Welcome
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This pack has been designed for all young people who are coming to stay at our Young Person’s Centre (YPC). Its purpose is to help welcome new visitors and give them useful information about the Centre and what they can expect during their stay. The idea for the pack, how it’s been designed and all the fantastic artwork in it, has come from young people who have actually stayed at the YPC themselves. They recognised that it can be quite frightening and frustrating when you first hear that you need to go to hospital, because you don’t know what to expect. This pack looks to help with this, by giving you information that you can explore at your own pace and refer back to whenever needed.
When I first got here I was really confused, it was like a terrifying tornado, everything was spinning around me and I couldn’t make sense of it all. I couldn’t understand why I had to stay, I was scared and angry, I just couldn’t take it all in. But give it time, it soon passes, and before you know it everything is much brighter.
What is the Young Person’s Centre? The Young Person’s Centre is a specialist facility for young people who are having difficulties with their thoughts, feelings or behaviour and need a short stay in hospital to help them get better.
YPC is... ...just for young people aged between13-18 that live in Cheshire or Merseyside. ...made up of two separate inpatient units called Maple Ward and Pine Lodge. ‘Inpatient’ means that you stay at the Centre to receive your support and treatment. ...for young people getting help from CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service). ...part of Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP). ...based in Chester and is linked to the Countess of Chester Hospital. ...also able to provide an outpatient service, supporting young people in their homes.
...is here to help!
Inpatient services Maple Ward offers support for young people that need to come into hospital at short notice. If a stay at Maple Ward has been suggested for you, it may be because you are experiencing a crisis at the moment or might be finding it hard to keep yourself safe. We aim to help you to deal with this and return home as quickly as possible. If we think you would benefit from a longer stay with us you may be offered a place at Pine Lodge before you return home Pine Lodge offers planned care. This means that we plan your stay with you before you arrive, so we know what your goals are for during your stay. Your planned stay might have been arranged by Maple Ward or your community CAMHS team.
Outpatient services We also offer CHEDS outpatient services. CHEDS stands for Cheshire and Merseyside Eating Disorder Services. Though CHEDS is an outpatient service, they work closely with our inpatient services and if you are supported by CHEDS you may be offered an inpatient stay at Pine Lodge as part of your Care Plan if this is helpful to you. CHEDS can offer you much more detailed information about their services if this is relevant to you.
F.A.Q.
This section will hopefully answer some of the questions you might have about when you first arrive at the YPC.
What happens when I arrive? When you first arrive you will be met by one of our staff nurses. They will explain everything you need to know and ask you some questions to get to know you better. You may also arrive with a family member or carer who is also welcome to stay for this and ask questions. You will be shown around and other staff and young people will be introduced. We have lots of different staff so there is a helpful picture board in the entrance which has staff photos and names on to help you get familiar with us.
Will I get my own room? You will have your own bedroom, which you will be shown to when you arrive and you will be provided with bedding. You can also put up posters or pictures of family and friends to help you make your room cosier. In the room there is a bed, a bedside cabinet, a wardrobe, a desk and a chair. At Maple Ward there is also a shower room in each bedroom for your use. At Pine Lodge there is a sink in every room and we also have both shower and bathroom facilities for you to use, which are separate for males and females. Young people are not allowed to enter any other young person’s bedroom, as this is a private area for each individual.
How will I be supported when I arrive? To help make sure that we provide you with the best possible support, staff will take it in turns to be with you at all times for a period of at least 24 hours. They are there to get to know you and to help answer questions, giving you chance to become familiar with the Centre and settle in. We call this a ‘level 3 observation’. An observation level is how often you will be checked by staff to make sure that you are safe. Once you are settled, the level of observation will be reduced in stages. Level 2 observation means staff will check you every 15 minutes and level 1 means you will be checked every 30 minutes. Level 1 is the lowest level of observation.
What should I bring with me? Clothes - we also have a washing machine which you can access everyday Toiletries - if you would like to bring aerosols or electrical items (e.g. hair dryer) with you, we will keep these in a box for you in the secure store cupboard Food/snacks - these will be kept in your own personal box in the kitchen Medication - any prescribed medication you are already taking Items to personalise your room - posters, photos, soft toys Things to do - books, magazines, puzzles, games Don’t worry if you forget anything, we will help you arrange getting items brought in or we may have spares like toiletries available.
What should I not bring with me? No lighters or matches No glass or sharp items - like pencil sharpeners or scissors
I needed help, I didn’t know it at the time, but I definitely did. This place is a helping hand reaching out to you. Don’t fight it away, they know what they are doing, they have made such a difference to my life.
Remember Coming to the YPC is a new experience, so it’s quite normal to feel a little nervous or uneasy. When developing this welcome pack, we asked lots of young people using the service what it was like the first time they visited. They wanted you to know that any concerns you may have are natural and only to be expected, they’d felt nervous too. They also said they were sure that once you meet the team you would see just how friendly we all are.
to g n i t t e G
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! U O Y At the YPC we put you first, so not surprisingly we will want to talk to you, about you and how you are feeling.
Some of the things we might ask you about include: your worries your family your school, college or work your friends the things you like any difficulties you have any help that you are getting already
But remember, you and your thoughts and feelings are what are important, so we will always encourage you to share the things you would like to talk about at any time.
any questions you or your family have There may be times when you may want to talk about things that are personal or upsetting. We take great care with the information you give us, and always consider carefully who we share it with. Below is an explanation about how we might involve others in your care and how we manage confidentiality.
What is confidentiality? ‘Confidentiality’ is about how information about you is kept safe.
You and confidentiality The staff can be trusted to never share your personal information with any of the other young people at the Centre and we encourage you to do the same. Every young person is staying at the Centre for different reasons, so it is important to respect each other’s privacy and only discuss personal issues with our trained staff. It’s also important not to discuss other young people when you are away from the Centre.
Others and confidentiality So that we can provide the best support for you, we will need to share the information about you with other members of the staff team. If we are concerned about your safety or the safety of others, we may also need to share some information with other professionals and your family or carers. When sharing information outside of our staff team, we will always inform you when and why the information needs to be shared and who it will be shared with.
The staff never talk about what’s going on for other young people, so you know you can trust them never to talk about you.
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Consent Info? It’s good to open up, it’s good to talk about how you feel and what’s going on.
? n a l P e r a What’s a C
Once we better understand your needs, we will work with you to agree on a plan of action; your Care Plan. The kind of things you might find in a Plan will help explain:
what difficulties you are having which goals you are aiming for The importance of Goals and Goal Based Outcomes Long-term and short-term goals can be very important in helping you achieve the positive things you want in life and therefore play an important part in your Care Plan. We use the term ‘Goal Based Outcomes’ to describe the way we record your goals. Goal Based Outcomes make it easier for everyone to monitor progress, keep on track and stay in control as things move forward.
how we will support you to reach your goals what you and the people around you will do to help you achieve your goals We will discuss your Care Plan with you regularly and talk to you about the progress you are making and any difficulties you might be having, to make sure it is at a pace that suits you. Sometimes we might agree to change or update your Care Plan, to help you move closer to your chosen goals.
Your Care Plan sets out your own route to the things you want; it’s like a treasure map showing the important milestones and things to look out for as you progress. It’s not always straight forward and it’s not always easy, but there’s lots of help to keep you on track and get you to where you need to be.
Because everyone is different with very different needs, we support young people in many different ways; this depends on what their difficulties are: Talking, listening and thinking about ways to help improve things is the main way young people are helped at the Centre. This process is often called ‘therapy’, which means there is a structure and guidelines in place to help make sure you are really listened to and that what you share will be treated in a confidential and helpful way. At the YPC, we find that it can be really helpful to work with you and your family together whenever possible. For some this can be difficult, but we have lots of experience at supporting these meetings so that everyone benefits from the experience. Young people can also get support with managing day-to-day activities that they might be finding difficult at the moment and learn lots of useful skills and techniques. There are some young people that need medicine too, to help them feel better. The YPC has specially trained doctors called psychiatrists who will make sure you get the right kind of medicine if you need it.
As part of your Care Plan, we will agree who are the best workers to make up your Care Team. You will always have a consultant psychiatrist and a named nurse supporting you; with other workers joining your team so that you get the right care to match your needs. These are some of the workers that you might see at the Centre:
Consultant psychiatrist This is a doctor who specialises in assessing, diagnosing and treating mental health difficulties of young people. There will be a consultant psychiatrist responsible for your care during your stay and they will work very closely with the rest of your care team, to make sure that you receive the treatment and support best suited to your needs.
Doctors These are doctors that work with the consultant psychiatrist to carry out any checks or tests that you might need during your stay.
Mental health nurses A mental health nurse is a nurse who will help you deal with upsetting thoughts and feelings. They will work with you and your family, to help keep you safe. Part of their job is to organise your care and they may also help you with your medication. When you arrive you will be allocated a named nurse and associate nurse. These nurses will coordinate your care during your stay.
Clinical support workers (CSW) CSW’s work alongside other professionals, to provide day-to-day support during your stay. They can help with practical everyday tasks that you are finding difficult, or support you to take part in activities.
Clinical psychologist Clinical psychologists help you talk through and understand your feelings and emotions; and they help you to learn how to manage these feelings in positive ways.
Who is i n my Ca
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Learning disability nurse This is a specialist nurse that offers additional support to young people with learning disabilities. A big part of their job is to assess and understand behaviour - to help develop individual Care Plans. They also help young people with problem solving, anxiety management, healthy living and medication.
Occupational therapist (OT) An OT can help if you are finding it difficult to do day-to-day activities such as self-care, education or leisure; or if you are having problems with anxiety, low confidence or coping in social situations. You can work with an OT to set personal goals and plan how you can work towards these goals at a manageable pace.
Family therapist A family therapist may meet with you and your family or carers to help talk through any difficulties; and they will support you to work together as a family to help you.
Participation worker This person will support you and your family or carers to get involved, have your say, be listened to and get feedback on, all aspects of your care.
Assessment and outreach team This team can support you when you first arrive at the YPC and when you are ready to start going home again. They will help you plan for when you leave and they may visit and support you at home for a period of time, to make sure you and your family feel you are managing okay.
Transition worker Our transition worker is part of the outreach team; they are here to help you settle in when you first arrive at the YPC and they will also support you if you are transferred to a different ward.
What about school or college? In addition to the different workers that can be involved in your care, we also have workers at the YPC that are part of the ‘education team’. This is a friendly team that provide a range of education and group sessions for you to attend during your stay. They will see you regularly and they will keep in contact with your teachers, so that they can help you to keep up to date with any work you need to do. We can also arrange for you to take any exams you need to sit while you are with us. The education team support you in whatever way they can, so that you can get back on track with your learning as soon as you return home.
Don’t worry, you wont fall behind or get left out, the education team make sure of that. They run groups as well as 1to1 support, and the way they explain things is really clear. They do everything they can to make sure you are prepared for when you go back to school.
What is there to do? We offer a structured programme of daily activities for you take part in during your stay. We encourage you to get involved in as much as possible, to support your recovery and help you to feel better. The timetable of activities includes education, therapy groups and activities like art, craft and games. We also arrange outings to fun and interesting places like museums and the cinema. Our education team also have an allotment that they visit most weeks, where you can learn to grow fruit and vegetables and help feed our chickens.
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How is my
aiewree c d? rev It’s good to check where you are up to, sometimes you forget just how far you have moved.
At the YPC, we believe in patient-centred care. This means that we will do our best to make sure that you are as involved as possible in all decisions made about your care. As already mentioned, we will work with you to set goals for what you want to achieve during your stay, and together we will agree your Care Plan. But another important part of your involvement is regularly checking with you how things are going, looking at the progress you are making and discussing any difficulties you might be having. There are two types of meeting that will take place to review your care:
Weekly Case Planning This is a weekly meeting where your care team feedback on your progress over the past week and we discuss with you your plans for the next week.
My CPA Meeting CPA means ‘Care Planning Approach’. This meeting usually takes place every 2 - 4 weeks and is chance for all of your team to come together, including your community team. Someone from your inpatient care team will meet with you before your CPA meeting to explain what happens and answer any questions you may have. This meeting is about discussing your progress and making plans for when you are ready to leave the YPC to return home. Your family or carers will also be invited to this meeting. After each meeting, we write a report that explains what was discussed and what plans were made; and you will receive a copy.
If you have any questions about your care, you can ask a member of staff at any time. You will always be invited to meetings that are about your care. It can be really helpful for you to come along, but it is your choice whether you attend or not.
Stay Conneceted
Can my family or carer and friends visit me? Keeping in contact with your friends and family can be really important, they are the one’s that will be there for you when you leave, they can be part of your care team. That’s why our phone is powered by a heart. Your family and friends are always welcome to visit you at the Centre. There are no set times for this, we just ask that they avoid coming during meal times or times when you will be involved in education or therapeutic sessions. We will explain this to them when you first arrive and let them know the times that we would like them to avoid. It is really helpful if visitors can let us know in advance when to expect them, so that we can arrange for a room to be available for you to have some privacy if you need it.
Home Leave To help you stay connected, we often encourage young people to gradually have some time away from the Centre and start going home if they feel well enough, particularly at weekends. This is called ‘home leave’. Home leave will be discussed and agreed with you and your carers during weekly case planning meetings. We will also discuss the level of support you and your family and carers may need in preparing for home leave. Having leave is a great opportunity to practice the skills and techniques you have been learning during your stay at the Centre.
The apps we put on the phone stand out, because they represent things we feel make a difference. The Circle of Supportive Hands is about the importance of using all the support that is available, especially friends and family. Whilst the Puzzle app is about the skills the Centre gives you to work things out and find the best solutions. But the main apps are about Communication, because it’s so important to talk about what’s going on for you to those that can help.
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How can I have my say? We always encourage young people and their families and carers to give us feedback on the services they receive; so that we understand which things we do well and whether there is anything we can do to make improvements. Developing this ‘Welcome Pack’ for you is just one example of how young people have been involved in improving the service we offer. Here are some of the ways you can have your say:
Advocacy This is a confidential service where you can express your opinions to a person who is independent from the staff at the Centre. Advocacy can support you and your family/ carers to get a second opinion on your diagnosis if you feel you need it. They are also able to attend your meetings to represent or support you if you feel this would be helpful.
Community meeting This is a weekly meeting at the Centre run by your participation worker. This is a chance to feedback any comments or suggestions about our services.
CHAT group This is a weekly group at Pine Lodge and is your opportunity to talk through any difficulties you may be experiencing as a result of living in this community environment.
Complements, comments and complaints You can make a complement, comment or complaint by speaking to a member of staff at any time.
PALS Or you can be supported by the free and confidential Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) to make a comment, compliment or complaint. You can contact PALS on (freephone) 0800 195 4462 or pals@cwp.nhs.uk
Suggestion boxes There is a suggestion box in Maple Ward and Pine Lodge for you to post any comments or suggestions you have for improving our services.
You will also have your individual support sessions, where you can raise any questions or concerns directly with a member of our staff.
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How can I get th
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During your stay at the YPC, we will encourage you to get involved in as many activities and groups as you can. The more you can get involved in, the more this will support your recovery and help you to feel better. We will also encourage you to get up in the morning and carry out your personal care routine. There might be times when you will find it hard to take part, but we can support you with this. Here are some of the things that you can do during your stay, to support your recovery and help you feel better: Follow your Care Plans, which together we have agreed on Attend your meetings, when you feel able to Look after your personal hygiene Look after your bedroom and other communal areas Be polite and respect other young people and staff Speak to staff as soon as possible if you have any questions or concerns
Got more questions, then get in touch!
Pine Lodge
Maple Ward
79 Liverpool Road, Chester, CH2 1AW
Bowmere Hospital, Countess of Chester Health Park, Liverpool Road, Chester CH2 1AW
01244 397595
01244 397305
or
visit
www.mymind.org.uk
We do have some very important rules at the YPC, which are here to keep you and everyone else at the Centre safe. Things that we don’t allow at the YPC are:
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drugs, alcohol or solvents bullying or threatening behaviour towards other young people or staff physical contact between young people
Our other rules are about: Mobile phones You are allowed to bring your mobile phone into the Centre, but you will need to use it responsibly in order to keep yourself and others safe. Our staff have a duty of care to oversee this and they can remove mobile phones from young people who are putting themselves or other people at risk. You are not allowed to use your phone or any other recording devices whilst at the Centre. This is to protect your confidentiality and the confidentiality of the other young people at the Centre.
Smoking The YPC operates a ‘no smoking’ policy. If you would like to think about stopping smoking please ask a member of staff as we can provide support and arrange for nicotine replacement techniques when appropriate.
Locked doors We operate a ‘locked door’ policy to ensure the safety of all young people. This means that the front doors are locked too, to manage who can and can’t come into the building. However if you wish to leave the Centre you can speak with a member of staff about this.
Privacy Our Centre is mixed and supports both male and female teenagers who share many of the facilities and activities, including a communal lounge. However bedrooms are separated into strict single gender areas. We can also arrange to extend this policy to create other single gender rooms if required; simply ask a member of staff. We always have staff present throughout the day and night to make sure you are safe.
What support is there for my family or carers? We understand that when you come into hospital it can be a stressful and worrying time for family and carers. That’s why we always spend time with your family or carers to reassure them and answer any questions they might have. They will also be given contact details for the Centre and they can call and ask for feedback when they need to. There is also a ‘carer link nurse’ at Maple Ward and Pine Lodge who can offer further information and details of other support services. You will be told who your carer link nurse is when you first arrive. It may also be helpful for you to get support from our family therapist during your stay. This can be discussed and planned with you in your case planning meetings and CPA meetings.
They help families heal and show them how to become stronger so they can look after themselves.
When will I leave the YPC? Each young person has very different needs, so it’s hard to say how long your stay will be. But our aim at the YPC is to help you get better so that you can return home as soon as possible. Your care team will plan your return home with you, and it will be discussed regularly in your weekly case planning meetings
What happens when I return home? Before you leave the YPC, we will help you plan what support you will need when you get home. You may work with our outreach team or transition worker until you feel settled back in at home. If you were already seeing another CAMHS team, you are likely to still get support from them. Sometimes, other teams and professionals may become involved if there are different types of support you need. We will plan all of this with you in your CPA meetings so you have a clear understanding of what help is available before you leave us.
They help you prepare in advance and everything is done in stages, to make sure you are ready. Some people are quick to leave, whilst others take longer; no one rushes you, it’s at the speed that suits you.
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