January 2011 | issue 11
Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Members’ magazine
Alan meets Andy
In this issue...
Beating addiction to amphetamines Annual Members Meeting and Staff Excellence Awards Top tips for mental well-being
In this issue Page 2
Welcome from the Chair
Welcome from the Chair Page 3
New recovery centre opens in Leigh Page 4
What service users said about community based care Page 5-8
Annual Members Meeting and Staff Excellence Awards Page 9
Putting patient safety first Page 10
Awards round-up Page 11
Video diary returns Page 12
How to look after your mental health
Contact If you have comments or suggestions please send them to us at: Email: ft@gmw.nhs.uk Call: 0161 772 3857 Or write to: Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Marketing and Communications Department, Trust Headquarters, Bury New Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 3BL. ‘GMW newsforyou’ is available to download and read on our website: www.gmw.nhs.uk page 2
Happy New Year and welcome to January’s issue of newsforyou, the magazine which keeps members informed of the latest news of Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. As ever, the magazine is packed full of information not only about what we do as a Trust but also some of the common themes surrounding mental health and substance misuse. There’s an interview with a service user from the Trust’s Aspire centre who talks about overcoming his addictions to amphetamines (p3). We also showcase the awards we’ve been shortlisted for (p10), profile forthcoming events (p11), and focus on what we can all do to take care of our mental wellbeing (p12). Our alcohol and drug service received a high profile visit with the Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP officially opening a new recovery centre in Leigh. This directorate continues to grow with the Trust being awarded a contract to deliver services in Central Lancashire (p3). Our Council of Governors has played an active
part in many key decisions over the past 12 months and on page eight you can read about the day in the life of one of our governors. Meeting governors and staff at our Annual Members Meeting (AMM) in September brought home to me how passionate we all feel about providing excellent standards of patient care. So it’s good news for all of us to see that service users’ perception of the Trust’s services have improved considerably (pg 4) and the emphasis we place on patient safety both in and outside of our wards (pg 9). Our time at the AMM inspired me and my colleagues to continue to work on your behalf, to represent you at board level, and continue to develop services. The AMM also celebrated those staff who were nominated for a Staff Excellence Award (pg 5 – 8). I was overwhelmed by the commitment, dedication, care and innovation our staff displayed. Finally, the AMM reminded me that we are led by you, our members. We are committed to listening to you and welcome your feedback. Best wishes for 2011,
Alan Alan Maden Trust Chair
New drug and alcohol recovery centre in Leigh A new recovery centre in Leigh was officially opened by the Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP on Friday 3rd December 2010. The former health secretary and current MP for Leigh officially opened the centre, which provides life changing treatment for people with drug and alcohol problems living in Wigan and Leigh. The Trust’s Wigan and Leigh Drug and Alcohol service supports around 1,400 people in the community and offers opportunities to not only recover from addictions to drugs and alcohol, but also find
employment and housing by working in partnership with local organisations. The Leigh-based recovery centre began operating in September 2010 and has treated over 300 service users since it opened. Help is not only offered to the individual but also the family, friends and carers who are also affected. Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP said: “The work done by this drug and alcohol service, and others like it, not only helps people on the road to recovery but prevents them from breaking down and accessing other parts of the NHS system – the ambulance service, A & E or, indeed, the police and other public services. The range of services provided all have the recovery of the individual, their
Pictured (left to right): Pat Keane, Commissioner from the Drug and Alcohol Team, Councillor Keith Cunliffe, Alan Maden, Chair of Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP and Carol Marsh, Head of Wigan and Leigh Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service.
family and community at the centre of what they do.” If you want to talk to somebody about issues relating to drug or alcohol misuse, contact Wigan and Leigh Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service who will advise you how to make a
referral for services. Referrals for the service can be either self-referral, or referral by an agency. All services are free and confidential - Tel: 01942 827979. The aim is to offer an assessment appointment within 48 hours.
Health: Addictions - Amphetamines A service user talks to newsforyou about how he tuned his life around by attending the Aspire centre in Salford to help him with his addiction to amphetamines. Michael is 43, married and lives in Salford. He started using amphetamines when he was 23 to get through double shifts at work. “A friend at work gave me some speed when I was tired at work. I started using amphetamines regularly at work and for nights out at the weekend. Within six months I was taking amphetamines every day and spending from £5 to £10 a day.” Michael was eventually sacked from his job and started to commit crimes to fund his habit. Unwilling to speak to family or
friends about his problems he kept his addiction a secret. “I didn’t see it as a problem and didn’t think it was anything they needed to know about.” Soon Michael was spending over £100 per day on amphetamines. He started having hallucinations due to the lack of sleep, suffered from paranoia, had arguments with his wife and was repeatedly arrested by the police. “I reached rock bottom. I’d been kicked out of my home and nearly took my own life. I met up with my wife and promised that I’d get help. I got an appointment with Salford substance misuse service based at Acton Square and they recommended the Aspire centre.” Aspire is a service for recovering drug and alcohol users who are serious about changing their lives. The ethos of the service is to enable recovery through a range of psychological and social
interventions. “I was really apprehensive about going somewhere new, but I was assigned a key worker who dropped everything to talk. I built up my self Close up of ‘speed’, the street esteem by taking part in group work name for a range of amphetamines and completed service, please call 0161 745 a 12-week intensive recovery 9566. To find out more about programme.” amphetamines, visit www. Michael is now free from his talktofrank.com. addictions and says his life is no longer ruled by drugs. He volunteers as he wanted to give something back and has been on The Trust was awarded a new a number of training courses. His contract to deliver Alcohol next challenge is to get back to and Drug services in Central work and he’s well on the way to Lancashire – Preston, Leyland, achieving this with a number of Chorley and Skelmersdale. new qualifications under his belt. We began delivering the new service, alongside Lifeline, on 1 For more information about October 2010. Aspire, or to be referred to the
Stop Press
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What service users said about community based care Results of the National NHS Community Mental Health Service Users Survey 2010, carried out by the Care Quality Commission, were released in September and show service users perceptions of the Trust’s services have improved considerably. We use surveys to find out about the experience of service users when receiving care and treatment from our services. At the start of 2010, a questionnaire was sent to 850 service users. Service users were asked about various aspects of their experiences including health and social care workers, medications, talking therapies, care coordinators, care plans, care reviews, day-to-day living and crisis care. Responses were received from 215 service users at the Trust who completed a questionnaire, sent to them in January – March 2010, asking for their views. The respondents included people who had been referred to a psychiatric outpatient clinic, local community mental health team or other community-based service. The Trust was placed in the best performing 20% of trusts for almost a third of the questions asked in the survey. The Trust was placed in the top 20% for three of the five questions about medications and four of the six questions about care reviews. As well as giving positive feedback, service users would like to get through to page 4
someone quicker in a crisis and know about the purposes of their medication. The results from questions we performed in the top 20% of all trusts indicated that: • Service users were told about possible side effects of medications, given information about medication in a way that was easy to understand and received check-ups about how the medication was working; • Service users were able to contact their Care Coordinator (or lead professional) if they had a problem; • Services users had a meeting with their care coordinator before a care review meeting, were able to express their views at the meeting, found the care
review helpful and had a discussion about continuing using mental health services; • Service users were asked about their physical health needs, received support getting help for their physical health needs and help with finding or keeping work;
• Mental health services involved a family member or someone close in decisions about service users care as much as they liked. For the full details of the Trust’s service user survey results, visit the Care Quality Commission’s website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Trust welcomes new Director of Finance The Trust has appointed Mr Ismail Hafeji as it’s new Director of Finance and IM&T.
to become more efficient. This includes continuing to provide high quality services, ensuring value for money, and focussing on patient outcomes. I look forward to helping the Trust meet these challenges.”
Ismail will join the Trust in early February 2011 to replace John Graham who left the Trust at the end of December 2010 to take on a new role as Director of Finance at The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust (page 9).
Ismail joins us with a wealth of experience as he has been working as an accountant in the NHS since 1983, at NHS Trusts, Health Authorities and PCTs around the North West.
Ismail Hafeji said: “I’m pleased to be joining the Trust at the start of what promises to be an interesting and exciting period in it’s development. We must seize the oppurtunity to make the best decisions for our patients and decide locally how
His most recent role has been Director of Finance, IT and Information with NHS Bolton, where he has worked since 2006. During his time there he successfully delivered all the PCT’s financial targets for the last four years and leaves NHS Bolton well on track to deliver the same for 2010/11. Alan Maden, Trust Chair, said:
Pictured is Ismail Hafeji
“I am sure you will join me in welcoming Ismail to the Trust. His impressive track record will no doubt help us face the challenges ahead and I urge all of you to lend your support as he guides our Trust into a stable financial future.”
Annual Members Meeting recognises excellence The Trust’s Annual Members Meeting took place on Wednesday 29th September 2010 at the Lowry Theatre in Salford. The annual staff awards were also held as part of the meeting. The ‘Staff Excellence Awards’ recognised and celebrated the excellent work that goes on in services across the Trust. Finalists were invited to the Annual Members Meeting where the winners were announced. The Annual Members Meeting also saw staff showcasing the best of their department with displays highlighting the work they’ve been doing throughout the year. The meeting also allowed governors, staff and members the opportunity to review the Trust’s Annual Accounts/Quality Account and Annual Report, ask questions of the Board and watch the prize-giving ceremony of the Staff Excellence Awards.
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From nearly 100 nominations – the winners are: 1. Team of the Year - A team who work in the Trust and can demonstrate good team work and set an example to us all
2. Achievement of the Year - A special individual who has made an outstanding contribution over many years Winner - Susan Barlow (STR worker, Redwood Ward, Royal Bolton Hospital) The nominator said: “Susan has agreed for her experiences to be shared as she has dyslexia and wants to encourage others who have this learning need to go ahead and pursue a NVQ. The story so far for Susan is, she has achieved her
Winner - Hindley Youth Offenders Institute (YOI) Mental Health In Reach Team The team based at Hindley Young Offenders Institute (YOI) in Wigan are part of GMW’s Young Person’s Directorate. Hindley YOI is the largest children’s prison in Western Europe holding young males between the ages of 15 and 18. A recent inspection by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons describes mental health care in the prison as excellent. The nominator said: “The service has developed alternative ways of managing and supporting young offenders and the risks they present with. This is demonstrated by a recent inspection report that said: ‘The team were knowledgeable and demonstrated a high level of commitment to supporting young people with mental health needs. It was evident that they played a pivotal role in the management of young people with behavioural and mental health needs.’” Highly Commended – Prestwich Hospital at Night Team
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NVQ 2 and is half-way through her NVQ 3. Her confidence has greatly increased, her handwriting has improved and you cannot now tell that she has dyslexia. Susan is a credit not only to herself, but also to the team and services.” Highly Commended – Angela Thompson (Ward Manager, Ward 22, Moorside Unit, Trafford) 3. Best Kept Environment - Any member of Trust staff who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure their area of work provides a clean, pleasant and safe patient environment Winner – Brenda Rollason (Housekeeper, Newlands Ward, Prestwich) The nominator said: “Brenda keeps the ward environment clean and comfortable and works hard in keeping the environment she works in at its best. When Brenda is moved to provide cover for other areas, staff and service users have been vocal in stating that the ward is not the same without her. What a bonus it would be if everyone had a ‘Brenda’ in their area.”
3. Best Kept Environment - Highly Commended – Sarah Kneale & Lorraine Gray (Housekeepers, Bramley Street, Salford Community Inpatient Service) 4. Innovation and Improvement - Any individual or team who has implemented an innovative and sustainable work plan which directly / indirectly benefits service users, carers or patients Winner – Julie Eastham (Systems Co-ordinator & Interim Maintenance and Porter Services Manager, Risk and Patient Safety, Edenfield Centre, Prestwich) The nominator said: “In under 9 months she has transformed the service that these staff (porters, handyman) offer. One of the most obvious benefits to the service and the patients, from Julie’s work, has been the enhanced management of our PEAT work. Jobs are now completed quickly, efficiently and to an excellent standard, which has had a fantastic effect on the patient environment and allowed us to achieve cleaner and safer environments.” Highly Commended – Deborah Smith (Project & Development Manager, Integrated Governance, Prestwich) 5. Unsung hero - Any member of the Trust staff who has gone beyond the call of duty without receiving any recognition Winner – Nicola Bate (Occupational Therapist, Kenyon Ward, Woodlands Hospital, Salford) The nominator said: “Nicola decided to develop a breakfast club for male patients on the Kenyon Ward who have advanced dementia. Nicola’s small but mighty project
improved the patient experience, enabling the men to make basic choices and maintain their independence. Nicola has, in her very quiet and sensitive approach, carried forward this idea and worked hard with the team to bring about change in practice that has been embedded since the unit opened.” Highly Commended – Sheila Bartlett (Healthcare Assistant, K1 Ward, Royal Bolton Hospital) 6. Contribution to Patient, Service User, Carer Experience - An individual who has made an outstanding contribution to improving service user, carer or patient experience Joint Winner – Bev Shaw (STR worker, Wigan & Leigh Community Alcohol Team, Leigh) The nominator said: “Bev is committed to the service users she works with and understands her role and the responsibility it holds. Bev goes above and beyond with her work – really supporting service user’s re-integration back into the community. Bev has taken the STR role and made it her own and adds value to the treatment pathway of clients and what we offer as a Trust. Bev is a star STR worker!” Joint Winner – Denise Perks (Support Worker, John Denmark unit, Prestwich) The nominator said: “Denise has hit the ground running since her first full day demonstrating motivation, passion and commitment for the job. She has displayed upmost compassion and is highly passionate in her role. Denise has demonstrated care and given support, guidance and knowledge to both patients and staff, giving them support and the benefit of her many years experience and knowledge. Denise is a person who just gets on with things and I feel does not totally recognise how much she does and how much she is appreciated.” Highly Commended – Catering Team (Waterdale, Prestwich)
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7. Patient, Service User, Carer Award (voted by service users, carers or patients only) - An individual or team who has worked extremely hard to provide an excellent standard of service Winner – Bolton Psychology Service (Silverhill Centre, Royal Bolton Hospital) The nominator said: “This team goes above and beyond what is expected for a psychological team in service user engagement as a means to improving and developing its service. The team have a particularly modern approach in psychology practice as they don’t just seek to treat their patients and improve their lives, but they demonstrate a desire to work in partnership with their patients, not just in treatment, but in reviewing and improving their service too.” Highly Commended – (Cromwell House Community Mental Health Team, Eccles, Greater Manchester)
8. Rising Star - Member of Trust staff who has made a substantial impact during their first year with the organisation Winner – Dr Hayt Khan (Staff Grade Doctor, Armitage Ward, Woodlands Hospital, Salford) The nominator said: “Dr Khan’s gentle and considerate manner has enabled even the most distressed of patients on the ward to become more amenable and has enabled him to support and care for their physical health needs in a sensitive way. Dr Khan has shown dedication to the service, often working in excess of his hours to ensure that patients receive high standards of care and are medically reviewed in a timely and consistent manner. Considering he has only been in post for 6 months in an alien country (Dr Khan is originally from the United Arab Emirates) I am delighted with Dr Khan’s support to the service and clinical care of our patients.” Highly Commended – Josphat Githaiga (Physiotherapist, Bolton Dementia Services, Rivington Unit, Royal Bolton Hospital)
A day in the life of a Governor Joe Russell is an author and also an appointed Governor for the Trust. Joe sits on the Council of Governors as a service user and carer: substance misuse services. As reported in January 2010’s issue of newsforyou, Joe has published a book called ‘The Legend of Saint Dwynwen’, which he wrote after visiting Llanddwyn Island. Joe is currently writing a book about his service in The British Military Hospital in Munster, West Germany, from 1960 to 1962. page 8
Joe tells newsforyou what a typical day involves.
1) Please give us a brief background to you and your constituency: My hometown of Bury has since 2007 been lacking in support for alcohol users, more help was given to drug abusers. This is now being addressed since my intervention with Bury PCT.
2) Describe a typical day A typical day for me would be rising at 7.30 to 8am, having breakfast, checking emails then perhaps spending an hour or more on my computer and
working on books which I have had published on blurb.com
3) What are the highlights of being a Governor? Being a Governor has changed my outlook, I spent 24 years in the health service as a Theatre Technician, now called Operating Department Practitioner, I prefer the old name. It is good to be in on the running of the Trust and seeing how things work.
4) What is the most challenging part of your role as a Governor? Trying to improve the care given to users and using my
Joe Russell, Governor
experiences to make them see there is a better way to a good life.
5) How did you become interested in the role of a GMW Governor? I received an invitation to volunteer as a Governor and it was the best thing I have done since becoming a user.
Putting patient safety first As part of Patient Safety Week (15-21 November 2010), the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) visited the Trust on the 16th November 2010 to find out how staff are using a national toolkit to prevent service users from attempting suicide. In 2009, the Trust contributed to
Staff from the Gardner unit.
a national publication ‘Preventing suicide: A toolkit for mental health services’, which aimed to strengthen clinical practice to prevent people with mental health problems from taking their own life and reduce harm. The NPSA visited the Gardner unit, part of the Young Persons Directorate, and the Moorside unit, part of the Trafford Directorate, to meet with staff to discuss how the toolkit’s checklists and assessment tools are effective in reducing suicide in inpatient wards. The Trust was one of just six pilot sites nationwide who helped to refine the toolkit. During the visit to the Trust’s wards, the NPSA talked to inpatients to get their perspective on patient safety and to find out what actions staff have taken to improve safety. The visit also evaluated the Trust’s use of the NPSA’s suicide prevention ‘safe to go’ checklist, which is when a risk assessment is carried out before a patient leaves a mental health ward to reduce the likelihood of suicide or self harm occurring during leave.
Representatives from the NPSA with staff from the Moorside unit
Following on from this visit the Trust was approached by the NPSA to host an online Webinar presenting how we have implemented the toolkit and to share service developments for supporting this work.
Webinar and were able to share their experiences and initiatives with staff from other Trusts across the country. Both events were a real opportunity for the Trust to promote how staff are taking the patient safety agenda forward.
Ward managers Iain Hepworth, from the Moorside unit, and James Williamson and Lorrain Uddin, from the Young Person’s Directorate, took part in the
To find out more about Patient Safety Week visit: www.patientsafetyfirst.nhs.uk. For more information about the NPSA go to: www.npsa.nhs.uk.
Fond farewell to John John Graham, Director of Finance and IM&T, left the Trust at the end of December 2010 to take on a new role as Director of Finance at The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust. John joined the Trust in July 2006 and has made significant improvements, in particular to the finance section, as Caroline Ryan, Deputy Director
of Finance, explains: “John setout a five-year programme to improve our finance systems and those that interact with finance. He has encouraged the team to embrace new technology, which is evident throughout GMW.” “John has always been a real advocate for IM&T services and it’s staff during his time at GMW”, said Janette Walsh, Deputy Director of IM&T. “John led the development of our IM&T funding strategy, which was supported by the board and made available dedicated funding of £2 million to deliver
a variety of key work streams during 2009/10 and work towards further delivery in 2010/11”, Janette added. Bev Humphrey, Chief Executive, said: “More importantly, he has done all this to the real benefit of services – getting to know clinicians, priorities and championing improvements and developments. “His creativity and sense of humour will be much missed by his Board colleagues, many staff, Governors and service users. His ‘can do’ attitude has been infectious and he’s
Pictured is John Graham
delivered much for GMW. We all wish him well at The Royal Liverpool Trust.” page 9
Awards Round-up newsforyou brings you all the details of the awards the Trust has been shortlisted for in the last few months. International Dementia Excellence Awards The team behind the Open Doors network, part of the Trust’s Reach Beyond Service based in the Salford Directorate’s Later Life department, has been recognised by the international leader in the dementia field for making a difference to the lives of people with dementia. The Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) shortlisted the service for ‘Team of the Year’ as part of the International Dementia Excellence Awards. The awards are designed to recognise organisations and individuals who have worked to improve the quality of life of people with dementia. The winners were announced at ‘Coming of Age’ the DSDC’s fourth International conference in London on the 20th October 2010. Although we didn’t win the award, the team should be congratulated for being shortlisted from a large number of excellent submissions from around the world. To find out more about the DSDC and their work with people with dementia visit: www.dementia. stir.ac.uk. Royal College of Psychiatrists Awards
Pictured (left to right) Gillian Drummond and Cathy Riley.
The Trust has been recognised as one of the best mental health services providers in the country by being shortlisted for the ‘Mental Health Services provider of the Year 2010’ category. The Royal College of Psychiatrists Awards mark the highest level of achievement within psychiatry and are designed to reward excellent practice in the field of mental health. The glittering award ceremony was held at the Royal Society of Medicine in London on 16th November 2010. Unfortunately, we didn’t win the award but were pleased to be one of only four trusts to be shortlisted in our category as the standard of entries was incredibly high. The Royal College of Psychiatrists are the online mental health resource for the public and professionals: www.rcpsych. ac.uk. Health Service Journal Awards The Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards are a fiercely fought annual competition, which recognise the innovation, best practice and inspiration that is found throughout the healthcare profession today.
Datix and ICIS staff at the awards ceremony
House Hotel, Park Lane, London. Unfortunately, we didn’t win our category, but the awards had a huge number of entries this year with over 900 applications, so reaching the final stage was a fantastic achievement. You can see the entire list of finalists, including the Trust’s entry, in the Health Service Journal and on the awards website: www.hsjawards.co.uk. The Butler Trust Annual Awards The Butler Trust Annual Awards recognise outstanding dedication, skill and creativity on the part of those working in correctional settings across the UK. The Trust’s Manchester Offenders Engagement Liaison (MO:DEL) service were shortlisted for an award for their ongoing work that contributes to the effective care of offenders. The MO:DEL service works with offenders with mental health problems who have disengaged
from or been excluded from mainstream services. The service liaises with individuals to facilitate their re-integration into existing health and social care services. MO:DEL’s nomination is one of 17 out of almost 300 nominations that were shortlisted by the Butler Trust’s Sifting Panel. Two representatives for the nomination were interviewed by the finalists’ judging panel on Monday 22nd November 2010. The award winners and commendees will be informed before the awards are presented by the Butler Trust’s Royal Patron, The Princess Royal, at Buckingham Palace, as part of the regal ceremony in Spring 2011. The Butler Trust is an independent charity set up to celebrate, support and share good practice in UK correctional settings. For more information go to www.thebutlertrust.org.uk.
The Trust’s application, ‘Datix & ICIS: The Missing Risk Management Link’, was shortlisted in the ‘Improving Care with Technology’ category. The winners were announced at the HSJ Awards on Monday 29th November 2010 at the Grosvenor page 10
Pictured (left to right) Hilary Tucker, Chair of GMPT, Kelly Dalton, Administrator for MO:DEL, Sarah Bruce, Clinical Psychologist for MO:DEL, John Crawforth, Chief Executive of GMPT and Matt Paterson, Consultant Nurse and Clinical Lead for MO:DEL, at the Greater Manchester Probation Trust’s annual award ceremony in June 2010.
The Video Diary Returns! On the 12 March 2010 a Video Diary Room event called ‘Let Us Listen’ was held in Buille Hill Park to capture real-time patient experience feedback. The event was so successful that we are rolling it out throughout the Trust. Because our services are so different from each other, each Directorate will be developing their own arrangements for capturing filmed patient experience. The arrangements may include: Video Diary Rooms, getting staff and service users to record service users and carers using hand held cameras and Dictaphones or even a Campervan with a camera inside. We hope that video diary events will become an ongoing piece of work, incorporated into Directorates’ annual planning. As the project continues, knowledge, skills and resources will grow within the process and
will regularly provide compelling footage about peoples’ experiences. When service users and management teams watch the films, they will be asked to develop Avril Connor from the Trust’s STaR network in the actions and video diary booth at an event in March 2010 changes in response to getting right for you? what people have said. • Is there anything good about Planning is already underway the way that you were treated with our first events after the that you want to tell us about? initial pilot takes place in March • If there was one thing you 2011. could change about the Service users and carers will be service what would it be? asked the five questions used at This project demonstrates GMW’s Buille Hill which were: commitment to developing and • In what way was the service implementing more effective helpful or unhelpful to you? and creative approaches for • What do you feel the service is gathering real-time patient getting wrong for you or need experience feedback and will to work harder on? ensure service users’ views are genuinely listened to. • What do you feel the service is
Membership & Governor Elections The recent round of elections has been completed with the following candidates being appointed Governors from 1 April 2011:
There will be some vacancies on the Council of Governors in the following constituencies: Constituency
Vacancies
Public: Salford
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Constituency
Successful Governor
Public: Bolton
William Gallagher
Service Users & Carers: Users of Mental Health Services
Public: Trafford
Sylvia Seddon
Staff : Social Care
1
Service Users & Carers: Users of Mental Health Services
Anne Broadhurst
Staff : Non Clinical
1 1
Service Users & Carers: Users of Mental Health Services
Margaret Willis
Staff : Allied Health Professional
Service Users & Carers: Users of Substance Misuse Services
Joanne Wilson
Staff : Nursing
Jennifer Carlisle
Staff : Medical
Fareed Bashir
At its meeting in December 2010, the Council of Governors agreed to re-run the elections between January and March 2011 targeting Public and Service User & Carer (Mental Health Services) constituencies and to confirm tenure of office for two years duration.
Recovery from Psychosis The recovery programme is an innovative five-year programme of research into understanding and promoting recovery from psychosis, in a manner that is acceptable to and empowering of service users. It aims to produce: • User-defined measures of psychotic experiences • Several therapy manuals for dissemination to multidisciplinary teams • New evidence-based therapies that are acceptable to service users • Guides for promoting recovery and models of collaborative provision of services • Information regarding service user preferences. The recovery programme is funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and is supported by the Mental Health Research Network (MHRN). It includes five streams of research, each led by professors of Clinical Psychology in collaboration with Service User Researchers. The recovery programme would like to thank teams for their support in recruitment for the STAR-T trial, which is now starting the next phase of recruitment in Manchester. The programme is currently recruiting in the Trust for a CBTbased Recovery Intervention for Early Bipolar Disorder.
Anne Broadhurst, Lead Governor
If you know someone who would like to take part, or if you would like more information about the recovery programme, please contact heather.law@ gmw.nhs.uk or visit the Trust’s website www.gmw.nhs.uk. page 11
How to look after your mental health It is important to take care of your mental wellbeing in order to stay fit and well. Good mental health isn’t something you have, but something you do. The new economics foundation (nef ) has identified five ways we can take care of our mental wellbeing: 1. Connect 2. Be active 3. Take notice 4. Keep learning and 5. Give
The nef is an independent think-and-do tank that inspires and demonstrates real economic well-being. The ‘five ways to wellbeing’ have been used internationally to raise awareness about the actions we can take to improve personal wellbeing, but a local project - just down the road in Stockport – has inspired a young generation. Stockport school children, with the help of professional children’s book artists, have written and illustrated a collection of fairy tale books using the five ways to wellbeing theme.
So you get the three little pigs who decide to be active by taking up ballet, or the lonely troll who makes friends and connects with others. 10,000 copies of the books have been distributed freely to schools, libraries, community groups and SureStart centres.
How to look after your mental health
?
You can find out more by visiting: www.neweconomics. org.uk The Mental Health Foundation has also put together 10 practical ways to look after your mental health. For more information about The Mental Health Foundation, a UK charity working for everyones
mental health, and the 10 practical tips, visit: www. mentalhealthfoundation.org.uk
‘Blooming good’ mental health therapy Gardening may not be the first thing that springs to mind in the winter months, but it’s a great way to beat stress and make you feel good. It also helps you to achieve one of the above ways to take care of your mental wellbeing: by keeping you active. Concentrating on a hobby like gardening can help you forget your worries for a while and change your mood. Like many gardeners the Salford Support Time and Recovery (SSTaR) network members, volunteers and staff have been busy during the summer weeding, watering and tending to a plot of land at Tindall Street Allotments in Peel Green, Eccles. They have landscaped the plot, installed a new shed and greenhouse and planted a variety of vegetables and fruit including; potatoes, leeks, broad beans, onions, strawberries and herbs. For SSTaR network members, however, gardening is more page 12
than just a hobby – for them it is also part of recovery. Twice a week (Monday and Friday) SSTaR network members get together with staff and volunteers at the allotment in Eccles to garden, landscape and grow vegetables to help them deal with mental ill health and emotional problems. There is a service user-led session at the allotment on Monday afternoons and a staffed session on Friday afternoons. Here service users are taught practical skills alongside specially trained staff who can also offer counselling advice and put them in touch with local recovery groups. But the gardening doesn’t just stop because the sunshine hours are reduced and it’s getting colder outside. Debbie Storey, SSTaR worker for the Trust, has some top tips for gardening in the winter: “Keep an eye on winter protection, and if you have a greenhouse, make sure the heater works. It’s time to think about pruning apples and pears too. “If you don’t have a garden join your local STaR networks to get involved in local community
Pictured is (left to right) Councillor George William Wilson, the Mayor of Salford, Debbie Storey, SSTaR worker for the Trust and Mike Chapman the Trust’s Vice Chair.
activities. Everyone is welcome even if you just want a place to sit down, have a drink and chat with people in similar situations, which is another way to take care of your mental wellbeing.” SSTaR support people who wish to go back to work, education or training and consist of a network of social drop-ins based in community centres within Salford. SSTaR provide support in taking part in social and community activities, such as going to the gym, joining local health walks, arts and crafts tasks, days out
by bus or train, short holidays and gardening at Tindall Street allotment. There is also an opportunity to volunteer. Salford STaR networks are based at Cavendish House in Eccles, Manchester Tel: 0161 707 5007. Useful links: www.mentalhealthfoundation. org.uk www.sane.org.uk www.mind.org.uk www.mentalhealth.org.uk www.hse.gov/stress