Spring 2011 - South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
Transcription
Spring 2011 - South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
+ News from South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust for staff and members Ruby Wax loses it on Trust premises SLaM eliminates mixed-sex accommodation Spring Edition 2011 ET N AG M e ev hi ac to er 16 th P ge re to ca g nt llin lle Pu xce e Navigation Contents Forward 2/3 Contents Welcome 4 Message from Madeliene Long – SLaM Chair 5 SLaM through a lens – Crystal Palace 6 Spring Edition A photographic take on SLaM News in brief 7 SLaM News is produced by: SLaM eliminates mixed-sex accommodation 12 Learning design centre 13 SLaM vision 14 T. 82830 F. 82021 E. [email protected] W. www.slam.nhs.uk Introducing Magnet 16 Buddy system 18 Switchboard: 020 3228 6000 Daisy awards - Recognising nursing at SLaM 19 Croydon addictions contract 20 Fast accurate test for Alzheimer’s 21 Living near the “Frontline” 22 SLaM in the media 24 Bethlem gallery 25 Figure of speech project 26 OCD at School 27 Membership - Make me smile again 28 Holistic Mental Health 29 Staff stuff 30 What am I doing here? 31 Communications Department South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Trust Headquarters Maudsley Hospital Denmark Hill London SE5 8AZ Page 18 Design: bigfrankmedia.com If you have a news story or idea for SLaM News please call or email us. Page 20 Numbers in the newsletter are displayed using the internal format. If you’re calling from outside of the Trust please add: (020) 322 + Extn. Page 22 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust is part of King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts. For more information, visit www.kingshealthpartners.org Steven Badger Competition 32 Page 26 Navigation Back Forward Cover Welcome Message from Madeliene Long, SLaM Chair Welcome to the spring edition of SLaM News We’re pleased to announce that levels of staff engagement at SLaM are once again among the best of any mental health trust in the country and have improved compared to last year, according to the Care Quality Commission. The Government’s care standards watchdog reported that 93% of SLaM staff thought that their role makes a difference to patients, 3% above the national average, and 73% said they were able to contribute towards improvements at work, which is 6% higher than average. There were improvements in the proportion of staff who had received both appraisals (83%) and personal development plans (74%) in the last year (up from 68% and 57% respectively). The number of staff receiving health and safety training in the last 12 months also improved – up to 89% from 79%. Lower scores than last year were achieved in several important areas, including the Trust’s commitment to work life balance and the proportion of staff that said hand washing materials were always available, which fell to 43% compared to 54%. Unfortunately the number of staff experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from staff was 2% higher than the national average.The Trust has a programme of action in place to tackle bullying at work, including special advisors and training. Anyone who experiences bullying or harassment can contact the Employee Relations Team for help and advice. Over 360 staff members took part in the survey and of the 31 categories directly comparable to last year; the Trust’s performance improved in five and fell in four. To see the full report see www.cqc.org.uk The survey also showed that 73% of staff thought SLaM News was a useful way of finding out about what was happening around the Trust – up 3% on last year – and 70% agreed that SLaM eNews, the weekly electronic newsletter, was good for the same reason, up from 67% last year. 73% Navigation Contents Back Forward 4/5 Help with your personal development It’s just as this edition of SLaM News goes to press, that I can announce the pilot of King’s Health Partners staff development fund, which we are launching with the support of our associated charities. The fund gives everyone working within King’s Health Partners the chance to apply for a grant of up to £400 to help fund their personal development. The money could be used to broaden your knowledge or skills, perhaps by attending a conference, short course or workshop. The idea of the fund is to provide people with financial assistance when it is not possible to access other sources of funding. In these difficult economic times funding like this might be more difficult to find, and I am particularly keen to encourage staff from non-medical backgrounds to apply. Anyone who wants to find out more can log in to the King’s Health Partners staff website or, if you can wait, the summer edition of SLaM News will have more information. This edition leads with another important initiative. Magnet is a programme for measuring the quality of care we provide against a set of agreed standards and SLaM is applying for Magnet accreditation next spring. Magnet has been compared to a Michelin Star for care staff, and if our application is successful, we will have independent, evidence-based assurances that we provide high-quality care. This is obviously important information for people who use and purchase our services. Staff who provide direct care to patients have been working with Magnet for some time and will be familiar with the benchmarks and rigorous standards we need to achieve. We have to apply these consistently across all our services, so the process alone helps us to continually measure and improve the quality of care we provide, both in our hospitals and community services. The time has come for all staff to hear about Magnet and you can read more on the reasons for our application on page 16. Finally, the NHS faces some considerable challenges over the next few years. The Trust has been busy preparing its plan to deal with this uncertain future and you can read a light summary of our vision on page 14. I hope you enjoy reading the Spring edition of SLaM News. Best wishes, Madeliene Cover News in brief 6/7 Ruby WaxLosingIt Ruby Wax and co-star Judith Owen performed warm up performances of their new show ‘Losing it’ at both the Maudsley and Bethlem Hospitals in February. SLaM through a lens This year it is 75 years since the Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire. Relocated from Hyde Park to Sydenham after the Great Exhibition of 1851, it served as a popular visitor attraction, architectural icon and cultural oasis in the heart of the community. On the night of 30 November 1936, a small office fire turned into a conflagration that engulfed the entire building. trance, and, in the glare of the Crystal Palace which was burning – we could see it from the veranda where we slept – I caught a snap-glimpse of other patients, some dressed, and felt them, from their clothes mostly, to be thrillingly contemporary, of today, absolutely, and I imagined an element of cure in this experience…” The firestorm could easily be seen by patients and staff at the nearby Maudsley Hospital. Philip O’Connor, a young artist and writer who later included details in his biography of his experience of treatment on a ward that may have been in the building now known as Mapother House, wrote “I awoke as from a O’Connor recently featured in a series of short pieces under the title In the Spotlight that are being posted to the Bethlem Hospital’s Archives and Museum blog at: http://bethlemheritage.wordpress.com. Check it out for more stories about the intersection of art, history and mental health. Navigation Contents Back Forward Both performers have suffered poor mental health in the past and their show ‘Losing it’ was based on their experiences. The show was described as a chance to explore the ups and downs of mental illness, its stigmas and the freedom you discover when you share the darkest moments of your life. Over 200 people attended the shows in total and Ruby’s honest humour and Judith Owen’s touching songs were both poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. The show is currently being performed at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Southwark Street and, following an extension, will now run until 16th June. www.menierchocolatefactory.com A financial success A SLaM member of staff, Christopher Chaplin, came 3rd out of 4,635 people worldwide in the final CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) exams. He started as an assistant accountant with SLaM in 2007, before being appointed management accountant for the National and Neurodevelopment Directorate. Before starting with SLaM, Christopher studied Accounting and Finance at Greenwich University as a mature student, receiving a 1st class degree with Merit for the highest mark on the course. When asked how he feels about his incredible achievement, Christopher said: “I am delighted with this result and thank everyone who helped and supported me at SLaM in gaining the experience that I needed to do well.” Christopher has recently started a new job in the Trust as a business and performance manager on secondment and is enjoying his new role. Cover News in brief 8/9 Woodland House opened for business Helen Grant, MP for Maidstone and Weald, attended the launch of Woodland House, SLaM’s new multi-million pound state-of-theart centre in Staplehurst, Kent. Crossing the divide between physical and mental health Nearly 100 people, including two local mayors and several former employees of attended the event, which took place on 24 February. Dr Jean O’Hara, consultant psychiatrist and joint clinical director of SLaM’s Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry CAG, has been elected President of the psychiatric section at the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM). SLaM has invested over £6 million refurbishing the former drug rehabilitation unit, which will now be used to treat children and teenagers across Kent who suffer severe mental health problems. The new service means that children will no longer have to travel to London to receive specialist care. The RSM is one of Europe’s largest providers of continuing medical education and its training and events are aimed at everyone from medical students and allied health professionals to consultants and clinical academics. Dr O’Hara said: “The RSM is a very prestigious independent organisation and I’ve been a council member since 2007 so I feel honoured to be given the title of President of the psychiatric section – and all the work that comes with it! Top right: from left to right – Madeliene Long (SLaM Chair), Stuart Bell (SLaM CEO) and Helen Grant (MP for Maidstone and Weald). SLaM’s Got Talent “One overall aim is to attract more young people into psychiatry and it is also an opportunity to cross the divide between physical and mental health by having joint events and training with other medical sections – very KHP (King’s Health Partners). I am looking forward to inviting really good keynote speakers to our events.” In place of the usual 'It's a knockout' competition, this year the organisers are looking to put on a talent show of acts drawn from service users and staff. Another popular element in the Sunfayre is the stalls. If anyone is interested in having a stall at this year’s event, contact [email protected] Dr Jean O’Hara Contents Back Forward Doctor of Deception A woman working in the NHS as a doctor under a fake name, and possibly without the required qualifications, was exposed thanks to the vigilance of a member of SLaM’s Human Resources (HR) team. Florence Olaye, who had two identities and used a fake passport to join an employment agency and the General Medical Council (GMC), was discovered when she applied for a job at SLaM. David Jones, HR advisor, spotted discrepancies in her application and reported her to the NHS counter fraud squad who launched an investigation. David said: “We need to check the eligibility of all new starters within the Trust. The home office stamp and letter were both suspicious so I copied all documentation and informed NHS Fraud.” Florence Olaye was found to have used a fake identity as well as false documents including a passport and a Home Office letter saying she had indefinite leave to stay in the country. These enabled Nigerian-born Olaye to work in the NHS since 2005 when she was registered with the GMC. The annual Bethlem Royal Hospital Sunfayre is due to take place on Saturday July 2. Navigation Team HR She used her two identities to repeatedly take an English language test to allow her to practice medicine in Britain. There is still uncertainty as to whether she has the right qualifications to work as a doctor – although she claims to have qualified at a medical school in Moscow. She was jailed for one year and is due to appear before the GMC soon. Cover News in brief 10/11 SLaM staff sweeping up awards # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # The following two pages highlight some of SLaM’s award winning staff – picking up accolades internally, nationally and internationally Award winners: Ian Barr, Julie Barker, Karen Brown, Sonia Burke, Linda Buckingham, Nicholas Caswell, Dorothea Dimichino, Ann Dunn, Hyacinth Fairclough, Mary Green, Maria Howley, Stephen Joseph, Jenny Keech, Jenny Knott, Clifford Meredith, Claudette Miller, Judith Morgan, Rassoul Mungul, Katharine Nairne, Paat Packiry, Norman Parkin, Stephen Perfect, Loretta Pilgrim, Indira Sankar, Rosemay Sholay, Audrey Slater, Garry Smith, Erva Stewart, Nick Stiling, Victor Tan, Karen Taylor, Donna Underwood, Carol Wilson, Therese Wong Fong Woo and Adam Yates. Alzheimer’s expert wins international award for Croydon-based service Professor Sube Banerjee, consultant psychiatrist at SLaM and one of the world’s leading experts on Alzheimer’s disease, has received an international award for his work establishing the Croydon Memory Service. Long service awards SLaM staff with 25 years or more of NHS service were recognised for their dedication at the annual long service awards ceremony which took place in February. The ceremony, which was arranged by HR, was held at the Weston Education Centre, King’s College London. In total, 35 staff members enjoyed tea, cakes and pastries before being presented with a certificate of long service by SLaM chief executive Stuart Bell. Staff member nominated for national award A nurse from SLaM was short listed for an award in this year’s Nurse of Year Awards. Navigation Contents Opening the ceremony Stuart Bell said: “It’s a great honour for me to be here today to thank you for your commitment to the National Health Service. The NHS has changed a lot through the years, however, certain things don’t ever change and that is the passion that staff who care for people have for the service.” Back Victor Rojas Yupanqui nominated Ibrahim - crediting him with his recovery after he was sectioned twice. Victor suffers from bipolar affective disorder and said that Ibrahim helped him to understand the importance of taking medication. Forward Professor Banerjee is clinical director of the pioneering Croydon Memory Service which has blazed a trail in the early intervention and management of dementia. Based at Heavers Resource Centre, the service provides a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s memory capabilities to make a diagnosis accurately and quickly. Professor Banerjee said: “The biggest problem we're facing today is that only a third of people with dementia ever receive a proper diagnosis and usually when it is too late. The Croydon Memory Service Model provides a solution to this problem. Early diagnosis and intervention can be achieved for all.” Each award winner also received a small gift of either a set of photo-frames or a clock. Ibrahim Bangura was nominated in the Claire Rayner Patients Choice category of this year's Nursing Standard award scheme. (The Nursing Standard is a professional journal owned by the Royal College of Nursing). The award was presented by ADI and the Fondation Médéric Alzheimer (France) at the 26th Annual International Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) held in Toronto in March. Ibrahim joined the Trust as a mental health nurse in 2004 and has worked on Lloyd Still ward ever since. He is one of four nurses nominated in the category. He said he was 'grateful to be recognised' for his contribution to care. Lloyd Still ward moved to Lambeth Hospital from St Thomas’ in January 2009. Unfortunately Ibrahim did not win the award which was presented at a ceremony at the end of April. Staff recognition Madeliene Long recently announced the winners of both the staff recognition award and the winner of winners award for 2009/10. Therapy assistant and housekeeper Tara O’Donoghue won the staff recognition award for her work at Longfield House. Tara is the only member of staff based at Longfield House, the anxiety disorders residential unit which caters for up to twelve patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Tara’s role involves assisting residents in therapy as well as managing the practical aspects of the household. Consultant clinical psychologist Dr Jerome Carson is the 2009/10 winner of winners for the impact he has made in promoting the recovery approach using a partnership model with SLaM service users. Jerome said: “The road to recovery is a long and winding one, but it leads to a better future for the service user and a more fulfilling job for the professional.” Cover Feature 12/13 SLaM eliminates mixed-sex accommodation Protecting our service users’ privacy and dignity is important so SLaM has introduced a same-sex accommodation policy throughout the Trust. ensuite bathroom and toilet facilities and there is no need for them to pass members of the opposite sex who may be partially clothed. Can men and women be cared for on the same ward? Yes, men and women can be cared for on the same ward but there must be separate corridors for sleeping, bathroom and toilet facilities. Women should also have a separate female-only lounge where they can relax. Does this policy refer to visitors? No. But we do restrict visitors from some areas to protect service users who may lack capacity in preserving their own privacy and dignity. All ward areas should have quiet or separate visiting areas. Can a service user be on a corridor with both men and women? This is acceptable if they have What is a mixed-sex accommodation breach? There are three situations that are considered to be a mixed-sex accommodation breach: 1. A sleeping breach - where a male or female sleeps in an area designated for the opposite sex. Sleeping breaches may be “justified” if in the best interest of the service users (eg supervised confinement) or “unjustified” (eg due to bed pressures). 2. Men and women sharing the same bathrooms and toilet facilities. 3. Where there is no female lounge area on a ward where males and females are cared for. Should I report all breaches? Yes. All breaches should be reported whether they are justified or unjustified. Who should I report a breach to? Your head of nursing or service manager should be able to advise you who monitors breaches in your area. Or you can inform Jacqueline Little, Nursing and Education Team Administrator, by email: [email protected] or telephone: 82517. Ladies lounge SLaM Barista Part of World Record Smash April 2011 Our Maudsley Hospital Costa barista John is now a world record holder. He was part of the successful Guinness world record breaking team that beat the previous record for the most espressos made in an hour. John was one of a large group of leading baristas from coffee shops across London who took part in the attempt during the London Coffee Festival in April. The previous world record was held by a team of Australian baristas who made 5,016 in just under an hour on October 2010. John and another 79 colleagues have trumped that number by making 12,050 espressos in the same amount of time. The Festival attracted more than 10,000 coffee lovers to tastings, discussions on ethical and world trade issues, as well as the record challenge. John’s next challenge is to qualify as a Costa Coffee Master this May when he is enrolled in an advanced coffee making programme at the Costa Coffee Academy. John (left) with fellow baristas Navigation Contents Back Forward Cover Feature 14/15 Forward thinking… The NHS is experiencing unprecedented change, with new policy, GP commissioning and uncertain public finances. The Trust has been developing its strategy to prepare for these challenges and some of the emerging vision was presented by chief executive Stuart Bell to Trust senior leaders in April. The following article is a summary of that presentation. We know that we need to be more efficient, to find new ways of doing things, and to look to ways of attracting new income. At the same time SLaM remains committed to its guiding principals, which are: Core Value Everything we do is to improve the experience of people using our services, and to promote mental health and wellbeing for all Mission To treat mental illness effectively To work in partnership to promote mental wellbeing To support others by sharing our clinical expertise and knowledge Contents Conclusion The Trust needs to grow to offset reductions in local income and to maintain its position as a leading provider of services, research and training. Work on developing the strategy to achieve this is taking place now and into the summer. There will be further updates in SLaM News. “We must look at partnerships with other providers as potential opportunities to reach wider markets, nationally and internationally, and as a stimulus to fresh thinking… The simplest way to reduce our overheads is to grow the business.” “Value in healthcare is simply the outcomes achieved divided by the costs of achieving them” says Harvard’s Prof. Michael Porter. This is measured across the whole cycle of care and underlines the need to define, measure and publish outcomes. This aligns to ideas in SLaM about care pathways (our cycle of care), and the value of early intervention and recovery. Improving what we do Efficiency means looking at the whole cycle of care, then measuring, feeding back, improving and sharing that knowledge. The whole care pathway includes looking at patient experience, timeliness and effectiveness of interventions, and the skill and competence of delivery. “The question should be not just ‘did the patient get better?’, but rather, ‘how much better could this have been?’” says Stuart Bell. We also need to think about how we can improve outcomes for referrers – e.g. by providing discharge summaries; sharing clinical information; offering swift and direct access to a consultant for an expert opinion. In particular, we know from the patient survey that we need to look at improving peoples’ experience of crisis response and acute inpatient care. Goals Provision of high quality clinical care and treatment delivered sensitively, consistently and based on evidence Promotion of recovery, social inclusion and mental well being Develop as an organisation so that quality becomes central to everything we do Navigation What we know In an increasingly competitive world, we need to demonstrate the value of what we do: how it benefits service users, carers, referrers and commissioners. Growing new services As well as improving what we do now, SLaM’s chief executive Stuart Bell says we have an opportunity to think with a blank sheet of paper building services from scratch. “That is what is so refreshing about the chance to build up new services where we have never operated them before, and we must apply that insight across what we do.” Back Forward Cover Cover story 16/17 Introducing Magnet Trust. All these existing programmes feed in and support Magnet, much like the foundations of a house support the roof. If you like, Magnet is the roof or umbrella that brings them together. “While there are already many examples of care at SLaM meeting Magnet’s high standards, the quality can be patchy. To achieve Magnet status we have to apply these high standards systematically across all our services, both in our hospitals and community services,” continued Jane. Care is a difficult thing to measure, and while it may not be the sexiest of subjects, the practice of quantifying and analysing care has been behind some of the most important revolutions in health. What does Magnet measure? There are over 140 indicators in all and as the early history of Magnet suggests, skilled staff, happy in their work environment is vital when providing high quality care, so paying attention to these makes a lot of sense. Although better known as a campaigning nurse, Florence Nightingale had a passion for statistics and healthcare research. Her careful analysis of both the process and outcomes at Scutari Hospital in Turkey during the Crimean War led to the now well established link between good sanitation and health, and her findings generated reforms in hospital systems across the world. Magnet started in 1983 when the American Academy of Nursing wanted to find out why certain hospitals were able to provide a consistently high level of care to their patients. They looked at 163 US hospitals and a common theme emerging from the best was their ability to attract and retain good quality nursing and care staff. Consequently these organisations informally became known as "magnet" hospitals. Eleven years later the University of Washington Medical Center At the same time however, Magnet is also about giving staff the freedom, space and time to think about the quality of care they provide, and the autonomy to make changes based on their experience, expertise and judgement. in Seattle became the first organisation to achieve full Magnet accreditation Over 380 hospitals across the world are now Magnet accredited, including hospitals in Singapore, Lebanon and Australia, and SLaM hopes to join them by applying in April 2012. No other NHS organisation currently holds Magnet status. SLaM already measures the quality of care we provide in a variety of ways and programmes such as AIMs, Productive Wards and the Productive Community Services will continue to play an important role. Jane Sayer, programme director Nursing Excellence and Magnet Recognition, says: “Magnet builds on and compliments what we are already doing to improve the quality of care and treatment across the Navigation Contents Back One Ambassador, Carla Vidale said: “Working at SLaM you often hear that we provide the best mental healthcare around, but sometimes it can be difficult to pin this down. Magnet accreditation will give us independent, evidence-based assurance that we actually do provide the best care.” At the very least staff must be clear on the standards and the quality of care expected of them, which is why managers must hold regular, effective appraisal sessions and communicate with their staff. Standards have obviously moved on, but systematically measuring and quantifying care remains just as important, especially if we are serious about improving quality. And Magnet is an internationally recognised programme to do just that. Magnet is a system that benchmarks and measures the care hospitals provide against a set of evidencebased standards. The standards are rigorous and the benchmarks high, so patients using Magnet accredited hospitals can feel assured that they are getting the best quality healthcare - equivalent to a Michelin star for care. Healthcare commissioners can also feel reassured. To help build awareness about Magnet, a logo has been designed (see front cover) and will adorn forthcoming communications relating to the scheme. However the most important way of communicating about Magnet is without doubt the 17 Magnet Ambassadors who have been walking the ward floors and pedalling the message since the accreditation journey first started in 2009. Forward One of the ways in which staff can become more empowered is to invite them to contribute to decision-making committees, and to really listen to their contribution. In order to do this, nursing in SLaM is introducing a shared governance structure. Nurses and health care assistants who provide direct care can contribute to discussions and decisions about nursing practice within their CAGs, and then represent their CAGs in working councils and at the Nursing Executive. Celebrating the contribution that nurses and other staff that provide care to patients is another essential component of Magnet. To improve the way we do this, SLaM has introduced DAISY awards. DAISY provides a framework for service users, family or staff to nominate a nurse or health care assistant in recognition of them doing an excellent job of providing care. Many more of the indicators or targets we need to meet to achieve Magnet accreditation will be revealed in the coming months on the intranet and regular pages in SLaM News. Magnet ambassadors Over 140 Magnet indicators have been developed and wards and teams have been working toward them since 2010. 75% of ward managers and team leaders have a degree by the time the Magnet application is submitted in 2012. Nursing staff satisfaction and engagement levels exceed the national average for at least two years Nurses are able to benchmark the outcomes of their contribution to care against national outcomes Nurses investigate, develop, implement and systematically evaluate standards of practice and care Nurses at all levels evaluate and use published research findings in their practice Cover Feature 18/19 Daisy awards recognising nursing at SLaM Do you know a nurse who is a credit to their profession? If so, you might want to nominate them for a DAISY Award. Buddy system SLaM is trialling Buddy - a new kind of digital service that increases levels of self-reflection, which can help people with mental health problems better understand the relationship between the things they do in their daily lives and their mental state. The system uses SMS, web and other digital technologies and allows users to record their daily moods and activities. The web service lets users look back and possibly learn from what they have done so they are better able to self-manage their recovery. Planning tools, prompts, reminders, data visualisations and a social calendar further support the user on their road to recovery. Navigation Contents The service is aimed primarily at users with common mood disorders like anxiety and depression who have an active interest in recovery and self management. The trial is ongoing and the results, which will be reported in SLaM News, will be used to develop and improve the system. Back Forward The Nursing Directorate has introduced the internationally recognised DAISY Awards programme to SLaM this year making us the first mental health provider in the UK to participate in the programme. The awards will celebrate and highlight the contribution and value of nurses at SLaM. The DAISY Foundation was formed in 1999 in the memory of an American patient, J Patrick Barnes, who died aged just 33 years. His family wanted to celebrate the skilful and compassionate nursing care he received. As well as the nursing awards programme, the DAISY Foundation enhances nursing practice by providing grants for research and evidencebased practice projects. The first SLaM DAISY Awards will be presented in Spring 2011. A total of 24 awards will be made annually and nominations can be submitted at any time throughout the year. For further information about the criteria for the awards and to nominate a colleague please visit the Nursing and Education section on SLaMnet. All DAISY Award winners will receive a Healer’s Touch sculpture hand carved by the artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe as well as a DAISY Award pin and a certificate of recognition. A banner will also be displayed in each winner’s workplace. Cover Feature 20/21 A partnership approach to Drug and Alcohol Services A new service combining the best of the NHS and voluntary sector will treat people with drug and alcohol addictions in Croydon. SLaM’s addiction services and London-based charity Foundation 66 will operate as one organisation to provide a community-based treatment and support service for those with substance misuse issues. The partnership builds on similar successful approaches SLaM has taken with a range of voluntary sector partners in Lambeth and Southwark. Sally Scriminger, CEO at Foundation 66 said: “Foundation 66 is totally committed to reducing the harm caused by alcohol and drug misuse. We are delighted to be working in partnership with SLaM in Croydon. This service combines the best of what the NHS and voluntary sector has to offer. Working together in this way will strengthen services and bring real benefits for our service users.” The new service will offer assessments, a drop-in service, information workshops, a needle/foil exchange, physical and mental health checks and referrals into treatment according to need. There will also be involvement from local general practitioners (GPs), midwives and social workers. Fast, accurate test for Alzheimer's Working in partnership allows community drug and alcohol services to benefit from the combined strengths of the NHS and the voluntary sector. The new Croydon contract will see SLaM and Foundation 66 operate from one base, use one clinical record system and a single point of access. Mark Allen, clinical director of addiction services at SLaM, said: “Doing things differently creates services that are more effective, efficient and tailored to the individual needs of local referrers, service users and their families. We are confident that by working in partnership with Foundation 66 we can meet the needs of people dealing with substance misuse issues in Croydon.” Mark Allen Scientists at the Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at the Maudsley Hospital are the first to use an advanced computer programme to accurately detect the early signs of Alzheimer's disease from a routine clinical brain scan. The new scan can return 85% accurate diagnostic results in under 24 hours. The 'Automated MRI' software automatically compares or benchmarks someone’s brain scan image against 1200 others, each showing varying stages of Alzheimer’s disease. This collection of images is thought to be the largest of its kind in the world. SLaM Foundation 66 Normally in routine clinical practice, brain scans are used to simply exclude diseases that can mimic Alzheimer’s disease, but here automated MRI software is being used for the first time in a NHS setting (SLaM’s memory clinics) to make an early and accurate diagnosis of the illness. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's is clinically difficult and patients with the early signs are frequently not treated until their symptoms become stronger. The new scan however facilitates early diagnosis. An early diagnosis allows someone to plan their care before the condition worsens - helping to Navigation Contents Back Forward prevent institutionalisation, dramatically improving their quality of life. It is also a cost effective and efficient way to manage and organise treatment of the disease. The scan has been developed by scientists at the National Institute for Health Research’s Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at the Maudsley Hospital and King’s College London, together with colleagues from the Karolinksa Hospital in Stockholm. The system is being 'field tested' over the next twelve months with patients attending the SLaM's ground-breaking memory services in Croydon, Lambeth and Southwark. The ‘field test’ will also provide a supply of research grade images, which has important implications for the development of the next generation of drugs for dementia and individualised treatments. There are 750, 000 people with dementia in the UK. The financial cost of dementia to the UK is over £20 billion a year. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, in just 15 years a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051. Cover Feature 22/23 Phil Angold, support worker, Mayall Road The network of rehabilitation support homes run by SLaM in Lambeth includes a number of properties which have interesting histories and locations. One example is a large house in leafy Woodbourne Avenue, Streatham: once visited by the journalist and presenter, Polly Toynbee, who in her subsequently televised Panorama article, described it as, “A model of community care”. In 1990 it was one of the first homes to be opened for former, long-term in-patients of the now demolished, Tooting Bec Hospital – now a fading memory for those remaining residents living in supported housing who were among the first to make those early, important steps out of institutional care. Another is a spacious nine bedroom house in Mayall Road, Brixton, which, despite being a conversion, blends in well with its neighbours. It has been something of a guiding principle for those involved in supported housing that support homes should not stand out as being obviously different from neighbouring houses. The use of signage is, therefore, scrupulously avoided. Mayall Road, my workplace for some years, has the distinction of neighbouring the once notorious Brixton “Frontline”, Railton Road. The rear of the house overlooks part of that internationally infamous drag and subject of Eddy Grant’s much-loved lyrics, sensational press coverage, and even part of the ground-breaking Public Inquiry into the causes of the Brixton Riots of April ’81 (Scarman, 1981). The house has also seen its share of lively action, albeit of a different order, since its inaugural opening in the summer of 1993: an event which I was lucky enough to attend. I recall beautiful floral arrangements; a sumptuous buffet; lashings of ginger beer; and a formal blessing by the then Trust Chaplain. Residents and support team members alike were dressed in their finest. An especially elegant, shimmering kingfisher blue lounge suit, still looms large in the memory Concerns, however, were raised early on that, given the close proximity of the drug dealing scene in Brixton, and the high incidence of mugging and prostitution nearby, vulnerable residents might find themselves preyed upon, once their presence in the area became known. Some residents were “befriended” which was a problem for a time but, whether due to residents’ maturing street wisdom, better policing, or the tact and vigilance of staff, these difficulties have now receded. Annual summer street parties are a regular feature of the August Bank Holiday, with both residents and team members enthusiastic participants. I learned recently that, some years ago, these neighbourhood events unexpectedly came to the attention of Specialist Registrar at SLaM… Living near the “Frontline” Two stories from SLaM’s network of supported housing Navigation Contents Back Forward Dr Matthieu Crews (specialist registrar) “In 2003, during my first job as a qualified doctor, I moved into a flat on Mayall Road – one of those properties where the Eurostar would pass perilously close, shaking my room from 5am until late. I was unaware at the time that the building across the road formed part of a network of properties run by SLaM. It resembled any other house on the street; I did not know what SLaM was and, at that stage in my career, I had never done a day’s work in psychiatry. Little idea did I have that, by strange coincidence, I would find myself working there as a psychiatrist, several years later. The summer I moved to Mayall Road colourful, traditional street bunting crossed the road along its entire length. Curious to know why, I later discovered that residents of Mayall Road had put on their famous street party for many of the next twenty five years since the 1977 Royal Jubilee. To my disappointment there was no party the year I lived there; nor would there be for sometime – perhaps through a lack of interest in things royal, or a wider loss of community pride? Six years later however, in 2009, whilst working within the Lambeth rehabilitation service as a psychiatrist providing input to SLaM residential houses, I learned that the annual Mayall Road party had returned and that the residents of the supported home were once more able to share in the sense of community belonging and friendliness. If ever passing through the area, a walk down the street is recommended. Given its truncated form, the street leads nowhere. It is largely deserted other than by the odd car parking and children playing freely in the road; something that adds to the unique feel of the place. A feeling, apparent to me the very first day I walked along the street and still exists each time I return, is that the street retains a true sense of community, something perhaps lacking in much of modern day London.” Cover SLaM in the Media Arts Fast, accurate test for Alzheimer’s (7 March) Bethlem Gallery programme 2011 BBC One Television (Breakfast News, One O’clock and Six O’clock News), BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, BBC News Channel, BBC Radio 5, Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph all featured the story of the Maudsley Hospital field testing a new brain scan to test for the early signs of Alzheimer’s Disease. The scan was developed at the Maudsley’s Biomedical Research Centre and can accurately detect the early signs of the disease from a routine clinical brain scan in less than 24 hours. (For more information see page 21) Visionary Buildings by Albert SLaM makes the headlines Why physical wellbeing is the forgotten casualty of mental illness (11 February) The Times newspaper featured a large article on initiatives by King’s Health Partners to treat physical and mental health conditions together. Consultant psychiatrist Prof Matthew Hotopf highlighted the initiatives by describing the effect mental illness can have on physical health and life expectancy. Navigation Contents 24/25 Back Guardian mental health supplement (6 April) SLaM experts had a central role in the Guardian's special fourpage mental health supplement looking at the new mental health strategy for England. The supplement featured interviews with three key staff. Professor André Tylee gave his views on depression and the role of primary care, Tony Coggins discussed mental health promotion and the wellbeing of the population and Dr Jerome Carson raised the profile of the 'Recovery' agenda. Forward An exhibition of large-scale pencil drawings depicting visions of imaginary buildings, homes, fences and structures. Albert is a former patient of Bethlem Royal Hospital, his unique style and talent has been recognised and acquired by collectors and institutions across Europe. This is his first solo exhibition. Opening: 18 May, 3-6pm Exhibition continues: 19 May - 10 June Wednesday - Friday 11am - 6pm Gallery and Museum open 4 June, 11am - 6pm Art from Ephemera A joint exhibition between the Bethlem Art Studio and Bethlem Museum and Archive. This exhibition combines artists' use of the everyday and 'throwaway' in their art with items selected from the Ephemera Collection within the Bethlem Museum's collection. Opening: 22 June, 3 - 6pm Exhibition continues: 23 June - 22 July Wednesday - Friday 11am - 6pm Gallery and Museum open 6 August, 11am - 6pm Artists Anonymous An exhibition of works from anonymous artists selected from the Reserve Collection at the Bethlem Museum and Archives. Opening: 27 July, 3 - 6pm Exhibition continues: 28 July - 19 August Gallery and Museum open 6 August, 11am - 6pm Cover Feature 26/27 Poetry, art, music – helping adolescents overcome mental health issues Adolescents at SLaM’s Snowsfields Adolescent Unit have produced a collection of poetry, images and sounds made during their admissions to the Unit. behavioural therapy (CBT) and medication,” Dr Corrigall said. Dr Richard Corrigall, consultant psychiatrist at Snowsfields, described the project as an innovative way to help young people work through their mental health problems. “Figures of Speech is an example of how a creative approach to education can help staff and family members to better understand the anxieties, concerns and experiences of the young people we care for. It also helps the young people to better understand, and empathise with each other.” “At Snowsfields, we try to tailor treatments to fit the individual needs of young people. We use creative therapies, including drama, art and music, to complement our more formal approaches like cognitive Snowsfields Adolescent Unit offers inpatient mental health care for adolescents with serious mental illness who require hospital admission. Patients are aged between 12 and 18 and have a serious psychiatric illness which requires urgent assessment or hospital treatment. “The young people at Snowsfields have serious mental health problems like early onset psychosis or severe depression,” Dr Corrigall explained. “We were the first adolescent mental health unit in the country to offer 24-hour emergency access, which enables us to deal quickly with young people in the midst of a mental health crisis.” The types of mental health problem most commonly managed on Snowsfields include psychosis, mood problems, self-harming, severe anxiety problems, obsessive compulsive disorders and eating disorders. Figures of Speech/Tower of Sound is the result of a collaboration between the young people at Snowsfields, teachers of Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School, performance poetry organisation Apples & Snakes, poet Jared Louche and musician and producer, Karen O’Brien. For more information on SLaM’s Snowsfields Adolescent Unit visit: www.national.slam.nhs.uk/ camhs-snowsfields camhs-snowsfields OCD at School “Without treatment, OCD can continue to be a significant problem and in some cases increase in severity so we think it is extremely important to enhance awareness of OCD. Given that children spend a large proportion of their time at school, we feel that teachers are in a very good position to look out for signs of the disorder. Through raising awareness, we hope that children will be supported in accessing appropriate and timely treatment.“ Consultant psychiatrist Dr Isobel Heyman and clinical psychologists Dr Holly Diamond and Dr Amita Jassi have been working with OCD Action and the City Bridge Trust to develop the OCD at School project which launched this March. The OCD at School project was established with involvement from educators, parents and young people with OCD. A network of parent volunteers has been established who will visit schools to meet with special educational needs coordinators, school nurses and counsellors. The project brings awareness of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) to schools by helping educators to spot the signs of OCD and to provide support to pupils with the disorder. An OCD at School resource pack has been developed and is available to schools, parents and young people with OCD. There are also plans to hold a meet up day for young people and their parents as well as a training day for educational professionals. Dr Diamond said: “OCD can be a very time consuming and distressing anxiety problem and it can interfere with many aspects of life including socialising with friends, getting on with family members and academic performance. For more information please visit the OCD at School website at http://school.ocdaction.org.uk/ “OCD can take many different forms and whilst many people are aware that it can involve fears about contamination and compulsions such as excessive hand washing or aligning objects, there are many symptoms that are less commonly talked about for instance obsessions of a sexual nature, mental rituals or rituals that may involve rereading text or rewriting words again and again. wsfields Navigation Contents Back Forward Cover Members' Council news Staff stuff Make me Smile Again The 110 successful bidders to the Members’ Council’s ‘Make me Smile Again’ bids scheme are now starting to implement their projects. With bids ranging from outings to art projects, exercise classes to gardening, setting up a library to purchasing music equipment for wards, the range of ideas submitted this year was excellent. Several groups will be putting on exhibitions of work, and there will be another series of ‘Music in Hospitals’ concerts and performances by a stand up comedian. The scheme is supporting the publication of users’ poetry and the production of a couple of newsletters, as well as sponsoring the launch of ‘Recovery Film’ on April 14. Longfield House residents are creating a mosaic (see picture) with the message ‘Your Journey Starts Here’ to join the one installed over their entrance last year. Look out for reports on these projects in future editions of SLaM News. 28/29 Holistic Adult Mental Health Assessment Tool Guidance Manual and Forms Recently published by Pavilion publishing and written by Debbie Garlick, lead nurse, Psychological Medicine and Louisa Rhodes, assistant psychologist, this toolkit is for professionals who need to assess someone’s mental health needs. It uses a standard framework and provides guidance for multidisciplinary staff to complete a general, holistic assessment of clients who are referred to community mental health teams. The manual is accompanied by forms for staff to record the assessment. The manual can be used as a supervision tool and to assess competency in this area. The manual seeks to improve standards of assessment across teams and encourage the involvement of carers and service users in the assessment process. It provides detailed guidance for students or inexperienced staff and is also a valuable reference resource for more experiences staff. To order your copy visit www.pavpub.com. Navigation Contents Back Forward Cover Staff stuff Q&A 30/31 What am I doing here? Name: Steven Badger Job Title: OASIS team leader New training - helping service users get the information they need From NICE guidelines to the NHS Constitution and White Paper, it is widely acknowledged that information is crucial in empowering patients to make informed choices, besides also easing anxiety and frustration. But while there is a lot written and said about information itself, a lot less is actually communicated in a way that is easy to understand, timely and relevant. While 10% of complaints to the NHS relate to information and communication, a new report from the revised Patient Opinion website (In their words: what patients think about our NHS, 2011) shows that 25% of patients and carers surveyed had problems with poor communication or miscommunication between staff and patients. On 10 February Roslyn Byfield (patient information manager), Phil Timms (consultant Navigation Contents psychiatrist and clinical lead for patient information) and Sarah Samuel (SUITE trainer) presented a pilot workshop to staff including nurses, OTs, healthcare assistants, a doctor and sports instructor. The aim was to improve the service user experience by enhancing clinicians’ communication skills in this area, specifically enabling attendees to understand the importance of information, know the principles of information transfer, identify ways of helping patients get what information they need and reflect on their own practice eg areas for development. Feedback was very encouraging and an extended workshop will now run on 26 May at Southwark Training Centre and 6 October at Lambeth Hospital. For more information click here or contact Roslyn Byfield on 85318. Back Forward What is OASIS? OASIS (Outreach And Support In South London) is the early detection service for people at increased risk of psychosis in Lambeth and Southwark. We aim to identify young people at increased risk of psychosis and to provide help and support as early as possible. By doing so we hope to prevent or delay the onset of psychosis and to ensure that people get seen quickly by Emergency Intervention (EI) services if symptoms of acute psychosis do develop. We offer two years of care involving Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based psychological interventions, medical review and practical/social support and advice. We also have a well integrated research programme which comprises work on service development, health promotion, psychopathology, treatment effectiveness, neuropsychology and neuroimaging. Why is OASIS important? Identifying people at high risk of psychosis and offering help early can make a real difference in people’s lives, and reduce the distress that psychosis can cause. Also, by combining research and clinical practice we can ensure that we are able to offer the most effective interventions at the right time. What does your job involve? My job involves working with GPs and organisations that come into contact with young people to raise awareness of the early warning signs or risk indicators for psychosis. It also involves seeing those young people who are referred for an assessment promptly, and helping to provide appropriate treatment and support over a two year period. In addition, I help to identify ways of developing the service to make it more effective, integrate research and clinical practice and provide support for my colleagues in the team. What do you like best/least about your work? What I like best is the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of interesting and inspiring people, including the clients we see, their families and the different professionals within the team and in other services. What I like least is the uncertainty regarding some of the changes and financial constraints faced by the NHS. If you weren't doing this job, what would you like to do? There’s no field I would rather work in than community based early intervention for psychosis. And I like working in the same community where I live, in Lambeth and South London, because it’s an area I’ve come to know quite well. When you're not working what do you enjoy doing? Away from work I’m an enthusiastic idler. Cover Exhibitions/competitions Books Inside Jokes Why does humour exist? Why do we spend so much of our time telling amusing anecdotes, making jokes or watching comedy on TV and films? In Inside Jokes, authors Matthew Hurley, Daniel Dennett, and Reginald Adams offer an evolutionary and cognitive perspective. They argue that humour evolved as the result of a computational problem that arose when human beings first developed open-ended thinking. The brain is constantly trying to predict the future by building mental models of the world, and it is important to actively discover when these models are correct and incorrect. To help this along, the brain rewards us with humour when we come across an incorrect expectation – such as a clown in shoes that are far too large. Inside Jokes looks at the variety of things we find humorous including jokes, puns, sitcoms and anecdotes. The authors take comedy seriously but Inside Jokes is also a real page-turner, filled with funny jokes and anecdotes and offering plenty of insights into how the mind works. Competition For this edition’s competition there are 4 sets of 5 classical CDs up for grabs. To enter, please state how many Magnet Ambassadors there are at SLaM. The answer can be found somewhere in this edition of SLaM News. Answers, along with a contact number, should be sent to [email protected] by July 31, 2011. All emails should have ‘Competition’ in the subject field. Navigation Contents Back Congratulations to specialist registrar Dr Matthieu Crews for winning the competition in the last edition of SLaM News. Matthieu wins £100 of vouchers from www.nhsdiscounts.com for correctly naming Tunisia as the country two members of Lewisham community mental health team visited to bring back a patient who was unwell. Cover