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February 2011 Issue 25 Including news for service user and family carer foundation trust members
Interactive website explains alcohol misuse A fresh new interactive website has been launched to promote the Trust’s alcohol services and encourage safe drinking. The website contains interactive tools to assess your own drinking habits and track how much alcohol you have drunk. Lee Harnden, associate director for substance misuse services at the Trust, said: “We are really pleased to be able to announce the new site. “The aim is help people struggling with drinking problems to access our services and get the help they need.” The website provides specific information about alcohol services in Suffolk as well as general guidance and headlines on drinking. It also contains a downloadable iPhone application which helps people track what they drink on the go.
The new website can be found at www.smhp.nhs.uk/alcohol The Suffolk Trust is a positive change to their unveiling the website drinking habits no matter following on from the how much they consume.” government’s The Trust’s alcohol service announcement of set provides support to people minimum prices for alcohol experiencing difficulties last week in a nationwide with their use of alcohol crackdown on binge who want help to drinking. overcome their problemLee added: “The great drinking and turn their life thing about our site is that around. is isn’t solely aimed at The service has two teams people who need covering both East and professional treatment. West and treatment The interactive tools includes help with detox in provided by NHS Choices the community, counselling have allowed us to provide and psychological support, a site that benefits group support and help for everyone wanting to make families and carers.
‘Helping people make the most of their lives’
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Thumbs up from Trust inpatients The results of a new review into NHS inpatient services show that mental health patients in Suffolk are treated with more respect and dignity than the national average. Overall the positive review shows the Trust scored above the national average in 25 out of 40 reviewed areas. The results included 58% of service users saying that they always have confidence and trust in their nurses, which is 14% above the national average. The Listening to Patients: Mental Health Inpatient Survey is conducted by Quality Health and uses
the views and experiences of service users that have been treated by the Trust, and their carers. Similarly, 54% said that they felt safe in hospital compared to a national average of just 47% and 88% had never been bothered by noise by staff at night. Margaret Little, acute inpatient service manager, said “We are thrilled to receive the results of this review, which really shows all the positive achievements made by our clinical teams in 2010. It is really important that we listen to the views of our patients and reviews such
as these are extremely helpful in doing this. The review gives us a good indication of where we are doing well and areas that we need to improve upon. These great results show that the Trust’s hard work is paying off.” Other key areas where the Trust scored highly included 100% not sharing a sleeping area with a member of the opposite gender, 95% who were contacted within two weeks of discharge, and 77% not having their discharge delayed. The voluntary review was undertaken by 33 Trusts across the country.
Budding artist celebrates work An amazing painting of the King Redwald ship from Sutton Hoo has been installed at Ipswich Hospital. The painting, in acrylic, has been created by Trust volunteer Stevie Francis who is based at Walker Close. During a visit to Ipswich Hospital with Rt Revd Charles Muggleston, Stevie noticed paintings on display and was inspired to create his own. He visited Sutton Hoo to make some drawings on which to base his artwork. He worked on 2
Stevie Francis officially hands his painting over to Ipswich Hospital. the painting in sessions with Brian Connold from Optua in Needham Market. The painting was installed at Ipswich Hospital at a ceremony on 9 December 2010. It was donated in memory of Stevie’s mother, Dorothy
Smith (a nurse) and in honour of the acute respiratory unit at Ipswich Hospital which supported Stevie through some recent health problems. When asked how he felt about the event, he said: “Happy, happy. Brill!”
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Become a volunteer! If you are on the road to recovery you may be starting to think about future employment but are scared about what this means. Becoming a Trust volunteer can be a way for you to refresh your skills (and learn some new ones), gain up-to-date references and get some social interaction. Becoming a volunteer may help you take that step into the often intimidating world of job hunting and paid employment. The Trust welcomes volunteers in virtually all departments within the Trust. Mark Stewart, voluntary services coordinator, will be able to
take you through the opportunities available and help with any paperwork and extra support you may need. Ken Goddard (picture right) volunteered with the Trust’s software department for a year before gaining a job. Ken said: “At first the idea of meeting and dealing with customers was a bit frightening but, with the encouragement of my boss Jonathan Smith, I soon found myself having meetings and communicating with customers without feeling overwhelmed. “I have enjoyed a variety of work and been
introduced to new technologies… The voluntary work has helped me get out of my house and create a weekly routine. This has kept me mentally active and able to be positive in the face of the job hunting arena.“ To find out more about volunteering at the Trust call Mark for a friendly, informal chat on 01473 329042.
This is my poem I’ve written to you... The following poem was sent in by a service user for Jill Cornwell, approved mental health practioner at Sudbury CHMT: This is my poem I’ve written to you Just to say the words, thank you. The person I can talk to and not be judged The someone who knows how easily I crumble up The one who gives me lots of advice, to be able to live a ‘normal’ life. I wish I could go outside, I wish I didn’t hide inside.
I want to be a different me. To be able to smile naturally. I talk to you about all kinds of things, how my depression is a horrible thing. How I feel lost without my Dad, how my past makes me sad. Is it too much to ask to feel complete? To hold my head up, not look at my feet? To lose the feeling of giving up, sometimes that feeling gets too much. The times I want to curl up
and die, to stop myself I look in my child’s eyes. To see her looking back at me, the thought gets buried but will come back and haunt me. If I could have my life over again, I’d erase the nasty bits and start again. Maybe then I’d be a brand new me and not the damaged good I feel to be. Do you have a poem, story or some artwork to share? If so then write to the address on the back of this newsletter. 3
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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD - is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain affecting the parts controlling attention, concentration and impulsivity.
bricklaying course at SMHP service manager, Suffolk New College which Kelley Osman said: “ADHD is going well.” is the most commonly Matthew, 21, from Ipswich diagnosed psychiatric developed problems whilst disorder in children. We at primary school. “I wasn’t aim to have close liaison badly behaved but I was with education and social irritable,“ he says. care, and support our “I talked a lot clients before during and “I’m off medication and in the first and did not after assessment. year of a three year bricklaying course at concentrate “This client group often Suffolk New College which is going well!” and both the have complex teachers and presentations, and ranging It causes difficulties with Mum and Dad noticed it. severity of needs. we find filtering out all the When I was about eight the direct work with information coming into the and I was put on Ritalin, children and families very brain, which causes the which is fine but I’m now on rewarding. We are child to be easily something different. I was fortunate to develop long distracted. ADHD usually discharged from the ADHD term relationships with begins before the age of service a month ago but families as treatment often seven and affects 3-5% of am being referred to a new lasts several years, if it children. consultant. Now I’m an IT continues to provide Two service users have controller for a company in symptom relief. We kindly offered to share their Stowmarket.” continue to increase our stories: Christopher, 16, SMHP provides a knowledge with every from Needham Market, dedicated ADHD service family and young person describes how he came to for patients up to the age of we meet and I am very be diagnosed at around ten 18 and has also completed fortunate to have a highly years old. “Teachers at a pilot service for up to 21 specialised and dedicated middle school were years old. Funding has just team. concerned. I suffered from been approved “We find the direct work with bad behaviour, was hard to for a new children and families very rewarding” control and would not broader 18+ listen. When I was on service which will be We still however come medication I felt different launched in 2011. This across individuals or and no longer snapped at includes medication, agencies who have many people and could behaviour modification misconceptions or preconcentrate. I also had advice, psychological conceived ideas about meetings with SMHP education, liaison and what ADHD is, and often practitioners which helped sleep clinics. The current challenge its existence. It is me to manage my feelings service provides our role to share our and suggested ways to assessment, diagnosis and knowledge with the wider stop getting angry. Now I’m treatment and currently community to benefit the off medication and in the looks after around 600 family’s experience of our first year of a three year children and young people. services.”
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Physical observations improve patient care The Productive Mental Health Wards: Releasing Time to Care was launched over a year ago.
The project aims to streamline the work that ward staff do to allow more time for direct patient care. Westgate Ward recently opted to use the optional ‘physical observation’ module of the programme due to the nature of the Older Peoples Mental Health Ward. The process was decided by using the hairdryer/PDSA cycle and objectives agreed. This was to ensure all staff had the knowledge and skills to undertake observations and recognised the relationship between physical and mental health. Patient observations and actions taken are a direct reflection on the safety and reliability of ward care. The 40 staff on the ward undertook an anonymous questionnaire to identify
ways to improve the process with patients. In response to this workbooks were created which included guidelines, polices, competency framework and paperwork used by the Trust. Staff receive a certificate when the workbook is complete. Undertaking this productive ward module staff are more competent and have improved patient safety. Helen Jackson, ward manager of Westgate Ward and Sue Hudson, project manager for productive wards represented the Trust at an event held by NHS East of England in December 2010. The event included celebrating successes in Productive Ward processes. Many delegates at the event were interested in the improved physical observation process on Westgate and were keen to take ideas to various trusts across the region.
What matters to you? Every year, the Trust receives comments and suggestions about how we can improve our practice and our services. These comments, which come from a range of sources, help us focus on the areas that you say would make a difference to you. Our performance in these important areas forms our Quality Account – our response to show how we have been doing in meeting those priorities that matter most. As part of the Quality Account the Trust is asking you to rate a variety of statements to tell us which are most important and how easy or difficult it might be to make them happen. Together your responses will help us identify the top five areas for us to concentrate on in 2011/12. If you are a service user, family carer, member of the public, health or social care staff or any other interested person or organisation, we want to hear from you. The closing date for responses is 7 April 2011. To take part visit www.smhp.nhs.uk or call 01473 329148.
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Have you heard about... Ipswich Concern Ipswich Concern is a counselling centre based in the centre of Ipswich. We are a charity and are affiliated to the Westminster Pastoral Foundation, an organisation that has many affiliates around the country. We have operated as a counselling centre for over 30 years. Our clients present with a variety of problems but our counsellors are well able to deal with the full range of difficulties from degrees of addiction to relationship type problems. We have around sixteen
qualified counsellors and around fifteen trainees as we are also a training organisation. Our model is psychodynamic, which means in many ways we are relational in the way that we work and we also look back in the clients past to discover if there is a history of repetitive and possibly destructive behaviour. This all may be very unconscious and it is the counsellor’s job to help the client discover what may or may not be buried and find difficult to access. Our counsellors are all trained to a very high
standard and all receive weekly in-house supervision. I (Sonia Richards) am a qualified psychoanalytic psychotherapist and I take clinical responsibility for all clients that come through the centre. We offer both long and short term counselling and all are rates are negotiable. They vary from £5.00 to £40.00. Do call me, Sonia, in the first instance to discuss whether you feel counselling may help you! I can be contacted on 01473 212788.
Modernisation project update Following the successful move of the staff and patients from Easton ward to the new Low Secure Unit, Foxhall House in November 2010 the team are now preparing themselves for the big inpatient moves from St Clements to the Newbourne Centre at Heath Road. The moving in plan is being developed with the senior ward staff. It is likely that the move to The 6
Newbourne Centre will be in the summer months of 2011. In the Centre, the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) known as Lark Ward is complete, meanwhile the three new wards and their garden areas continue to move towards completion. Over in the Wedgwood Unit, Bury St Edmunds the final details to the proposed decant plans have been agreed, thanks
to the cooperation of all the staff. A section of office accommodation is being vacated to enable the creation of a temporary 7 bedded ward area to accommodate part of the Westgate Ward. These initial accommodation moves will take place during February 2011 and the programme of work for the creation of the 7 bedded temporary ward area will start in March 2011.
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Register for merger updates Members of the community interested in the merger between Suffolk Mental Health NHS Partnership Trust and the Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust can now register to receive email updates about the programme. A decision was made in 2010 to investigate merging the two Trusts. The creation of a larger Trust will mean greater choice for service users as there will be more teams and clinicians for individuals to choose from. The email service ensures service users and family carers have direct access to information as the programme enters the
advanced stages of the approval process. To register: 1. Email the merger Programme Management Office, which is based at Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, on merger.pmo@nwmhp.nhs.uk
Email addresses will be added to a list that will only be used to distribute information about the merger. Registered users can expect to receive progress reports, dates of important meetings, or any other information relevant to the project as and when it is released by the Trusts.
2. Write “Register me for updates� in the subject heading. You do not have to put any other information identifying yourself.
Details will not be passed on to any other party and users may choose to remove their details at any time.
3. You willll receive an email from merger.pmo@nwmhp.nhs.uk confirming your registration.
If you have any questions about the merger, please telephone 01603 421421 ext 8042 or email merger.pmo@nwmhp.nhs.uk
Feedback form Please send ideas, thoughts, stories and queries using this form. You may cut out this section of the newsletter and send it to the freepost address on the next page. NAME (optional:) CONTACT DETAILS (optional:)
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USEFUL NUMBERS St Clement’s Hospital Tel: 01473 329000 Wedgwood House Tel: 01284 712761 PALS - SMHP Patient Advice and Liaison Service (Mon-Tue) 10am - 4pm (Wed) 10am-12pm Tel: 0800 585544 Merger information 01603 421421 Ext 8042 Request Quality Account questionnaire www.smhp.nhs.uk Tel: 01473 329148 Mark Stewart, Trust voluntary services coordinator Tel: 01473 329042
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Suffolk Family Carers’ Helpline (Mon-Fri) 9am-4pm Tel: 01473 232679 Suffolk User Forum (SUF) East Tel: 01473 329316 Suffolk User Forum (SUF) West Tel: 01284 713000 Ext 2316 Adders - national ADHD charity (24 hour Helpline) Tel: 01843 851145 www.adders.org Ipswich Concern Counselling Centre (Mon-Fri) 10am - 3pm Tel: 01473 212788 Leave a message on the answering machine out of hours.
CONTACT US If you would like further information on any of the news stories in this issue we will be happy to help. Contributions are welcomed, but may be edited. The Editorial Team Foundation Trust Office St Clement’s Hospital Freepost RRKY-AAKL-UEUS PO Box 170 IP3 8LS (No stamp needed.) Tel: 0800 585544 Email address: membership@smhp.nhs.uk Have a look at our websites to find out more about our services and campaigns: www.smhp.nhs.uk www.ifyouknew.co.uk