InsightSpring 2020 Issue 97 FREE

Celebrating Celebrating our mental our mental health nurseshealth nurses

Have your say Have your say on new wardson new wards

Coronavirus: Coronavirus: wellbeing supportwellbeing support

2 Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Insight | Spring 2020 3

I am writing following the publication of the results of the CQC’s latest inspection of our services, which took place in October 2019. As you may already be aware, we were given an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’, having been considered ‘inadequate’ following a previous inspection around a year earlier.

In its report, the CQC praised the Trust for making “early improvements in almost all areas” and singled out older people’s services for particular praise.

Although we recognise that there is still more to do, this is an encouraging start for us and a direct result of the hard work and dedication our staff have shown to driving through improvements for the people who use our services and their carers. My thanks go to them all.

The kindness and compassion they show was also recognised by the CQC.

It is important that we keep up this momentum so we can continue to make progress

towards our ambition of delivering high-quality and effective services for our patients and be in the top quarter of mental health trusts by 2023 for quality and safety.

We are on a long improvement journey and I firmly believe we’re moving in the right direction.

– A word from our CEO – – Have your say on new wards –

Moving in the right direction

Contents

Have your say on 3 new wards

CQC update 4-5

New scheme for Peer 6 Support Workers

Physical and mental 7 health − Closing the Gap

Mental Health 8-9 Nurses’ Day

Putting People First 10

Focus on psychosis team 11

Homelessness 12

Meet your Governors 13

Why growing is good 14

Bright outlook for wards 15

All you need to know 16

About Insight

Insight is produced by the NSFT Communications Team, working with service users, carers and mental health professionals to bring you stories about mental health issues that affect people in Norfolk and Suffolk.

You can read Insight online at: nsft.uk/insight. If you have any feedback, please email ‘Insight Editor’ at: nsft.communications @nsft.nhs.uk

If you are affected by any of the issues covered and are unsure how to access support, contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) – contact details on the back cover of this issue.

Multi-million pound plans to further improve safety and quality for patients receiving care from Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) came under the spotlight during a visit by a local MP.

Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North, visited Hellesdon Hospital in January to meet NSFT Chief Executive Jonathan Warren and hear more about proposals to develop state-of-the-art new facilities over the coming years.

It comes after the Trust was awarded £38m in Government funding, which it plans to use for a modern, purpose-built unit to which four of its existing, wards will relocate. A fifth, new 16-bed ward will also be created so NSFT can increase its capacity, in turn reducing the number of patients travelling outside of the area for treatment.

In total, the five wards will provide 80 beds – 15 more than are currently available on the Hellesdon site.

During the visit, Ms Smith learned more about the plans, which could include a gym, outside spaces, therapy areas and a multi-use games area, before touring meadowland below the site’s existing lower plateau, where it is likely that the development would be built.

Ms Smith said: “I’m delighted to see the real commitment to mental health that the Government is making. Ensuring local NHS services have the resources they need is one of my key priorities and I will continue to fight for this.”

Mr Warren said: “Although our plans are still at a very early stage, we are confident that this project will make a real difference to the people who use our services

and their carers by significantly improving the environment in which they receive care, in turn leading to better clinical outcomes.”

Ward improvement plans showcased during MP visit

Chloe Smith MP and Jonathan Warren, NSFT Chief Executive, at Hellesdon Hospital.

Help shape future care We want to fully involve local people in planning and delivering this major project and are now looking for service users and carers with experience of inpatient services to get involved.

You will need to have had experience of the Trust’s inpatient services – either as a service user or carer – within the past five years.

Your level of involvement can be as much or as little as you like. It can be a one-off meeting, regular attendance at planning sessions, or the occasional focus group. It may be that you would just like to be on our mailing list to receive news about the development of the project or take part in an on-line survey. Either way you will play an important role in this exciting new project.

If you would like to get involved, visit the NSFT website at: nsft.uk/hellesdonnewwards

Alternatively, please email: hellesdonnewwards@nsft.nhs.uk or call 01603 421563.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

This project will make a real difference to the people who use our services and their carers

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Insight magazine

Jonathan Warren Chief Executive Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

You can read more about the CQC report on pages 4 and 5

Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice and support

As Insight was going to press, our Trust’s attentions turned to facing the physical and mental health challenges of coronavirus (also called COVID-19).

NSFT is working as part of the national response to manage the spread and impact of the virus. We are working hard to provide mental health care to

those who need it throughout this difficult time.

You will find helpful information and links to resources on our website, which is regularly updated: www.nsft.nhs.uk We’re also active on social media (#NSFTjoinin), sharing ways to support your wellbeing.

4 Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Insight | Spring 2020 5

– Dedication pays off – – Dedication pays off –

Praise for staff who support older people

The Trust’s services for older people were consistently rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), in its report published in January.

This followed an inspection of the Trust last autumn, when the CQC found “early improvements in almost all areas” and gave NSFT an improved overall rating.

NSFT Chief Executive Jonathan Warren, who took up post in April last year, said he was pleased that the hard work and dedication of staff had been recognised by the regulator.

He added: “This is a move in the right direction. We are also starting to see some of the improvements we are putting in place come to fruition.

“We recognise that the next 12 months and beyond are crucial.

Our improvement plan, which has regular oversight by our regulators, is being refreshed and informed by working closely with all our services to determine our priorities for the next six months.

“Our ambition remains for NSFT to deliver high-quality and effective services for our patients and be in the top quarter of mental health trusts nationally for quality and safety by 2023.”

Overall, the Trust is ‘Outstanding’ in one service (The Dragonfly Unit at Carlton Colville – a young people’s psychiatric unit).

Willows Ward, Woodlands Unit, IpswichThe ward for older people with mental health needs at NSFT’s Woodlands Unit is on the site of Ipswich Hospital. It has 21 beds and provides assessment, care and treatment for men and women with a functional mental health diagnosis, such as schizophrenia, depression and other mood disorders, and dementia.

Modern Matron Tara Brown (pictured left) said: “The priority for the team on Willows is ensuring that all service users and their families receive care and interventions that are safe, effective and tailored to the needs of individuals.

“All members of staff support each other, which is one of the reasons why we’re successful at recruiting nursing staff and able to retain them.”

West Norfolk Older People’s Service

Julian Hospital, NorwichThe hospital has a total of 54 beds across four wards for older people with mental health needs.

Modern matron Andrew Lillywhite said: “Clinicians across the multidisciplinary team identified and implemented quality initiatives that have improved the delivery of care for patients and carers.

“These initiatives have been led

by the staff who are passionate about their work and include implementing Red2Green across all four wards, which identifies clinical and social delays in a patient’s journey. This has had a significant positive impact.”

The Julian Hospital was the

first mental health provider to introduce a coaching model called CLiP where qualified staff and a practice facilitator coach students undertaking their degree in mental health nursing, and which has helped with the recruitment and retention of nurses at the hospital.

Staff outside Hammerton Court (Julian Hospital), which has three wards (Beach, Reed and Rose) for patients with a diagnosis of dementia. Fifth from the left in the back row is Andrew Lillywhite, Modern Matron.

Bury South IDT’s Older People’s TeamThe Bury South Integrated Delivery Team (IDT) has an Older People’s Team which provides community mental health support.

The team supports individuals who experience mental health challenges, including dementia, psychosis and depression, and their families.

Lauren Talbot, a senior mental health nurse in the team, said: “Providing a person-centred approach to care and support and assessing any physical, psychological or social need enables the individual to receive the most appropriate care, support and treatment.

“We take pride in working well together and supporting each other, which is achieved by sharing knowledge, skills and experience.”

The service, based in Chatterton House, King’s Lynn, consists of three teams – Dementia and Intensive Support (DIST), Community Mental Health (CMHT) and Memory Assessment and Treatment Service (MATS).

Paul Collier, a non-medical prescriber (NMP) nurse with MATS, said: “Our service is relatively new, but has already resulted in improvements for people in west Norfolk who are starting to have worries about their memory.

“Previously, there was only one non-medical prescriber but I am now one of three NMPs, which has speeded up the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients.

“We’re also about to start

treatment clinics at Chatterton House, which is a more efficient way of working.

“Our service receives a high quantity of feedback, which is overwhelmingly positive, with many of the comments focusing on how professional, supportive and helpful they find it.”

Service user Robert Wright, 79, from Dersingham, said the MATS had been very good.

“We’ve had support from the start and that support is continuing,” he said. “Everyone we’ve met has been very friendly and very helpful. We would encourage anyone with memory problems to have an assessment to get the help and support they need as soon as they can.”

Robert Wright, right, at his home in Dersingham with Paul Collier.

In a report by health regulators, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) scored particularly highly for its older people’s services. Here we take a look at some of the caring staff who provide this vital support.

6 Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Insight | Spring 2020 7

– Closing the Gap –– We’re listening –

Patients in Great Yarmouth and Waveney are now being given extra support to ease the transition between services and towards recovery, thanks to the rollout of Peer Support Workers (PSWs) in GP surgeries.

The PSWs have been introduced by Mind after members of the Hearing Voices Support Group discussed the difficulties some service users and carers were experiencing when moving from their GP to Northgate Hospital or the Wellbeing service.

Gary Walker, NSFT People Participation Lead for Great Yarmouth and Waveney, said: “We had an amazing turnout of 24 service users and carers and got talking about the pathway and how we could improve this transition.

“One service user said he wished he could have spoken to a Peer Support Worker at the start, as they would have been able to explain what he could do to help

himself. He told me his PSW ‘took the blinkers off’ for him and made him realise he was the expert in what was going on in his own head. He and his PSW looked at coping strategies, discussed how to get out of the same four walls and reconnect with family, all of which reignited hope in him.”

Following the meeting, Gary set up a working group of service users, carers and staff to develop the idea, which he went on to present to around 100 GPs, as well as attending a Primary Care Network committee in Norwich.

He added: “I’m so proud that our Trust listened to the voice of our service users and carers. It was a privilege to be able to ensure their voices were heard.”

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has pledged its support to a campaign to ensure that people with serious mental illness (SMI) can also access timely care for their physical health.

Equally Well UK was launched in September 2018 to promote and support collaborative action to improve physical health among people with a SMI. Its aim is to help reduce premature mortality for people with a long-term mental health condition.

Kevin James, NSFT’s Service User Governor for Norfolk and a Lived Experience Advisor for Equally Well, said: “A whole-person approach by primary and secondary care services for people with severe mental illness, who may also have physical health

conditions, is vitally important in closing the mortality gap.

“By signing the charter, NSFT is showing its commitment to treating physical and mental health equally.“

Diane Hull, Chief Nurse with NSFT, said: “We know that physical and mental health are closely linked, and that people living with mental health difficulties can often neglect their physical health too.

“That is why it is so important for us to support the people who use our services in all aspects of their lives and be advocates of both good physical and mental health.”

NSFT signed the charter following the launch of a three-year Physical Health Strategy to help

Physical and mental health are of ‘equal importance’

NSFT’s Dr Dan Dalton, Chief Medical Officer; Diane Hull, Chief Nurse; and Kevin James, Governor, signing up to the Charter for Equal Health.

How writing helped with author’s recovery

The Winter 2019/20 Insight featured an interview with Jane Rowe, bestselling author, about how writing helped in her recovery.

Unfortunately, the weblink to her page was printed incorrectly. It should have read: www.janerowebooks.com We apologise for any confusion.

Trust Members help set priorities

Members of NSFT were given the opportunity to tell the Trust what is going well and what could be improved at a series of events across Norfolk and Suffolk.

The successful Annual Plan Consultation Events, which were run by Governors, provided valuable feedback to the Council of Governors who will use it to inform their priorities and to represent the Trust membership in the 2020/21 Annual Plan.

Across the events, Members praised caring frontline staff, the move to clinically-led Care Groups and the new People Participation Leads helping to gain greater service user and carer participation.

They suggested more support for carers and greater collaboration with voluntary organisations and primary care, particularly in supporting people to be cared for closer to home.

The Annual Plan will be published in April and NSFT will feedback to members throughout the year.

Find out more about our Governors and becoming a Trust Member on pages 12-13.

Strategy focuses on whole personOur Physical Health Strategy is based on the whole person approach and ensuring better integrated care.

Key areas to ensure improved physical health outcomes for our service users are:

l Prevent the development of long-term physical health conditions with earlier recognition and response to reduce acute hospital admissions

l Promote embedding the “making every contact count” approach where health promotion is integrated into core care activities

l Protect by making sure physical health screening and recording is timely, appropriate and comprehensive

The urgency to address the physical health needs of people with learning disabilities and mental health conditions is widely felt by our service users and their carers.

The fundamental role of the Trust in providing physical health care is for staff to recognise when there is a physical health problem, monitor and record findings and refer/signpost to the appropriate service.

Gary Walker, NSFT People Participation Lead for Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

I am so proud that our Trust listened to the voice of our service users and carers

For moreinformation, visit www.equallywell.co.uk

Peer support helps people along their recovery journey

ensure service users receive the right screening and treatment to meet their physical as well as mental healthcare needs.

8 Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Insight | Spring 2020 9

– Mental Health Nurses’ Day –– Mental Health Nurses’ Day –

Celebrating the dedication of our valuable nursing staff

To nominate a member of our staff in the Public Choice categories of the Putting People First Awards, see page 10

Find outabout a career in nursing and

current vacancies at nsft.uk/career

A community mental health nurse who took the plunge to pursue her dream job after having a family has encouraged others to follow her lead.

Ellie Anderson spent seven years as a support worker with a private company helping people with mental health difficulties to live independently before deciding to complete her degree and become a nurse when her daughter was 14 months old.

She joined NSFT shortly after qualifying in September 2018,

and now works as a community mental health nurse based at Chatterton House in King’s Lynn.

“I really enjoy my job and being given the opportunity to be part of someone’s recovery.

“I would tell other people who are thinking about going into mental health nursing that it will change your life forever. Although it can be tough at times, if you are passionate about it and are given the right support, it is incredibly fulfilling.”

Sandy Johnstone always felt drawn to mental healthcare after witnessing the impact which drug use and depression can have while growing up in a remote part of Scotland.

Determined to help people facing some of the difficulties he had witnessed, he completed a health and social care course before going on to study for a degree in mental health nursing. He is now working as a community mental health nurse with NSFT’s Early

Intervention in Psychosis team – and is enjoying every minute.

“The attraction of mental health nursing for me came from my personal experiences of seeing people struggling,” said Sandy. “I felt real empathy with those facing difficulties after witnessing the problems they faced.

“Mental health doesn’t pick and choose who it affects, which means we have the privilege of meeting lots of different people.”

A newly-qualified nurse who started his working life as a kitchen porter has spoken of his excitement at earning his nursing pin and beginning the next chapter of his career.

Mark Nichols joined NSFT 22 years ago at St Andrew’s Hospital in Norwich. He went on to apply for a care assistant role at the Norvic Clinic (now Northside House), aged 20, and hasn’t looked back.

Mark moved to the community team in Great Yarmouth, going on to spend around 12 years as an Assistant Practitioner while he completed a foundation degree, followed by a nursing degree in 2018.

He said: “I’ve been lucky to be given the opportunity to progress my career and have received some really good support during that time. I really would recommend nursing.”

Sandy Johnstone

“I love giving people the opportunity to share their experiences”

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) celebrated the valuable role our nurses play while encouraging others to join the profession, to mark Mental Health Nurses’ Day.

The event, in February, spearheaded by the Royal College of Nursing’s Mental Health Forum, aims to recognise the huge contribution made by mental health nurses, who go above and beyond to provide high quality care every day.

NSFT used the awareness day to highlight the commitment and dedication of our staff and urge anyone interested in a career in nursing to find out more about

the various routes.

Diane Hull, Chief Nurse with NSFT, said: “Mental health nursing is an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding career which brings with it the chance to make a huge difference to people’s lives every single day. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some absolutely fantastic patients, as well as many dedicated, caring and compassionate nurses.

“We are doing more to support the development of our nursing colleagues than ever before and have put in place bespoke training programmes to help them.”

Dannielle Robinson

“I feel very lucky to be a mental health nurse”

The manager of an NSFT inpatient ward has described mental health nursing as “the best career you could have”.

Dannielle Robinson (left) started work on Poppy Ward, at the Woodlands Unit at Ipswich Hospital, last September, and has relished being given the opportunity to drive through changes to benefit patients.

Dannielle originally wanted to pursue a career in the prison service and completed a degree in criminology. But she enjoyed the mental health modules so much that she completed a mental health nursing degree before qualifying in September 2016.

“I enjoy challenging myself at work. It gives you the chance to think outside the box, be excited

and innovative and really make a difference,” said Dannielle.

“I love it at Woodlands – we have such a fantastic team in place who are all really excited about doing things differently.

“I would 100% recommend nursing as a career as it’s so rewarding. It is always evolving and always innovative.”

Ellie Anderson

“Nursing can be tough, but is also incredibly fulfilling”

Mark Nichols

“There hasn’t been a single day I haven’t enjoyed”

10 Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Insight | Spring 2020 11

– Focus on psychosis –

A specialist service which provides vital early intervention to people in Suffolk who are suffering with psychosis has celebrated its first birthday.

The Suffolk Early Intervention in Psychosis Team offers support to people aged between 14 and 65 who are experiencing their first episode of psychosis, a serious mental health problem which can cause hallucinations and delusions as well as changes in behaviour. Their aim is to reach people as early as possible so that they can make a prompt diagnosis and help them take their first steps on their recovery journey.

Emma Ellis, Community Team Manager for the service, said: “We are a team of highly-skilled practitioners who have had the privilege of setting the team up and developing it over the last 12 months.

“Experiencing a psychotic illness is extremely frightening, disabling and overwhelming for the person as well as those around them. We work with their families and wider networks in the early and critical stages.

“We are able to offer treatment quickly and effectively to reduce the duration of the symptoms, reduce the severity of the illness and stabilise social functioning (socialising, employment, accessing the local community) as quickly as we can.

“Feedback from our service users, commissioners and service managers has been incredible. I have been fortunate enough to be part of this development and have been supported by an amazing team.”

The team has developed good working relationships with the police, homelessness services, carers leads and voluntary agencies. They have introduced carers support groups in the east and west of the county and are also planning a specialist ACT (Acceptance and Compassionate Therapy) group.

“We are excited for the next 12 months, during which we will develop further as well as recruit staff,” added Emma. “We have ideas to continue to strengthen our core offer but are also being encouraged to be creative and flexible to ensure development.”

Specialist psychosis service celebrates its first birthday

– Putting People First Awards –

The 2020 Putting People First Awards are a fantastic way to recognise the hard work and dedication of our staff.

We are really excited to be able to open up our awards to the public again this year, as well as to people who have used our services, and those close to them.

If our staff have made a difference to your life, you may want to consider nominating them in one of two Public Choice categories:

l Outstanding Care and Compassion, Children, Families and Young People

l Outstanding Care and Compassion, Adult services

Nominations should explain why the individual deserves recognition and the impact they have had on you or someone you care for.

Nominees could include staff working in the child or adult learning disabilities services, child and adolescent mental health services, wellbeing and perinatal and infant mental health or older people’s services, secure and wellbeing services.

You can nominate any current member of NSFT staff, volunteer, team or service for an award, if they have provided care or support to them or someone they know in the last 12 months.

These can include:

l People who have received care from NSFT

l Someone close to a person who has received care from NSFT

l From an organisation or individual working alongside our Trust who has witnessed excellent care provided by NSFT

All finalists will be invited along to a gala event later this year, where the winners will be announced.

Help us shine a spotlight on staff who ‘Put People First’

Flashback to last year’s awards with

People’s Choice winners

Lucy Bellotti and Howard

Tidman.

How to nominate someonel Download a Public Choice nomination form from nsft.uk/awards2020 or l Request a form by emailing: staffawards@nsft.nhs.uk or calling 01603 421563 or l Pick up a form at our centres of care and other health and care locations around Norfolk and Suffolk

Entries must be received by midday on Monday, 6 April 2020.

What is psychosis?

Psychosis is a mental health problem that causes people to perceive or interpret things differently from those around them. This might involve hallucinations or delusions.

Hallucinations are where a person hears, sees and, in some cases, feels, smells or tastes things that do not exist outside their mind but can feel very real to the person affected by them. A common hallucination is hearing voices.

Delusions are where a person has strong beliefs that are not shared by others. A common delusion is believing there’s a conspiracy to harm them.

The combination of hallucinations and delusional thinking can cause severe distress and a change in behaviour. Experiencing the symptoms is often referred to as having a psychotic episode.

Sometimes the cause of psychosis is a specific mental health condition, such as:

Schizophrenia – a condition that causes a range of psychological symptoms, including hallucinations and delusions

Bipolar disorder – a condition that affects mood – low (depression) and elated (mania)

Severe depression – People with depression sometimes have symptoms of psychosis when they’re very depressed

Psychosis can be triggered by:• A traumatic experience• Stress• Drug or alcohol misuse• Side effects of prescribed

medicine• A physical condition, such

as a brain tumour

12 Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Insight | Spring 2020 13

– Meet our new Governors –

There are six new faces on the Council of Governors, following an election last year. The new Governors took up their seats in February to represent the views of local people and help shape the future of mental health services provided by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT)

You can find out more at: nsft.uk/governors

Sarah Miller Public Governor (Norfolk)My passion is genuine involvement and co-production with users of services, and continuous learning and improvement to deliver high-quality care and support.

Safiyya Mair Public Governor (Norfolk)

I have a long-held interest

in mental health, especially

children and young people. As

an Afro-caribbean mother of

Muslim faith, I recognise that there is a need

for a diverse representation to help support the

Trust’s Strategic Plan.

Emma Reed Service User Governor (Norfolk)

I am passionate about the Trust

and mental health and have a

wealth of experience to bring

to the role. I was involved in

starting up a mental health talking cafe and my

town’s mental health support Facebook page. I

have worked in two wards.

Colin Bain Public Governor (Norfolk)I aim to use my skills and experience in business management, and my increasing knowledge and understanding of mental health issues. I have a real desire to see the Trust succeed for everyone it serves.

Michelle O’Toole Staff GovernorAlthough I have only worked within NSFT for a short time, I see the passion that staff around me commit to their working lives every day, striving to make NSFT an outstanding place to receive care.

Donald Campbell Public Governor (Suffolk)

I believe deeply in the work the

Trust carries out. It can mend

lives and save lives. I want to

help the Trust fulfil its mission.

I’m also part of ‘FineNotFine’, a campaign set

up by my wife and daughter to promote the

mental health of young people.

– Homelessness –

A mental health nurse from Ipswich told a national conference how his work with partner agencies is benefiting people who are homeless.

Jonathan Dickson, a senior Mental Health Practitioner with Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), has been employed on the Rough Sleeping Project since 2018.

The conference, ‘The Caldecott Guardian and The Police – Information sharing between the police and health services for prevention, early intervention and care purposes’, took place in London in December 2019.

Jonathan said: “Significant progress has been made with homelessness in Ipswich over the last few years, thanks in large part to specialist rough sleeper services funded by central Government.

“NSFT is one of several organisations, such as the homeless charity IHAG (Ipswich Housing Action Group), Turning Point, Anglia Care Trust, the Ipswich Winter Night Shelter and the probation service, who

are working together to support people who are homeless.”

There is a much higher than average prevalence of mental health issues in the homeless population, but people who are homeless often find it difficult to access traditional services.

Jonathan completes thorough mental health assessments and offers both short-term interventions and longer-term support for people who are sleeping rough or are at a high risk of becoming homeless.

He is one of four NSFT nurses with a specific role to support rough sleepers. The others are Paul Warden in Bury St Edmunds, Olly Holgate in Norwich and Barry Ord in King’s Lynn.

NSFT is leading a Rough Sleeper Mental Health Practitioner Forum, one of the first of its kind in the country, to share best practice in mental health care for rough sleepers.

The forum has been praised by NHS England for representing a shift in the way that rough sleepers are supported by mental health services.

Nurse speaks about his work with rough sleepers

The membership of our Trust is drawn from people living in the communities we serve and includes service users, carers, staff and members of the public.

Our members bring commitment and enthusiasm for improving mental wellbeing.

Membership is free and you can be involved as much or as little as you like.

Why be a member of NSFT?

• Help raise awareness and tackle stigma and discrimination

• Elect Governors to represent you and be part of democratic governance of the Trust

• Stand for election to the Council of Governors

• Receive email updates about activities, events and opportunities within the Trust

• Attend consultation events and share your thoughts and experiences

If you would like to find out more about becoming a Member:

Visit: nsft.uk/members

Email: membership@nsft.nhs.uk

Write to: Membership Office, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, Hellesdon Hospital, Drayton High Road, Norwich NR6 5BE.

Become a Member and help shape the Trust

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREEIf you’ve enjoyed reading Insight, you might like to subscribe to our online version for FREE.

You can do this by simply filling in our subscription form at nsft.uk/Insight. We will then let you know when the next issue is available.

Governors share an interest in mental health and a desire to see NSFT develop and thrive for the good of the people who use the Trust’s services, their carers and staff.

The Council holds NSFT’s Non-Executive Directors to account, while acting as a key link between the Trust and the communities it serves across Norfolk and Suffolk.

It is made up of the Trust Chair, 23 elected

Governors across six constituencies and six appointed Governors.

The Governors meet six times a year in public and hold special themed events. (Please note: owing to coronavirus, meetings have been cancelled until further notice.)

Our Governors are keen to hear your views − email: governors@nsft.nhs.uk

Council of Governors

Jonathan Dickson, a senior Mental Health Practitioner with NSFT, who has spoken about his work with people who are homeless.

14 Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Insight | Spring 2020 15

– Bright and beautiful –– Growing is good –

Service users at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) have helped to brighten up their wards by creating colourful murals inspired by the natural environment.

Patients at Wedgwood House in Bury St Edmunds have designed and painted a mountain range, Caribbean beach scene and a depiction of Hardwick Heath on blank walls in the TV lounges on Southgate and Northgate wards.

In addition, they have also created a timeline showing the heath’s history over the past 1,100 years after carrying out research at the town’s records office.

All four murals have been developed in partnership with Art Branches, a not-for-profit social enterprise which works with vulnerable people to promote wellbeing through art.

Natalie Bailey, Matron at Wedgwood House, said: “The murals are really striking and have provided a fantastic splash of colour on the walls of our TV lounges which is helping to make the rooms feel homely and inviting.

“Our service users have really enjoyed taking part in the project. It has given them the chance to work together as a group and express their creativity. We hope that they are all proud of the results.”

Stephanie Hartick, Creative Director with Art Branches, said: “It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm and stimulation that the project has created. Service users have reported the murals

help to invite them into the room while also being

interesting, calm and reflective.”

Getting creative to boost wellbeing

A “lifeline” allotment project which gives people who are experiencing severe psychotic illness the chance to boost their wellbeing has been extended by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT).

Staff based in the Enhanced Treatment Service, which is part of the Adult Community Services team at City Anchorage in Norwich, took on the plot at Marlpit Community Garden following a fundraising drive in 2018.

Since then, people with severe psychotic illness and functional difficulties have worked in the garden to help reduce their anxiety and build confidence. The initiative has proved such a success that it has been extended for a further 12 months so more service users can benefit.

“The allotment has been a real lifeline to people who use our services,” said Mitch Neville, Senior Occupational Therapist. “Feedback from those tending the allotment has been

great, with people telling us it has helped to reduce their anxiety and boost confidence, while others describe it as a real lifesaver.”

NSFT staff accompany service users to the plot when it is quiet, and gradually build up their involvement over time. As they become more comfortable, they can join volunteers from the Sustainable Living Initiative, which runs the allotments, at a weekly session where they harvest produce to create a shared lunch.

Anne Marie Steward, from Sustainable Living Initiative, said: “We are delighted to be able to share our fabulous resource with people from NSFT.”

‘Lifeline’ allotment project extended by our Trust

Lila impresses art competition judges

Salhouse Primary School pupil Lila Patel has been selected as the Norwich area winner of the ‘Your NHS’ art competition, celebrating £38 million of Government investment to develop five new hospital wards at Hellesdon Hospital.

Lila’s entry really impressed the judges for being fantastically imaginative and inspiring.

Jonathan Warren, Chief Executive of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and one of the judges, said: “We particularly enjoyed the fact that Lila’s hospital of the future included lots of good ideas such as an X-ray phone app.”

Lila has won £500 of art vouchers for Salhouse Primary School and a trip to London to see her design for a hospital of the future on display at 10 Downing Street.

She recently had a chance to speak about her design with a senior member of the Cabinet.

The ‘Your NHS’ art competition was open to all primary schools in the Norwich area. Budding artists were asked to create posters to share their vision for the ideal hospital or healthcare centre of the future.

Delivering more joined-up careThe Trust now has a common agreement with health and care organisations in Suffolk and North East Essex: My Care Record.

Where it is in place, professionals can access relevant information from other organisations that will help to deliver better care.

GPs, hospital, community health, mental health and social care teams may all hold important information about patients’ care.

When information is made available between services in a more joined-up way, those services can better meet patients’ health and wellbeing needs.

My Care Record enables health and care professionals directly involved in a patient’s care in Suffolk (excluding Waveney) to access information about them, providing:

l Better co-ordinated and seamless care

l Quicker diagnosis and treatment

l More time to spend on clinical care

l Less paperwork and less repetition

l Fewer unnecessary clinical tests

l More accurate prescriptions

l Better health and care planning

Access to patient records is made possible by several different types of secure technology. Information about patients will only be accessed by health or care professionals who are directly involved in their care.

Find out more at: mycarerecord.org.uk

For more

information visit

www.grow-our-own.

co.uk/

For information, contact artbranches@icloud.com

NSFT staff at the Marlpit Community Garden plot. NSFT staff and visitors in front of a colourful mural created by service users at Wedgwood House in Bury St Edmunds.

Norfolk

and Suffolk NHS Foundation

Trust values and celebrates the diversity

of all the communities we serve. We are fully

committed to ensuring that all people have equality of opportunity to access our service, irrespective of their age, gender, ethnicity, race, disability, religion

or belief, sexual orientation, marital or

civil partnership or social & economic

status.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service

NSFT PALS provide confidential advice, information and support, helping you to answer any questions you have about our services or about any mental health matters. <Email: PALS@nsft.nhs.uk

PALS Freephone: 0800 279 7257 © 2020 NSFT. Produced by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, March 2020. GFX: 6826

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