people to live well with dementia, and we do this by exploring what dementia is, adapting to diagnosis, memory strategies, changes in mood, healthy living, and planning for the future. We provide informative presentations with the opportunity to take part in discussions, share experiences and engage in activities.

We are also currently running an anxiety management group, which is for people who have been struggling to manage thoughts and feelings of anxiety. The course similarly runs for eight consecutive weeks, and each session lasts two hours long (with a break in the middle).

The group is underpinned by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which means that we will identify how thoughts and beliefs influence our behaviour. We also explore methods that can be used to help people better cope with their worries and anxieties. Like the dementia group, a key benefit of the group is a safe environment for people to share their experiences as well as engage in discussions and activities.

So far, we have had positive feedback from patients and carers. Mental Health Services for Older People Operational Manager, John Davies was also impressed with the benefits for patients. Wanting to get a feel for how the groups are run, he sat in our dementia group for the session. He commented on the excellent content and the engaging way the facilitators interacted with patients.

Hearing this feedback gives us confidence that our future groups in development, which include a depression management group - based upon compassion-focussed therapy – and a group to help develop stabilisation skills will also be well received. Further information about the groups on offer are outlined below:

Dementia Post Diagnostic Programme

The group is for individuals who have recently been diagnosed with dementia (any age) and is offered in a face to face group session, or online. The group consists of 8, weekly 2 hour sessions and are designed to educate and support patients to live well with dementia and adapt to diagnosis. The programme consists of the following:

• Introduction and adapting to diagnosis

• Identifying change

• Memory strategies

• Wellbeing and dementia

• Healthy living

• Communication

• Planning ahead

Managing Anxiety Programme

This group is for individuals who have been impacted by thoughts and feelings of anxiety and is offered on a face to face basis for individuals aged over 65 years. It consists of 8 weekly sessions that will last approximately 2 hours. It is underpinned by Cognitive

Behavioural Therapy, which means that we will identify how thoughts and beliefs influence our behaviour. We will explore methods that can be used to help you better cope with your worries and anxieties. The programme consists of the following:

• What is anxiety and where does it come from?

• Understanding our anxiety

• How physical techniques can help reduce anxiety

• Strategies to help you untangle the cycle of anxiety in your everyday life

• How to manage tricky thoughts

• Tips for a better night’s sleep

• Managing anxiety in the present moment

• Putting together all we’ve learned and moving forwards

The service is open to current MHSOP patients and will be referred internally.

If you would like further information please contact Sarah Carlisle, Team Leader on 01158542232.