Welcome Welcome to the winter 2017 issue of One in 4, our quarterly magazine for our 8,400 staff and public members across Dudley and Walsall.
Since our last issue, we have had an unannounced inspection from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Whilst we haven’t yet received formal written feedback, initial verbal feedback on the whole is encouraging, with inspectors commending the caring attitude of our staff and praising our services for being responsive to patients’ needs.
Be n R e id
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We also held our annual Recognising Success staff awards ceremony in November 2016 to celebrate all of the hard work and Mark Axcell dedication shown by staff throughout the year. The event showcased some excellent examples of staff putting our Trust values into practice and we would like to thank everyone who nominated a member of staff for an award. We’re delighted to report that Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust’s 2016 Staff Survey results have been published this month and we have performed exceptionally well, achieving some of the top scores in the mental health sector. We will be sharing more information about the findings on our website and social media accounts so please take a look! We are also delighted to announce the addition of two new non-executive directors to the Trust; John Lancaster, who joins us after serving as a non-executive director with West Midlands Ambulance Service for ten years, and Harry Turner, who has had a professional career in the hospitality sector and is a magistrate within West Mercia. John will be the new chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Finance and Performance Committee and Harry is now a member of the Quality and Safety and Workforce Committees. We are looking forward to working with John and Harry as they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our Trust Board. Looking forward, we will be holding our quarterly Mental Health Forum in March, which is about promoting positive mental health and wellbeing. Further details regarding this event can be found later in this edition. We look forward to the coming year and would like to thank you for your continued support. If you have any suggestions or comments on One in 4, please email them to communication@dwmh.nhs.uk. With kindest regards,
Ben Reid OBE
Mark Axcell
Chair
Chief Executive
Visit us online at www.dwmh.nhs.uk 2
BBC to host a season of films on mental health across TV, radio and online This spring, the BBC will host a season of films on mental health across TV, radio and online. The season includes a two part programme on BBC One following a group of ten runners affected by mental health issues as they prepare to run the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon, to a Horizon Special on BBC Two looking at schizophrenia and advancements in the treatment of psychosis; a documentary on stress for BBC One and a documentary from mental health campaigner Jack Rooke for BBC Three. Charlotte Moore, Director of Content at the BBC, says: “One in four of us experience mental health problems in any given year and yet people with mental health issues still feel isolated and unable to talk about them. I hope this season of thought provoking programmes across the BBC will contribute to an important national conversation, challenge discrimination and tackle the stigma that continues to surround mental health.” Alison Kirkham, Controller of Factual, says: “More than ever, people are realising the importance of looking after their mental health as well as their physical health and this season of programmes explores what we can all do to look after ourselves and support others. From Nick Knowles discovering how sport or exercise can benefit our psychological wellbeing to Fiona Phillips finding out how best to control stress levels and BBC Three focussing specifically on mental health issues in men, I hope that this season of programmes will inspire us all to think differently about our mental health.” Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ mediacentre/latestnews/2017/ mental-health-season
Eating disorders in middle-aged women ‘common’ “Eating disorders affect a small but substantial number of women in their 40s and 50s” BBC News reports. While often regarded as a “disease of the young”, a new survey suggests 3.6% of middle-aged women in the UK are affected by an eating disorder. Researchers also looked at childhood, parenting and personality risk factors associated with the condition. They found that 15% of middle-aged women had experienced an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime and 3.6% had one in the last 12 months. A commonly reported disorder is what is known as “other specified feeding and eating disorder”. This term describes cases where a person may not fit the precise pattern of eating disorders such as anorexia but they still experience significant distress due to an unhealthy
psychological relationship with food. The study found that all potentially harmful childhood life events such as child sexual abuse, death of a carer and parental divorce, were associated with the onset of eating disorders. However, the study can’t prove that these factors caused the disorder. The researchers hope this survey will highlight that when it comes to diagnosing eating disorders, health service provision for middle aged women could be improved. Read more about the help available for people with eating disorders as well as advice for friends and family who may be worried about others on NHS Choices.
Source: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2017/01January/Pages/ Eating-disorders-in-middle-aged-women-common.aspx
The truth about ‘Blue Monday’ The third Monday of January – ‘Blue Monday’ – is supposedly the most depressing day of the year. Except that it isn’t. As is now widely known, ‘Blue Monday’ – a calculation based on factors such as weather conditions, debt levels, time since Christmas and time since failing our new year’s resolutions – was created in 2005 to sell summer holidays. Since then it has become a yearly PR event and primarily a device to promote and sell things often tenuously linked to improving our wellbeing. The ‘science’ behind it has been effectively debunked. In the mental health sector there has been a growing backlash against ‘Blue Monday’. First, it is important to distinguish between temporarily
feeling sad or anxious, which we all do from time to time, and mental health problems that can impact on our ability to take pleasure from dayto-day life. Secondly, the idea that depression can somehow be calculated by formula is seen by many to trivialise their lived experience. Finally, there is an uncomfortableness at how people’s mental health is being commodified in a way that physical health would never be. The Mental Health Foundation’s position is to largely recognise and agree with the concerns raised around ‘Blue Monday’, whilst also acknowledging that it represents a chance to break down stigma and raise awareness – especially around prevention. To this end, we hugely admired our friends at Mind’s efforts last year to subvert ‘Blue Monday’ into Blue Any Day.
Source: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/blog/truth-about-blue-monday 3
Winter 2017
Recovery Story: A carer’s perspective By Jules Stocks My name is Jules Stocks and I have been caring for my husband David since he was diagnosed as bipolar with extremely high anxiety several years ago. Before he was introduced into the ‘Triangle of Care’ after a three-month hospital stay, David had no support mechanism around him and neither did I. David was lost in darkness with seemingly no way out of this black tunnel and I was helpless with little or no experience of how best to help him to see the light again. The stay in Dorothy Pattison Hospital, Walsall, was the first turning point for me and David. Suddenly, he was treated as a human being and not just a diagnosis. The expertise and compassion of the hospital staff, together with the friendship of fellow patients, gave David the confidence and willingness to regain his hope and faith and to feel that he was not alone with his demons. Those worrying times for me and David’s family, not knowing how we were going to be able to provide the right care and support when he left hospital, were soon alleviated when I was invited to join the weekly review meeting for David on the ward at Dorothy Pattison. Here, I was able to voice my fears and aspirations and help towards getting the right support for David upon leaving hospital. By the time David was discharged from hospital, he had a care plan in place, tailored to his individual needs. It is the lifeline that David can rely upon in times of crisis and, more importantly, recognises the danger signs in order to prevent further life-threatening situations.
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So what is the ‘Triangle of Care’ and what does it offer to me as a carer? The triangle is a three-way relationship between the mental health care professionals, the service user and the carer. The important thing is that the relationship is equal and open and everyone in the equation has an important role to play. In terms of what the Triangle of Care offers; the list is endless, but some key areas that are fundamental in supporting me are the quarterly reviews, out of hours care and alternative therapies.
The most important thing in all of this care support is that I, as David’s carer, have a voice. I am encouraged to voice my opinions, suggestions, concerns and aspirations at all of David’s care review meetings that assist in formulating David’s care plan. I can speak to any member of the team at any time to express my concerns. This way, I no longer feel alone and know that support is there for me at all times.
The ‘Triangle of Care’ has changed both mine and David’s lives fundamentally. Without the ongoing support that they provide to us, we would be in a state of total desperation. Now we can aspire to a future that is full of hope and, speaking from the heart, this could never have happened without Dudley and Walsall Mental Health NHS Partnership Trust.
Asian Ladies Carers Support Group
Farewell to Walsall SUE
On 5 January, the Asian Ladies Carers Support Group held a craft session where they created imprints on candles. The group was joined by members of the AAINA (Asian Women in Walsall) Support Group who guided the session.
Now, after 23 years, the service and its volunteers – whom have given a substantial amount of their own time to represent the interests of service users, carers, staff and partners – will sadly no longer be active due to loss of funding.
By attending the group and creating the candles, the ladies had some respite from their caring roles in a relaxing and rewarding way whilst also producing a piece of work that they could keep. The Asian Ladies Carers Support Group is facilitated by Occupational Therapist, Sue Powell. The group meets the first Thursday of every month at Brace Street Health Centre from 10:30am – 12:30pm. Ladies who attend this group must be referred to the carers support service and have undertaken a carers’ assessment. For more information, please contact Sue and the team on 01922 608500.
For many years, Walsall Service User Empowerment (Walsall SUE) has been providing advocacy and support to our service users; the team spend time talking to our patients and carers during ward visits to Dorothy Pattison Hospital and kindly share any feedback with us to improve the service experience for our patients.
The group was established in November 1993 by Pat Nye. Following her own experiences, Pat found the confidence to speak up about mental health and the stigma surrounding it and set up Walsall SUE, a group that represents the interests of Walsall residents who use local health and social care services, regardless of who the provider is. As a Trust, we would like to express our sincere thanks to all staff and volunteers at Walsall SUE for their continued dedication and valuable contribution to our organisation.
Mental Health Forum We held our latest Mental Health Forum in December, focusing on the links between mental health, behaviour and the criminal justice system. The event was well attended and featured presentations from the local police and service users, who shared their experiences. The aim of the event was to raise awareness and tackle the stigmas that are often associated with mental health and behaviour. To celebrate International Happiness Day, our next Mental Health Forum will take place on Thursday 16 March at 11am – 1pm, focusing on promoting positive mental health and wellbeing. The forum will be held at Brierley Hill Civic Hall, Bank Street, Brierley Hill, DY5 3DH and will offer insight into maintaining both physical and mental health and the importance of looking after yourself. Attendees will be given the opportunity to find out more about local services, ask questions and network with local organisations. There will also be a free lunch available. To book a place at the forum, please contact communication@dwmh.nhs.uk or call 01384 325015. If you would like to have a stall to promote your service, resources and highlight the support available, please contact Tracy Cross at tracy.cross@dwmh.nhs.uk or call 01384 324531.
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Winter 2017
Freedom to Speak Up Guardian Across the NHS, almost all staff know how to raise concerns, less however, feel comfortable in doing so and only a little over half actually expect it to make any difference when they report their concerns. Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust scores better than this but we should only be satisfied when all of our staff feel able to raise concerns and confident that they will be acted on, for the benefit of them and our service users. Our aim is to get to that point and the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian is one means of making that happen. The appointment of a National Guardian, as well as Freedom to Speak Up Guardians in each NHS trust, was recommended by Sir Robert Francis following his report into Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. These appointments are to ensure that all NHS staff get fair treatment and are provided with independent and confidential point of contact when raising or dealing with concerns. Michael Hirons has recently been appointed as the Trust’s Freedom to Speak Up Guardian and we caught up with him to find out more.
So Michael, can you tell us a bit more about your new role?
How do you think this role will impact on service users?
My role as the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian is not only to raise the profile of speaking up and provide staff with independent and confidential advice and support when raising concerns, but also to advise those having concerns raised against them and monitor how they are handled. I recognise that speaking up can seem daunting but this need not be the case. It’s about encouraging a cultural change, where speaking up is the new ‘business as usual’. So it is important to me to ensure staff feel empowered to speak up, have the confidence to do the right thing and prevent harm to service users. It’s also important to reassure managers that raising concerns is something we should welcome as a means of improving our services; not having a blame culture but instead one of continuous improvement where we welcome and celebrate staff who raise a concern because they are preventing tomorrow’s problems from happening.
If you look at whistleblowing incidents then, typically, those concerns have been raised internally twice before they reached the whistleblowing stage. That’s at least two missed opportunities to have resolved an issue and prevented it impacting on staff or patients much earlier. The creation of this role and the involvement of the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian will mean that these opportunities aren’t missed and we’ll aim to get concerns resolved at the first attempt, long before it becomes a whistleblowing issue, which has to be to everyone’s benefit. Therefore, this role will impact on service users, their family members and friends as concerns will be dealt with in a timely fashion. It is also about fostering a culture of dealing with concerns openly and honestly, acknowledging that mistakes may sometimes happen and the best way to mitigate against them is to be open and share best practice. There is always room for improvement.
What other avenues are there for staff to ‘speak up’? This role doesn’t replace the existing raising concern policies or avenues, it adds to and complements them. Members of staff should ideally still feel able to speak to their line managers, senior managers, the HR team, Staff Side and register concerns anonymously via our online reporting tool, Speak Up. However, when they don’t feel comfortable doing this, or when they want guidance and advice first and guaranteed feedback, I am an additional resource to go to for anyone at any level, in any role. 6
We will have succeeded when we are working in a culture and environment where raising a concern is as every day an event as putting on a uniform or logging onto a computer at the start of the working day, where it’s something we welcome and celebrate as a means of improving what we do. For any staff that wish to know more about the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian’s role or for those who have a concern that they might want to raise via this route, Michael’s details can be found on the intranet. Service users can raise concerns via our Service Experience Desk by calling 0300 555 0535 or emailing SED@dwmh.nhs.uk
Meet our new Expert by Experience: Kerrie Fisher With a new addition to the team, Kerrie Fisher, the Trust currently has a team of 11 service users and carers who act as Experts by Experience (EBEs). Each expert takes on up to 12 hours involvement activity per month and provides the Trust with vital knowledge gained through their experience of using mental health services or caring for someone who has. Firstly, could you tell us a bit about your background?
What do you like doing outside of work?
I live in Halesowen with my husband and four children aged 5, 10, 13 and 18, who keep me very busy.
In my free time, I like to go out for meals, spend time with my family, watch films and I love to laugh, mostly at myself!
In 2014, my life took a turn for the worse. In March, my friend suddenly died of a heart attack at just 32 years old. It was at this point that I started to crumble. I had been ill for a while, so I decided to get checked out and, after some blood tests in May, I was rushed to hospital by an ambulance. It was later confirmed that I had ketoacidosis and I was then diagnosed with type one diabetes.
Why did you want to become involved with the Trust?
I had a realisation that it could have been me that suddenly died, leaving my family behind. I threw myself into my charity work as I couldn’t deal with the grief. Unfortunately, this led to my breakdown and I was sectioned.
In my recovery, I realised that I wanted help people going through mental health illnesses and show them that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Towards the end of my therapy, I mentioned to my therapist that I wanted to help others going through a similar situation as myself and that’s when she suggested getting in touch with step-up employment services, which is an organisation who help people with mental health issues get back into work. They put me in touch with the Trust so that I could become an EBE.
Can you tell us a bit about your journey to recovery?
What are you most looking forward to in your EBE role?
I rushed myself well. I told my family, friends and doctors that I was well when I wasn’t. This led to a relapse six months later when I decided to take myself off my anti-depressants. Luckily for me, my family recognised the signs and were able to get me home treatment very quickly and my doctors were amazing.
I’m mostly looking forward to sharing my story and hopefully inspiring people to never give up, no matter how bad life gets.
Through medication, talking therapy and support from my friends and family, I am stronger than ever. It has taken me nearly two years to get to the point where I’m comfortable in my own skin.
And finally, what do you hope to gain from the role? By doing this, I hope to break down the stigma attached to mental health. I think that I will gain satisfaction knowing that I have helped as many people as I can. Most importantly, I want to make my family proud of me. Contact the EBEs via Tracy Cross on 01384 324531 or by emailing tracy.cross@dwmh.nhs.uk.
Our staff make a difference In December, our corporate staff at head office celebrated the festive season with a Christmas Jumper dress down day. Staff dug deep and donated an impressive £64.70 to Save the Children UK. We’d like to thank all staff that were involved in the fundraising. Congratulations to the medical secretaries based at Bushey
Fields Hospital who raised £73 for charity by contributing £3 each rather than sending Christmas cards. The team donated the money to Macmillan Cancer Support after each member chose a charity and one was drawn at random. We’d also like to recognise Anne-Marie Carey, Head of Early Intervention, Access and Urgent Care, who made chocolate Pudsey’s and sold them on Clee Ward, Bushey Fields Hospital and CAMHS. A total of £90 was raised and donated to last year’s Children in Need campaign. 7
Winter 2017
Service in the Spotlight: Criminal Justice Mental Health Many people will pass through the criminal justice system without their mental health needs being assessed or recognised. According to the Royal College of Nursing, more than 70% of the prison population have some form of mental health issue. Therefore, it is crucial that there are services in place to support and aid those who are involved with the system. Criminal Justice Mental Health Our criminal justice team are there to support anyone who has, or is suspected of having, a diagnosable mental illness and is actively involved with the criminal justice system. The service is open to anyone aged 17 or over, ensuring fair access to treatment and intervention for any mental health needs. The team offer assessment, support and advice within a variety of settings, including police custody, court, probation, prisons and medium/low secure units. They specialise in the care of offenders with mental health issues to prevent premature fatalities, enhance the quality of life, ensure people have a positive experience of care, treat people in a safe environment and protect them from avoidable harm. Engaging the service user, the team will provide an assessment to determine the nature of the problem and plan the most suitable way forward. Working closely with the individual, they will aid integration from the criminal justice system back into the community.
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Not only will the team work directly with the service user, they will also liaise with other community services (housing, benefits etc.) and manage any risks in conjunction with other criminal justice agencies such as the police and probation.
How can I refer? The team accept referrals from GPs, other healthcare professionals, or other criminal justice agencies. You must be registered with a Dudley or Walsall GP or be in the process of registering. Referrals are taken in a variety of ways such as postal, phone, fax, face-to-face or email.
Contact the team Our Criminal Justice teams are based at Midland Road Probation Office, Walsall Probation Complex, Walsall WS1 3QE, and Sandringham Ward, Bushey Fields Hospital, Dudley, DY1 2LZ. They are available between 9am – 5pm, Monday – Friday with flexibility to meet the services needs. The service can be contacted by calling 01922 618626. Any communication with the team is usually responded to within seven days.
Liaison and Diversion The Liaison and Diversion team is in place to improve access to healthcare and support services for vulnerable individuals through effective liaison with appropriate services. Individuals are diverted from the youth or criminal justice system to reduce the likelihood of re-offending, health inequalities and first time entrants. The service is open to all ages, no matter what point they are at within the criminal justice system. Those who are identified as needing the involvement of a practitioner will be offered an assessment to identify any needs that they have. Through an assessment process, they will address a wide range of health issues which could make an individual vulnerable by intervening at the earliest point possible.
Contact the team The Liaison and Diversion team are based at Dorothy Pattison Hospital, Alumwell Close, Walsall, WS2 9XH.
Andy’s journey with the criminal justice system I first started to realise that I had problems when I was about 11 or 12. I started having trouble at school, quickly losing attention and getting distracted; this was when I began to hear voices and developed OCD to cover my issues. where to go or how to get help and I became quite depressed. Prison got me into a frame of mind where I knew that I needed to change my life. I met a girl and started working in a supermarket, where I worked my way up to a store manager position; we had a mortgage and were planning to get married. The pressure of doing so much became too much for me and I started to get ill again. One day, my girlfriend came home and I had emptied a lot of our belongings into the garden because the voices in my head had told me to do it.
When I was young, I wanted to join the army or police but on finishing school I realised that I wasn’t qualified enough, so I stayed on at sixth form to redo my exams. After sixth form I went to the army careers office, passed my physical fitness and medical tests and was given a date to start. Two weeks before going into the army I was walking home on my own after celebrating with friends when I was chased by 30-40 boys. I ran into the nearest police station to ask for help but the group followed, storming in and attacking me. The police held us all in cells overnight, taking us to crown court in the morning where we were given bail conditions. When I contacted the army, I was told I couldn’t join whilst I had a pending case. I began to get really depressed because my heart had been set on joining from a young age. I went off the rails, started to drink and was arrested about eight or nine times within a two year period. Over the years my paranoia worsened; I began to think I was constantly being followed, that passing cars were someone coming to get me. One Sunday afternoon, I was walking near to a police station when a car stopped next to me. I thought that the person in the car had a knife and would attack me so I used a CS gun, given to me by a friend in the army, to take a shot at the car. I went straight to the police station to hand myself in and was put on bail again. I went to crown court and was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. I was put into a young offenders’ category A prison where I was assessed by a doctor who referred me to a hospital because it was obvious there was something wrong with my mental health. After I came out of prison, staff told me that I should seek help but I didn’t know
I would phone my partner frequently when we were apart because I thought that something bad would happen to her. I think that the pressure eventually became too much for her and she left. I was on a downward spiral from that point on. I developed thrombosis in my leg which stopped me from working for a while. Eventually, I found a temporary job but was living in hotels and caravans as I coudn’t manage to maintain living in a property, paying bills and organising myself. I ended up taking more drugs and drinking alcohol. When the job contract finished, I went to work with a security firm, an illegitimate company. My ex-partner got in touch saying that she would put me up but I would have to stop drinking and doing drugs. She took me to the doctors where I was given a social worker and community psychiatric nurse who found me a place to live within two weeks and helped me get back on my feet financially. They saw me all the way through to getting a diagnosis, which was paranoid schizophrenia. The team offered a fantastic support system. I ended up volunteering for an organisation and getting some help from them. They directed me to the Expert by Experience (EBE) project which I’ve been doing for three years now and it has really helped me to get my self-esteem back. It allows me to do something good and help people, which is ultimately what I wanted to do in the army or police force. With the Criminal Justice and Liaison and Diversion teams, I have been working to help train police officers to have more knowledge of mental health. If police knew back then what they know now, things would have been very different for people like me who would were quietly suffering with their mental health. Committing crimes was a form of self-harm; I was doing these things as a cry for help.
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Winter 2017
What does a day in the life of a mental health nurse look like? Nursing has long been a job that many people look up to. There are many different reasons why people choose a career in nursing and there is no doubt that it is a very rewarding job. Zoe Hale is one of the Trust’s newest employees; she started working with us as a health care assistant, progressing to a full time nurse when she was qualified. We recently interviewed Zoe to gain an insight into her average working day as a mental health nurse on Cedars Ward at Bloxwich Hospital. The staff working on Cedars Ward help to care for people over the age of 65 who are living with depression, bipolar, anxiety, schizophrenia and dementia.
7am First duty of the day is to get a handover from the night staff so that I know which patients I have to care for, what their needs are and how I can help them. After this, I walk around the ward and see which patients need help getting up, dressed and washed. This is always my favourite time of the day because it gives me chance to have a chat to patients and get to know them a little bit more. 9am When everyone is up and having breakfast, we carry out a medication round and give the patients any medication they need to take. This can take a few hours as there are approximately 20 patients on the ward at any one time. 10:30am Visiting time on the ward is 10:30am 12pm, when family and friends come to see their loved ones. We often try to spend some time with patients’ families too, to ensure they are happy with the care and treatment their loved one is receiving. 11am During visiting time we often carry out a ward review with the consultant psychiatrists. This is where nurses assist the consultants in talking to individual patients about how they are feeling, how they are getting on with their treatment and discuss their care plan and next steps.
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11:45am After the ward round, I usually try to get my paperwork done – this can involve writing daily reports on the patients, how they seem in themselves, whether they have eaten and had a drink and if they have had their medication. If we’ve had a consultant review or in depth one-toone, this will also be documented. 12pm Midday is lunchtime so we help give all the lunches out to the patients and then afterwards we complete another medication round. 1pm This is when we look at what additional duties need to be carried out. This might include referrals to the diabetes team, occupational therapists or social services and we have to update care co-ordinators in the community if patients are almost well enough to be discharged. This is to make sure everything is in place to support patients when returning home and make sure they have the right care in place. It’s a great feeling when you know a patient is going home and you have helped put everything in place to support them. 2pm This is the second visiting time of the day, taking place from 2pm - 5pm. I usually take my lunch break around this time and then after lunch try to
catch up with any relatives I haven’t yet seen and answer any questions they may have. 3:30pm Whilst visiting time continues, I often take some of the patients who don’t have visitors to one of the quiet areas on the ward where we do some therapy and take the time to talk to them about their thoughts and feelings and see if they are willing to engage with us. This helps us understand how they are progressing by completing assessments and talking therapy sessions together. We also assist the activity co-ordinators who hold quizzes, play bingo with the patients and encourage them to reminisce about years gone by. A lot of our patients like doing this as it lets them think about happy memories they have from many years ago and brings them together with shared histories or interests. 5pm We are normally getting ready to give out the evening meals to patients and medications again to those who need them. 7pm - 8:45pm This is the last visiting time of the day. At this point, I tend to update patient notes with any concerns or things to note and prepare a handover ready to give to the night staff so that they are well informed and ready for their shift.
What would you say to others considering a career in nursing?
I can’t see myself doing anything else now – it’s more than a career, it’s a way of life, it changes you as a person.
For anyone that is thinking of going into nursing, I would say ‘go for it!’. It’s one of the most rewarding jobs out there. I love working with older adults because for me it’s enjoyable and the patients truly appreciate every bit of time that you spend with them. Some older people can go weeks without speaking to anyone at home and they are so grateful for all of the little things you do for them. Knowing you have made someone smile, laugh and feel a bit better is a brilliant feeling. It’s especially gratifying when families come and talk about how well their mom and dad seem and how thankful they are for the care that we have provided whilst looking after them. Cedars is such a lovely place to work too; it’s just like one big family, because you have to work as a very close team on a ward so you get to know one another really well.
Why did you choose to work at this Trust? Since I qualified in September 2015, the Trust has provided me with extra training which has really helped me as a newly qualified nurse to gain extra confidence and knowledge which in turn, helps me to be a better nurse and provide the very best care for my patients. This is something that not a lot of trusts provide, so we are lucky that this is offered free of charge for all of our nurses and they also provide excellent support with your nurse revalidation. Our Trust is a nationally recognised, award-winning mental health trust that provides services to a population of approximately 560,000 children, adults and older adults across Dudley and Walsall. As a smaller Trust, we offer our staff a close-knit and friendly working environment. If this sounds like the sort of organisation you would like to work for, then you could be just what we are looking for! With careers in both clinical and corporate areas, we have something for everyone. You can find all our vacancies on www.jobs.nhs.uk, www.dwmh.nhs.uk or on our Twitter page @DWbetter2gether.
Encouraging our staff to live well As a Trust, we know that ensuring our staff are happy and healthy is paramount to our services running effectively and efficiently for our service users. That’s why we started the year with two health and wellbeing days for all of our staff in Walsall and Dudley. The two events took place on Monday 9 and Tuesday 31 January at Dorothy Pattison Hospital and Bushey Fields Hospital respectively and featured a wide range of stalls from healthy living and lifestyle specialists including Quorn, Citizens Advice Bureau, Slimming World and Public Health – who offered checks on weight, body water percentage and muscle mass.
Staff were also invited to take part in free zumba and yoga sessions to find out how physical activity can improve their health and wellbeing. An introductory mindfulness session was held to help staff learn techniques to improve their mental health and emphasise the significance of maintaining their personal wellbeing. From building resilience and dealing with stress to improving fitness levels and boosting mental and physical health, our health and wellbeing days offered a fun and engaging way to encourage our staff to live a healthy lifestyle as well as inform and inspire them to look after themselves every day.
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Winter 2017
Charlotte’s story Like most other teenagers, Charlotte is busy planning her weekends and focusing on her college work, deciding what’s next after her exams. However, it hasn’t always been plain sailing for Charlotte. Aged 14, Charlotte would feel compelled to repeat phrases out loud, to make herself feel better and whilst she tried to hide this she eventually noticed she was doing it at school and began to worry. She initially went to her school councillor to get help. Whilst she found it useful to talk to someone, the counselling wasn’t working for her. Charlotte’s mental health continued to decline and she progressed to self-harming. “I thought it would get better, that I could control it, so I didn’t tell anyone,” but then things came to a head following a party that Charlotte had attended. Stuart, Charlotte’s father, recalls that particular evening: “She came home in floods of tears and we knew something wasn’t right, but we weren’t sure what.” They then started to notice other behaviours. “She would be awake at 3am, scribbling words on a notepad. As a parent, it was scary as it was out of our control. All you want to do is protect your children.” Her parents contacted their GP who referred Charlotte to the specialist mental health services for children and young people in Walsall. In January 2015, Charlotte began meeting with a psychologist who, amongst other therapy, started her on a course of cognitive behavioural therapy. Charlotte started to make sense of the therapy and relaxed into the course. “After time I started to notice I was calmer and my mood improved.”
Although she has good and bad days and continues with treatment, Charlotte is on the road to recovery. She even decided to enter a beauty pageant and was shocked when she was shortlisted and won the regional finals. “Initially it was a bit of a laugh and I had forgotten I had entered it!” After winning the regional finals, Charlotte took part in the ‘Miss Teen Great Britain’ contest. Keen to spread the positive message, Charlotte used the contest to share her story with the aim of inspiring others to speak up if they are experiencing problems. Charlotte’s message is also echoed by mental health staff. Jonathan Stringer, Nurse Consultant, says: “We are delighted to hear the success and recovery of Charlotte’s story and wish her every success for the future. “We always place the young person at the centre of care provided and work with family systems to support this process. Last year, our Trust signed up to the values of caring, collaborative, integrity and quality. In CAMHS, we place these values at the very centre of our philosophy of care and believe these contribute positively to the experience of services. It’s really important to seek help if you are struggling and I would encourage anyone to talk to someone so they can get the help they need.”
CAMHS Open Day In October and November, the Trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) held two open days; one in Dudley and one in Walsall. On 31 October, Wolverhampton born Blue Peter presenter, Radzi Chinyanganya, joined staff and patients to celebrate the launch of the new Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) clinics at Canalside, Walsall. The event also saw the launch of the iCAMHS, a specialist service that provides intensive support to young people in crisis with the aim of avoiding hospital admission. Radzi Chinyanganya, said: “My mum has worked in CAMHS for around 40 years so this was very close to my heart. Life means we’re not always born with an equal footing so CAMHS units help to make life more equal for many children.” A similar event was held on 28 November at The Elms, Dudley, where clinicians were on hand to provide information on the range of services they provide, including eating disorder support, family therapy and their under 5s clinic. 12
Jackie Alexander, CAMHS Pan Trust Manager, said: “We were excited to open our brand new ADHD and ASD clinics as part of the event in Walsall and would like to thank Radzi for his support on the day. The clinics will have a major impact on children waiting to be assessed for ADHD and ASD and it is expected that it will be beneficial for young people in the borough and will help them to handle their conditions in a healthy and sustainable way.” “The Dudley event was equally as exciting as we had over 100 attendees on the day and received some very positive feedback. All staff were involved and did an excellent job of showcasing the available services.”
Therapy and Liaison Community Service The Trust recently launched its Walsall Therapy and Liaison Community Service (TALCS) in November 2016. The nurseled service works with people aged 65 and over or those with a diagnosis of dementia who are experiencing mental health problems and are within secondary mental health services. TALCS provides individuals with group and/ or one-to-one therapeutic interventions for approximately eight to ten weeks, aiming to provide the tools to empower service users on their road to recovery. TALCS Senior Community Mental Health Nurse, Vicky Gobsill, said: “This service has an emphasis on two important areas; therapy – using therapeutic intervention with a focus on recovery – and liaison – building long-lasting relationships with community, charitable and third sector organisations to ensure support is available once the service user has been discharged.” “This service really looks at bridging the gap between ourselves and third sector organisations. We regularly co-facilitate sessions with other organisations to share our skills and provide a seamless transition between interventions from our organisation and theirs.” The service provides a variety of groups and interventions including: • Anxiety and mood management • Supported recovery and discharge following acute episodes • Cognitive Stimulations Therapy (CST) • Signposting and enabling access through recovery interventions • Graded exposure • Relaxation therapy • Coping with loss • Relapse signature and prevention planning TALCS is available for people under older adult secondary mental health services or the memory assessment service. Care co-ordinators and psychiatrists can directly make a referral to the therapy and liaison community service internally.
BRIDGES to Work Employment Service The Trust has recently received funding to work in collaboration with Steps to Work to help adults with experience of mental health problems prepare themselves for access training, voluntary work or employment. The funding comes as part of a new multi-million pound programme, Building Better Opportunities (BBO), a collaboration between the Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund (ESF) to help tackle the poverty and social exclusion faced by some people in England. The new employment service is called BRIDGES to Work and offers advice and guidance on moving towards the job market, moving on from benefits, CV writing and interview tips that aim to improve work readiness and engage people in enhancing the essential skills needed for employment. The service is open to those over 25, living in Dudley, Walsall or Wolverhampton with mental health problems and their carers. The service has now launched and the team is available to provide support. For further information on this service or to self-refer, please contact the team on Bridgestowork.dwmh@nhs.net or call 07584 602094.
For more information, please contact TALCS.Team@dwmh.nhs.uk or call 01922 607209.
Relaxation Therapy The TALCS service provides relaxation therapy sessions on the first and third Wednesday’s of the month from 10:30am – 12pm at Walsall Link Line, 6 Cavendish Gardens, Beechdale WS2 7JN. These sessions are open to anyone aged 65 and over and booking is not required. In these sessions, attendees will be assisted through different types relaxation through music and speech. 13
Winter 2017
Mindfulness “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-based stress reduction Rushing through life without taking time to notice the smaller things is something that we are all guilty of. Improving your mental wellbeing can start with something as easy as paying more attention to the present moment, your thoughts and feelings and the world around you. The ‘present moment’ is something you will hear a lot about when learning about mindfulness. Becoming more aware and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations can help us enjoy the world more and understand ourselves better. Many of us spend the majority of our lives in the ‘automatic’ mode; we are very rarely living in the present or appreciating every moment. We tend to be miles away without even knowing it. Mindfulness can help in stepping out of automatic mode; it helps to stop the escalation of worrying and negative thoughts and teaches us to focus on the present moment, rather than reliving the past or pre-living the future. Mindfulness is a therapy that has proved highly effective for
a range of mental health issues. For example, it is highly effective in chronic depression.
Our mindfulness and relaxation CDs Back in 2015, we launched our Mindfulness Meditation: Seven Practices for Everyday Mindfulness CD, a collection of mindfulness audio practices developed by our psychologists, which are available to listen to online. You can also find a series of relaxation tracks, dedicated to helping you unwind. Visit www.dwmh.nhs.uk/mindfulness to download the free tracks and start your journey into mindfulness.
Mindfulness art Many people take part in mindfulness in different ways; this may be through meditation, audio tracks or group sessions. Over time, mindfulness colouring has become known as one of the most therapeutic ways to become more at peace. Alicia Blain, one of our service users formerly on Wrekin Ward, Bushey Fields Hospital, had
been doing mindfulness colouring since she arrived on the ward and decorated her wall with the colourful and vibrant pieces of art. Alicia has since been discharged after being on the ward for eight weeks. Alicia was diagnosed with bipolar disorder but has found herself feeling much more relaxed and peaceful when she is doing her artwork. Originally, Alicia would only spend a short amount of time on her art but over time, it became her own form of therapy. Mindfulness colouring has developed over time and has become known as a resource to feel more at ease and in tune with yourself, the world and the ‘present moment’.
Talking Therapy Services: helping you get back to the things you enjoy Our Talking Therapy Services have been encouraging the people of Dudley and Walsall to start talking and get the help they need. The Talking Therapies Services provide support to individuals who are experiencing common mental health problems such as anxiety, low mood, stress, panic, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder and trauma. Our teams of highly experienced therapists provide a range of therapies to help people get back
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to enjoying life and engaging with work or daily activities. Therapies include wellbeing courses, computerised cognitive behavioural therapy and guided self-help. Anyone can self-refer to the Dudley or Walsall Talking Therapy Services as long as they are school leavers aged 16 or over (Dudley) and 17 or over (Walsall) and
are registered with a Dudley or Walsall GP.* Self-refer online or over the phone today by visiting www.dwmh.nhs. uk or call us on 0800 953 0404 (Dudley) or 0800 953 0995 (Walsall). *Please note, this service is not available to those currently engaged in secondary mental health services.
Recognising Success Staff Awards Here at Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, we know that we have amazing staff that work tirelessly to provide the highest quality of care for our patients and it was great to see so many nurses, teams and managers receive recognition for all of their hard work at this year’s Recognising Success staff awards ceremony. The event itself was held on 24 November 2016 at The Village Hotel, Dudley. A record number of 236 nominations were received this year and we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to make a nomination. The high standard of nominations meant that the judges faced many difficult decisions in shortlisting the winners.
Two new categories were introduced this year: The Rising Star Award: this award recognises those who have been working for the Trust for less than three years but have made a significant impact and have a bright future ahead of them. Chief Executives Values Champion Award: each month, staff nominate their colleagues for this award and the winners of each month were shortlisted. It was the first award that gave staff the chance to choose their winner via an online poll.
WINNERS Rising Star Award (joint winners) Natalie Boyce, Modern Apprentice, CAMHS Walsall Natalie’s colleagues from the CAMHS team were full of praise for her hard work and calm and organised attitude to work. Corrie-Anne Williams, Team Administrator Community Recovery Service, Anchor Meadow Walsall Corrie was nominated as she has blossomed into a confident individual who is always keen to learn more. Service users even call the service and ask to speak to her directly as she brightens up their day. Working in Collaboration Liaison and Diversion Service The team have worked incredibly hard forming positive relationships with police and custody staff for the benefit of service users. Leading with Integrity Jackie Stevens, Clinical Lead for Older Adults and Marianne Cole, Ward Manager, Holyrood and Malvern Ward Marianne and Jackie continuously lead by example, providing excellent nursing care standards. They work with integrity and passion. Support Service of the Year (joint winners) Communications and Engagement Team The team were nominated for their can do attitude, thinking creatively and positively and consistently going the extra mile to deliver a first class service.
Safeguarding The Safeguarding team were nominated for the fantastic work they do on a daily basis to support frontline staff in very difficult situations. Frontline Team of the Year Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) CAMHS work collaboratively to meet the needs of young service users and continuously show dedication to improve the way they deliver a quality service. Chief Executive’s Values Champion Steve Byng, Clinical Lead for Care Cluster and Tariff Development Nominated for his bravery when he helped a young cyclist who had been hit by a car outside of work, Steve went straight into first aid mode and helped to assist the young man whilst they waited for an ambulance to arrive. Unsung Hero Martin Holden, Nursing Assistant, Wrekin Ward Martin’s colleagues nominated him for going beyond the call of duty for both patients and colleagues on a regular basis and being incredibly hard-working. Patient Champion Naomi Robinson, Occupational Therapist and Frank the dog Naomi is an occupational therapist who introduced a new technique to better engage with patients, using her dog, Frank, as part of her therapy for patients.
Collecting for the homeless Thank you to our Walsall South Community Recovery Service (CRS) based at Anchor Meadow Health Centre for all of their efforts in collecting donations and hand-delivering essential items to the homeless over the festive season. The team spent the evening of Sunday 18 December on the streets of Birmingham providing hot drinks and food, along with 120 bags of essential items including toiletries, chocolates/biscuits, hot drink sachets, socks and underwear, pens and paper, Christmas cards, winter wear (hats, scarves, gloves), flasks/ travel mugs and clean clothing. In addition to this and in partnership with Bidvest, friends and family members, the team provided dinner sets to two couples that have recently moved into accommodation, as well as turkeys to three hotels in Birmingham. This allowed a total of 35 people to have Christmas dinner. The Salvation Army also delivered 25 shoe boxes and 25 bags filled with donations along with extra boxes of food and toiletries. Thank you to all who donated and offered their support on the evening.
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Winter 2017
Coffee Break Missing links Can you place a common four letter word into each of the brackets to create two longer words, for example: COOK [____] CASE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
COOK [BOOK] CASE
HIGH [____] STAR HOME [____] BENCH FOOT [____] MOTHER STONE [____] FLOWER MOTH [____] ROOM
6. THIRD [____] BALL 7. SPACE [____] YARD 8. WILD [____] BOAT 9. YOUR [____] LESS 10. DOOR [____] WATCH
Dates for your diary Events in Dudley • Do Fest Dudley: Monday 13 – Wednesday 15 March, various times and venues Do Fest is a 3 day festival inviting you to experience and learn about collaborative practical projects invented by local people around the world which have caught the imagination of people who live in Dudley borough. Do Fest will provide a taste of what’s possible, insights into ways we can nurture this participatory culture in Dudley and opportunities to make, share and learn with local people who are leading change through practical, enjoyable projects in the places they live. More here: http://do-fest.colabdudley.net/.
Be involved, be a member
• VAD WW1 Nursing Walk: Wednesday 29 March, 10am – 11pm, Mary Stevens Park Discover the history of Studley Court and the links to nursing and medicine during the Great War. This event is free to attend. Please book to avoid disappointment. Meet by the Café at 10am. For more information call 01384 815279 or visit www.marystevenspark.org
Our service users, carers and members of the public can become ‘members’ of the Trust. Being a member means that you will receive regular updates about the Trust, a copy of One in 4 magazine every quarter, the chance to be involved in shaping local mental health services and help reduce the stigma around mental health. You will also have access to a range of NHS Discounts available online.
• Emotional Health and Wellbeing drop in session: Thursday 30 March, 10am – 12pm, Brierley Hill Library The drop-in is a chance for the local community to gain information from the community development worker team, who will be on hand to signpost individuals and support them in contacting appropriate services and organisations. Please contact Iram.Maan@dwmh.nhs.uk for more info.
Answers Missing links: 1.Five 2.Work 3.Step 4.Wall 5.Ball 6.Base 7.Ship 8.Life 9.Self 10.Stop
As a member you can: Come along to our events to find out more about • common mental health conditions • Participate in consultations and feedback your views on our services • Receive regular information about the Trust • Join in on our membership events We would love to welcome you as a new member of our Trust. For more information visit www.dwmh.nhs.uk contact the membership office on 01384 325015 or email communication@dwmh.nhs.uk for a membership form.
Contact Us Telephone: 01922 607000 Online: www.dwmh.nhs.uk Email: communication@dwmh.nhs.uk Follow us on Twitter @DWbetter2gether
Did you know that we’re now on Facebook? Like our page to find out all about upcoming events, campaigns, job vacancies and news from around the Trust. You can find our page by searching for Dudley and Walsall Mental Health or by visiting www.facebook.com/dwmhpt
Events in Walsall • Minds Matter Café: second and fourth Thursday of every month, 10am – 12pm, St Catherine’s with St Chad’s Church, Edison Road, Beechdale, Walsall, WS2 7HT The Minds Matter Café provides people with mental health conditions the opportunity to take part in social activities with other people in a similar situation and share experiences. The session has an informal approach and offers a relaxed and empathetic environment. Refreshments will be provided. • The Library Journey: Wednesday 22 March, Walsall Central Library The library is hosting an event to show parents-to-be the benefits libraries can give them during pregnancy and beyond. To help highlight this, they intend to hold a ‘Baby Shower’ event where related agencies can showcase their services or products. If you are interested in having a stall at this event, please contact anne.wise@walsall.gov.uk or phone 01922 652144. • Forest Community Association Charity Concert: Thursday 23 March, 2pm, Forest Arts Centre, Hawbush Road, WS3 1AG A wonderful afternoon of musical entertainment, comedy and magic featuring the Senior Citizens Swing Band and Paul Ray. Free refreshments will be available in the interval and all proceeds from the event will go to Heart Care Walsall and Parkinson’s UK. Tickets cost £6 and are available from Forest Arts Centre or at the venue 30 minutes before the show, subject to availability. The box office is open Monday to Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm.