e-connect News from the Mental Health Team Faculty of Health and Applied Social Sciences
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The Erasmus Programme Innovate Dementia Food Glorious Food
Welcome to the Launch of e-connect ed 1 Editorial: e-connect (edition 1) is a quarterly electronic newsletter designed by the mental health teaching team at LJMU. The purpose of it is to develop stronger links between the team and the students and to discuss issues – both serious and light-hearted, which are relevant to academic and clinical practice. It is the intention of e-connect to educate, inform and entertain our readership – students and lecturers alike. e-connect has been designed to: • • •
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Promote good communication between the faculty and students Report on current activity within the faculty and the mental health team Inform the readership of research, educational, and employment opportunities within the mental health field. Inform the readership of new developments / services and initiatives in the treatment of mental health problems Report on professional issues within mental health nursing Discuss issues related to student life.
In each edition of e-connect there will be an education section called “Mental Health in Focus” which will concentrate on a particular
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Mental health condition Intervention or treatment Psychological Therapy
We also want to include a light-hearted element to this publication so each future issue will include
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Competitions Quizzes Recipes.
e-connect will be edited by Rebecca Rylance and Joe Johnson (contact details below) but we will be looking for your news items, stories and ideas for inclusion in the newsletter. If you have something you want to see included then you can contact: Rebecca @ R.Rylance@ljmu.ac.uk Joe @ J.Johnson@ljmu.ac.uk
“Merry Christmas to all our readers and a Happy New Year!”
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Welcome 02 Meet the Team 03 5 Minutes with Grahame Smith 04 The Erasmus Programme 05 Food Glorious Food 06 Twelve Days of Placement 07 Innovate Dementia 08 Dr. John’s Recipe Page 09 Publications 10 - 11 Quiz 12 First Year Survival Tips 13 Quiz Answers 14 Care Makers 15 Professional Profile 16 My Journey to Higher Education 17 Mental Health in Focus 18 BSc 09/12 Freshers 19 Mental Health Bytes 20
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5 minutes with... Grahame Smith: Q. Place where you were born? A. Braunstone Town, Leicester
Q. How long have you worked at LJMU? A. 10 years Q. Specialist topic/expertise A. Mental health philosophy & ethics Q. Best thing about working at LJMU? A. I get paid to talk Q. A fact that no-body knows about you A. I am a former world record holder* Q. In the current economic climate, and the instability within the NHS, how would graduating from LJMU be more advantageous that other Universities in the area a job A. Because we have strong partnership links with local MH trusts Q. Favourite food A Chocolate Q. If you could have super-power what would it be? A. All the powers of Captain Britain Q. Favourite Movie? A. Where Eagles Dare Q. My question is concerning the period we are send out on placement. would like to suggest that instead of two short 4 weeks spokes placement would it not be possible to have 8 weeks instead or at least 6 weeks. A. The focus on the hub-spoke placement structure is that the hub, which is a long placement, gives the student a settled placement where they can identify their needs and develop an effective working relationship with their mentor. The ‘spoke placements’ are about giving the student an opportunity to build on their hub learning, rather than being seen as a discreet placement in their own right, hence the reason why they are used for a shorter period of time. Thank you to the staff & students who posted questions!
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*The most people involved in making a daisy chain - 1981
The Erasmus Programme
European Commission Lifelong Learning Programme
The Erasmus programme is part of the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme and has been designed to promote staff and student mobility as well as staff training opportunities throughout Europe. This mobility is designed to enhance the quality of, and reinforce, the European dimension of transnational cooperation. This week the Faculty of Health & Applied Social Science’s Mental Health Team hosted Jukka Aho a 34 year old nurse teacher from Savonia University in Kuopio, Finland. During his time with the mental health team, he taught a number of students both adult and mental health and was able to view a variety of clinical placements in both Mersey Care Trust and 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. He was well received by staff and students alike and it is hoped that a member of the mental heath team will go out and visit Finland next year.
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Food Glorious Food Food Glorious Food, the brand new ITV series hosted by Carol Vorderman with judges Loyd Grossman, Anne Harrison, Tom Parker Bowles and Stacie Stewart was held on Saturday 17th November at the prestigious St George’s Hall in the heart of Liverpool. Invitations were sent out to the Emergency services across Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales to taste three dishes and choose the winner. The dishes were prepared by the semi-finalists hoping to win a prize of £20,000 and to see their food on the shelves of Marks and Spencer’s. The day began at 11am with an introduction from the TV crew and a champagne reception (in which LJMU students took full advantage :)). This quickly followed on to our pictures being taken outside the hall and being seated at the tables. We were provided with samples of the three dishes, ‘Pecorino Profiteroles’, ‘Chicken Korma’ and ‘Chicken Tikka surprise’. The day continued with us, as we placed our votes into a ballot box whilst we were filmed. By the end of the day of filming we were able to meet the winner and the runners up and had photos taken with the celebrities. As student nurses representing LJMU, we briefly discussed our roles and University with Loyd Grossman and Tom Parker Bowles, and Tom stated “It is so refreshing to meet real people doing real jobs, that are so crucial to the functioning of our Society” and wished us good luck in our future careers. It certainly was a fun, tasty and entertaining way to spend the afternoon. The show is to be aired in February and we can be seen on your screens in April 2013.
(L - R) Simon Nielson, Shelley O’Connor, Carol Vorderman Sinead Campbell Mohammadi & Jane Hobin
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The 12 weeks of Placement (Sung to the tune of the 12 days of Christmas)
Adapted by Deb Knott On the first week of placement my mentor gave to me...a Teapot to make the staff tea... http://www.tea.co.uk/make-a-perfect-brew
On the second week of placement my mentor gave to me...2 BNF’s and a teapot to make the staff tea!... British Journal of Nursing 16(17): 1101 (27 Sep 2007)
On the 3rd week of placement my mentor gave to me...3 CPA’s, 2 BNF’s and a teapot to make the staff tea... British Journal of Nursing 6(4): 208 - 214 (27 Feb 1997)
On the 4th week of placement my mentor gave to me...4 Risk assessments, 3 CPA’s, 2 BNF’s and a teapot to make the staff tea... British Journal of Healthcare Assistants 5(1): 31 - 34 (Jan 2011)
On the 5th week of placement my mentor gave to me...5 Drugs to learn (off by heart), 4 Risk Assessments, 3 CPA’s, 2 BNF’s and a teapot to make the staff tea... Nurse Prescribing 10(9): 424 - 427 (Sep 2012)
On the 6th week of placement my mentor gave to me...6 Midway feedbacks, 5 Drugs to learn off by heart!), 4 Risk Assessments, 3 CPA’s, 2 BNF’s and a teapot to make the staff tea... British Journal of Nursing 20(15): 933 - 937 (11 Aug 2011)
On the 7th week of placement my mentor gave to me...7 Action plans, 6 Midway Feedbacks, 5 Drugs to learn (off by heart!), 4 Risk Assessments, 3 CPA’s, 2 BNF’s and a teapot to make the staff tea... British Journal of Nursing 16(10): 594 - 598 (24 May 2007)
On the 8th week of placement my mentor gave to me...8 Reviews to lead, 7 Action Plans, 6 Midway Feedbacks, 5 Drugs to learn (off by heart!), 4 Risk Assessments, 3 CPA’s, 2 BNF’s and a teapot to make the staff tea... Nursing & Residential Care 6(3): 135 - 136 (Mar 2004)
On the 9th week of placement my mentor gave to me...9 Formal admissions, 8 Reviews to lead, 7 Action Plans, 6Midway Feedbacks, 5 Drugs to learn (off by heart!), 4 Risk Assessments, 3 CPA’s, 2 BNF’s and a teapot to make the staff tea... British Journal of Community Nursing 10(5): 236 - 242 (May 2005)
On the 10th week of placement my mentor gave to me...10 Essential Skills, 9 Formal Admissions, 8 Reviews to lead, 7 Action Plans, 6Midway Feedbacks, 5 Drugs to learn (off by heart!), 4 Risk Assessments, 3 CPA’s, 2 BNF’s and a teapot to make the staff tea... http://www.mhhe.heacademy.ac.uk/silo/files/tenescpdf.pdf
On the 11th week of placement my mentor gave to me...11 Written care plans, 10 Essential Skills, 9 Formal Admissions, 8 Reviews to lead, 7 Action Plans, 6Midway Feedbacks, 5 Drugs to learn (off by heart!), 4 Risk Assessments, 3 CPA’s, 2 BNF’s and a teapot to make the staff tea...
Butterworth, Cathy. Nursing Older People. Oct2012, Vol. 24 Issue 8, p21-26. 6p.
On the 12th week of placement my mentor gave to me...a signed off OAR!, 11 written Care Plans’ 10 Essential Skills,9 Formal Admissions, 8 Reviews to lead, 7 Action Plans, 6Midway Feedbacks, 5 Drugs to learn (off by heart!), 4 Risk Assessments, 3 CPA’s, 2 BNF’s And now I have a first class honours degree... Shirey, Maria R. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. Sep2009, Vol. 40 Issue 9, p394-400. 7p. 1 Chart
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Innovate Dementia is a transnational project that consists of eight collaborating partners from four regions in North West Europe including Liverpool John Moores University. This aims to develop innovative approaches and use the latest technology to address the needs of the growing number of people with dementia across north west Europe with partnerships in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the UK.
“There is a pressing need to develop innovative and cost effective approaches across North West Europe for people living with dementia, though it is important to recognise that the most successful technologies are the ones that ‘fit’ with the real needs of the user.” Grahame Smith
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The collaboration between LJMU and Mersey Care NHS Trust combines clinical expertise with academic and business development skills and experience to address the issues faced by people living with dementia in an innovative way. Globally it was estimated that in 2011, 35.6 million people were living with dementia, however it is estimated that this figure will almost double every 20 years. The project will focus on four key areas for development - the use of intelligent lighting; nutrition; exercise; and living environments. Innovate Dementia will draw together current research evidence and best practice and use this to influence the development of new technologies and lifestyles to both prevent the onset of dementia, and enable people to live well with the condition once diagnosed. The involvement of people with dementia is central to the project. It uses an ‘Open Lab’ approach which brings people living with dementia together with businesses to explore the issues facing them. The businesses will then develop innovative solutions to those issues. The solutions will then be tested out either in people’s homes, wards or care home environments and these are known as ‘Living Labs’.
What you will need: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
A packet of minced beef. A tin of kidney beans in chilli sauce A jar of arrabiata sauce Some pasta penne Cheddar cheese. Olive oil
Dr John’s Hot Beef with Pasta! What you will need to do: 1. Take a small amount of olive oil and warm it in a pan. 2. Brown the mince making sure not to let it stick. 3. At the same time add some cold water to a pan and put it on to boil. 4. Add the kidney beans and sauce and reduce the heat to a low simmer. 5. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to instructions (don’t forget add a little salt to the water). 6. Once the pasta has cooked drain and add to the sauce. Make sure that each bit of pasta is coated in sauce. 7. Dish the pasta into bowls and cover in grated cheese.
If you want it a little hotter add a few splashes of tobasco!
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Mental health team launch ground breaking book for mental health nurse students and professionals. looking for a guide to the main psychological therapies and interventions available in practice.
With psychological interventions increasingly used in mental health nursing and the importance to patient treatment recognised by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the book is expected to prove a valuable and important tool for many mental health nursing students and professionals and is currently number 1 on Amazon’s best seller list. Mental health problems are common, with one in four people thought to suffer some form of mental health illness in their lifetime. Conditions can be long lasting and can have a serious impact on quality of life for individuals and their families and carers. Outcomes have been shown to improve by good practice-based interventions, including psychological therapies, highlighting the need for such a book. This groundbreaking book, Psychological Interventions in Mental Health Nursing, is the ideal resource for trainee and qualified mental health nurses or healthcare professionals
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“We’re really excited about the book as there are currently no other books like it in the nursing arena,” says Author, Grahame Smith, Principal Lecturer and Head of the Mental Health, Social Work and Counselling Department. “Books that are currently available tend to focus on interventions at a broad level or focus on one specific intervention so we’re delighted to bring this new resource to the field.” The book was launched at the Energise for Excellence in Mental Health & Learning Disability Nursing Conference. Grahame added: “The book and the conference encapsulates the effective working relationship that the mental health team at LJMU has with its practice partners.” Built around the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (2010) standards for pre-registration nursing education and written by experts in the field, the book explains which interventions are most effective for each of the more common mental health disorders. It also shows you how these interventions work in practice and illustrates the skills required to use them in practice, using examples from real practioners’ experiences. Particular attention is paid to the ethical context of psychological interventions and challenges readers to question their underlying beliefs, values and assumptions.
Psychological interventions within mental health nursing practice have always been a high priority, as reflected in the Department of Health’s (2006) guidance for pre-registration mental health nursing programmes and the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (2010) standards for pre-registration nursing. These documents emphasize the need for contemporary mental health nursing students to develop skills and knowledge that improve care outcomes for mental health service users both at a broad level such as communication skills, and at a specific level such as psychosocial interventions. “The mental health nursing lecturers within the Faculty have long recognised that delivering effective psychological interventions is a crucial part of the contemporary mental health nurse’s practice and certainly over the last few years this is something that has also been reflected in pre-registration mental health nurse training programmes” explains Grahame. The book has been a real team effort and is testament to the dedicated Mental Health Nursing Team who began writing the book in August 2010. Each member of the team produced a chapter either on their own or with a fulltime practitioner, with Grahame taking on the role of editor/author. “This book provides excellent foundations in common psychological interventions that
are used in mental health and other fields of nursing. Each chapter uses a scenario, which helps to apply the concepts to the real world of providing healthcare. This is reinforced by the robust manner in which the text signposts readers to examples which they may use or test out in their day to day practice of mental health nursing.” Paul Barber, Senior Lecturer, University of Chester, UK “This accessible scenario based text gets to the heart of how to effectively integrate psychological values and emotional intelligence with professional, ethical and cognitive skills to develop a meaningful collaborative therapeutic relationship with mental health service users and their families. The language, style, and format is engaging and linked to mental health field-specific competencies which all pre-
registration mental health nurses must now achieve to graduate and register with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC 2010).” Linda Cooper, Professional Head Mental Health Nursing, Learning Disability and Psychosocial Care, Cardiff University, UK (former Chair Mental Health Nurse Academics UK) “This book takes you on a developmental journey of psychological interventions and provides a good grounding in the subject. It is one of few that successfully endeavours to preserve the true meaning of the service user’s experience whilst promoting the importance of clinical effectiveness and evidence base. This is an ideal text for student nurses and qualified practitioners and is particularly rewarding given the balance of authors from a clinical, academic and research background.” Dr
Joy A Duxbury, Head of Centre of Mental Health and Wellbeing, University of Central Lancashire, UK “Whether you struggle with mental health as a service user, or a student embarking on a career in mental health nursing, you will find this book accessible and useful. It provides students and health professionals from a variety of backgrounds the opportunity to advance their knowledge and skills, and offers a developing and innovative approach that will place them at the forefront of mental health practice.” Robert Walker, Fellow Member of the Institute of Mental Health and Associate Expert for the School of Inclusion and Communities, UK. This book can be purchased online from: www.amazon.co.uk
Proud to Publish Each member of the Mental HealthTeam have published one or more chapters in the book ‘Psychological Interventions in Mental Health Nursing’. Maidenhead, Open University Press Smith, Grahame Smith, G. (Editor) (2012) Psychological Interventions in Mental Health Nursing. Maidenhead, Open University Press 2012 ‘Panel Member’ - International Social Work Seminar (Liverpool) 2012 Innovations in Dementia: Nutrition & Exercise (Innovate Dementia launch event – AAL Conference Eindhoven) 2012 ‘Innovative mental health care in aging societies: a critical perspective’ (18th International Network for Psychiatric Nursing Research conference - Keble College, Oxford) Karen Rea 5th world Congress on Deafness and Mental Health in Monterey, Mexico – May 2012. Co –authored paper that Lisa and Kevin Baker presented to LJMU teaching and learning conference – June 2012 Rylance & Harrison Rylance, R., Harrison, J. and Chapman, H. (2012) ‘Who assesses the physical health of inpatients with serious mental illness? Mental Health Practice, 16 , (2) May Baker Mental Health Nursing Case Book (Case Book Series) (2012) edited by Nick Wrycraft. My chapters were Substance Misuse and Substance Misuse in Older People. OU publisher.
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Mental Health Quiz
Depression 1) People with depression can snap out of it if they would only put their minds to it True or false 2) Depression can be a debilitating condition True or false 3) Although all people experience mood swings, clinical depression is actually rare? True or false 4) All people with depression present as sad, tearful and unhappy True or false 5) Depression does not have physical symptoms
6) Depression can be triggered by a stressful life event True or False 7) Some people with severe depression can experience auditory hallucinations True or False 8) Chronic physical illness can lead to depression True or False 9) Clinical depression is a normal part of the ageing process True or False 10) Recreational drugs that give you a high are unlikely to affect depression. True or False
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This book can be purchased online from: www.amazon.co.uk
True or false
Getting through the first year: Survival tips from Niall Colgan BSc 09/11 What has been the most difficult thing you have experienced during your first year? The hardest thing was the early morning starts. Other difficulties would be managing my finances, people deciphering my Belfast accent, the responsibility of the course and the standard of work. What has been your biggest success so far? Passing first year Any tips about placements? Get stuck in with anything on placement that staff ask you to do. Before starting a new placement read the plss website and various topics around the placement. There’s no such thing as a stupid question, if unsure ask. Another tip would be to bring a small notepad so anything you hear on the ward you can read up on it in your free time. Any tips about the paperwork (Practice assessments records) Make sure you get all your paperwork signed off at the end of each placement, don’t leave it for months and months. If confused about paperwork ask other students or university staff, don’t guess. What do you wish you’d been told when you first started that might have helped you? Not for me personally but a few people I know have mentioned that when they first started placement they didn’t know how to do a bed bath etc. so I think the uni should look into more sessions around activities of daily living Who do you tend to speak to most within the faculty? I usually only speak to staff when summoned, but staff are friendly and always willing to help. If you are not comfortable talking to staff get in contact with your student mentor, they are there to help you through your first year. How do you manage assignments/ shifts etc? You should enjoy your first year, don’t get stressed out, as long as you keep on top of your work you’ll be fine. When doing assignements always remember to reference your work during writing the essay don’t leave the referencing to the end. Use first year as a learning curve when progressing into the second year. Have you accessed any study skills support -? Has it been useful if you have? One that I wish I did attend would be for Harvard style referencing.
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Answers to Quiz: 1 (Answer False) There used to be a misconception that depression is all in the mind and that people should be able to pull themselves out of it. Researchers have since found that people with depression have an altered balance of chemicals in the brain, and this has led to the recognition that depression is a serious illness that needs treatment. 2 (Answer: True) Depression can have a large impact on a person’s life, making it difficult for them to work, maintain their interests and look after their family. Depression can be more disabling than many physical illnesses. 3 (Answer: False) Clinical depression is a common condition throughout the western world 4 (Answer: False) Although some people with depression do appear depressed, others do not. For a diagnosis of depression to be made, people do not necessarily have to feel down or sad; some people instead experience loss of interest or enjoyment in activities that used to bring them pleasure. 5 (Answer; False) Physical symptoms like weight gain or loss, fatigue, headaches and muscle aches, and gastrointestinal disturbances such as indigestion, constipation and diarrhoea are quite common in depression. 6 (Answer: True) Depression can be triggered by a stressful or upsetting episode in your life. However, this is not always the case some people experience depression out of the blue. 7 (Answer: True) A very severe form of depression known as psychotic depression can cause people to hear voices. They may also develop the unshakeable but false belief that they are the cause of certain bad things, such as natural disasters, happening in the world. However, this form of depression is uncommon (15 per cent of all episodes of clinical depression 8 (Answer: True) Having a chronic illness such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease or an underactive thyroid puts you at greater risk of depression than people without a chronic illness. In some cases this is due to the stress of living with the illness, while in other cases it’s a direct result of the effects of the illness on the brain 9) (Answer False) It is a misconception that clinical depression is a normal part of the ageing process and that it is bound to happen as people age. 10 (Answer: False) Recreational drugs such as amphetamines and MDMA (ecstasy) disturb chemicals in the brain and can trigger depression or make it worse. This is also the case for alcohol. Although people with depression are sometimes tempted to take these substances to improve their mood, it is not a good idea and is only likely to make things worse. Score
How much do you know about depression?
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Your knowledge of depression could be improved. Try reading the information supplied with each true-or-false statement to find out more. You could also ask your doctor for further advice.
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Your level of knowledge about depression is average. Try improving your knowledge level by reading the information displayed in this quiz, and don’t forget to ask your doctor for further advice.
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Congratulations! Your knowledge of depression is above average. To keep up-to-date with the latest information about sun protection, remember to ask your doctor for further advice.
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_signs_types_diagnosis_treatment.htm
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LJMU Nursing student channels the Olympic spirit as a ‘Care Maker’ at the Chief Nursing Officer Conference
Faculty of Health and Applied Social Sciences student nurse, Jessica Partington, was successfully selected for one of the prestigious 50 places at the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) conference in Manchester 2012. She gained a place to attend the conference as a ‘Care Maker’, a role that hopes to encompass the Olympic spirit and reflect the inspirational legacy of the games makers. 250 people applied for one of the prestigious places by submitting a written statement about why they would make a brilliant care maker and why they should be chosen. Jane Cummmings, Chief Nursing Officer for England, commented on the Care Maker role: “The volunteers will be the cheerful, friendly face of the conference and ensure the participants are uplifted and inspired as a result. In addition to volunteering, they will also become ambassadors for the nursing and midwifery vision in their local
community and organisations to inspire others to embed the vision in everyday practice.” The Care Makers had a number of tasks at the event, including welcoming participants, running twitter surgeries for directors of nursing, tweeting from the event to engage the wider community and acting as vision ambassadors for the #6Cs campaign following the event. As well as attending the conference, Jessica took part in a ‘Webinar’ prior to the event, where she connected online with other care makers. From the event Jessica gained fantastic networking opportunities with fellow students and potential employers at the conference, as well as providing her with training and the chance to be part of the team responsible for spreading the CNO vision across England.
for England and the head of the Royal College of Nursing. We had a message from Lord Seb Coe on how inspired and delighted he was that his vision for the Games Makers at the Olympics has continued through us. We also had a speech from the Secretary of State for Health. I also met the deputy Nursing Director for Mersey Care, from whom I received some brilliant advice she conveyed her pride in what we were doing. I listened to most of the speeches delivered at the conference, and attended motivational and leadership workshops. I was involved in meeting and registering the delegates and worked to provide the ‘friendly face’ of the conference. Finally, I had a lot of fun!! I attended the evening wine reception and meal and felt fully accepted and welcomed as part of the conference despite the participants being some of the most powerful people in healthcare.”
“I met the Chief Nursing Officer
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Professional profile
Peter Graham Senior Nurse: Care Planning
Peter Graham is an experienced mental health nurse who has held a variety of clinical positions within Mersey Care NHS Trust. As an Honorary Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, he has taught on both undergraduate and post graduate modules within the Faculty of Health and Applied Social Sciences. Currently seconded to the role of Senior Nurse for Care Planning across Mersey Care NHS Trust until July 2013, Peter agreed to be interviewed and share his aims and objectives for his new position. Peter’s passion and drive for service user led care planning is quite evident, as he describes his ambition for service users to collaboratively draw up their own care plans. “The care plan should be goal centred, written in the service users own words and reflect not only the service user’s needs, but their strengths and aspirations” states Peter. Since taking up his post, Peter has completed an extensive care planning scoping exercise with professionals from all over the UK, parts of Europe and even as far as Australia. He has facilitated a number of service user events, consulted with clinical staff from Mersey Care Trust and linked into the local Higher Education Institutions to inform and enlighten his project. Peter has since brought together a number of working groups tasked with examining key care planning themes ranging from assessment processes to possible Recovery Colleges. The staff at Liverpool John Moores University wish Peter every success with his new post and hope that he will report back to us on his progress in next seasons edition of e-connect. Interviewed by Rebecca Rylance
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My Journey to Higher Education... Robert Walker shares his story One in four people like me will experience mental health difficulties at some point in their lives and for me part of my recovery journey and self management of my well-being has been returning to Higher Education at Liverpool John Moore’s University. I began this journey initially with the support of my local mental health trust Cheshire & Wirral Partnership NHS when they funded my place on the Universities Leadership & Empowerment course which I successfully completed in 2006. This course enabled me to regain allot more self confidence which I had lost when I had my first breakdown in 1988,further education has allowed me to feel allot less social isolated which in turn has contributed to my wellbeing. I have regained a lot of self confidence and now have the skills to stand up in front of a class and teach students about what it is like to live with a fluctuating mental health problem, this I find very empowering because I am able to help educate people from “Lived Experience” perspectives. When I became unwell initially I avoided getting up and talking in front of people but now I feel that I have put these demons to rest.
I was delighted that in 2010 LJMU gave me Honorary Lecturer status which enabled me to do the 3’is teaching programme which I thoroughly enjoyed because all my teaching needs were met by the staff development team led by Dr. Clare Milsom I do feel that people with mental health difficulties will, through learning and skills provision, be able to lead active
and fulfilling lives, as part of their communities and on into meaningful employment. I know for me getting involved with LJMU either as a student, honorary lecturer or trustee has enabled me to see myself other than a service user. I am very excited about my future involvement with the university especially getting involved in module design, validation, teaching and assessment.
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Mental Health in Focus IAPT - Improving Access to Psychological Therapies The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme supports the frontline NHS in implementing National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for people suffering from common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety disorders. It evolved from a paper first tabled by health economist Lord Richard Layard in 2005. Layard reasoned that funding by the Department of Health (DH) to improve provision of psychological therapies in the treatment of depression and anxiety, would positively impact on the number of people who are fit to work. This increase would consequently reduce the cost of Incapacity Benefit for this section of the population, leading to potential savings for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Layard strengthened this economic argument with a moral and clinical one highlighting the inequitable and patchy nature of current psychological therapy provision, long waiting times, and lack of consistency in implementing NICE guidelines for depression and anxiety. Based on the NICE guidelines (2004), Layard’s proposed solution was for the provision of treatment centres offering evidence based psychological therapies and psychological support. This proposal achieved £3.7million funding to set up demonstration sites in Doncaster and Newham, and saw the launch of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme (IAPT) in England. In 2010 the service was opened to adults of all ages. From 2011, its focus has broadened, following publication of Talking Therapies: a four-year plan of action, one of a suite of documents supporting No Health Without Mental Health, the cross-Government mental health strategy for people of all ages. In the four years to April 2015: • the nationwide roll-out of psychological therapy services for adults will be completed, • a stand-alone programme for children and young people will be initiated, and • models of care for people with long-term physical conditions, medically unexplained symptoms and severe mental illness will be developed. Evidence shows this approach can save the NHS up to £272million and the wider public sector will benefit by more than £700 million. By 31 March 2011: • 142 of the 151 Primary Care Trusts in England had a service from this programme in at least part of their area and just over 50 per cent of the adult population had access, • 3,660 new cognitive behavioural therapy workers had been trained, and • over 600,000 people started treatment, over 350,000 completed it, over 120,000 moved to recovery and over 23,000 came off sick pay or benefits (between October 2008 and 31 March 2011). For Further Information visit the following websites http://www.bacp.co.uk/iapt/ http://kingsfund.blogs.com/health_management/2012/12/improving-access-to-psychological-therapies-iapt-three-year-report-the-first-million-patients.html http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2011/10/improved-mental-health-therapies-for-children/
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Welcome to the BSc 09/12 Freshers. Here they are having a well-earned drink in the student union following the ‘Treasure Hunt’
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Mental Health Bytes Web links to recent articles The Abandoned Illness. A report by the Schizophrenia Commission http://www.schizophreniacommission.org.uk/the-report/ The Welfare Reform Act 2012 http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/welfarereform.html Liberating the NHS: No decision about me without me http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_ digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_134218.pdf The Health & Social Care Act 2012 http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/files/2012/06/A1.-FactsheetOverview-240412.pdf IAPT three year report: the first million patients http://www.iapt.nhs.uk/silo/files/iapt-3-year-report.pdf NMC Applying ‘the code’ to the use of social networking sites http://www.nmc-uk.org/Nurses-and-midwives/Regulation-inpractice/Regulation-in-Practice-Topics/Social-networking-sites/ We hope you have found e-connect edition 1 informative and entertaining. Please drop us an email with your feedback and any thoughts, ideas or suggestions for future editions. Next edition of E connect will be Spring 2013 All that remains for us to say on behalf of the Mental Health teaching team is “Have a great Christmas and happy and successful 2013” Rebecca & Joe
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