ISSUE 17 / MARCH 2019

‘It’s the little things that make the big difference’

‘Right care, right place’ − Camden Rapid Response

Team Championing HIV peer support

Uke can do it!Dr John Lowe on being a ukulele lover

W ell done to the Camden Rapid Response Team who were recently featured on

television for the amazing work they’re doing, page 11.

I went to a class where staff from all over the Trust were learning to play the ukulele. It was bloomin’ fantastic and the energy in the room was just electric. John Lowe, Consultant Psychiatrist set it up after winning a Trust Health and Wellbeing bursary to fund the class. We talked to him about his love affair with the ukulele on page 12.

There’s a great thing blossoming over at a community garden in Kensington. Simon, a former patient is teaching mental health inpatients at St Charles how to plant. It’s one of several projects that came about with the help of

Cate Latto, whose job focuses on engaging patients. There are so many things I love about this story. Projects like these can be healing on so many levels, it’s getting the community involved and it’s the patients deciding what they want. It’s my top pick and it’s on page 16.

HIV peer supporters are changing lives over at the Bloomsbury Clinic. We’re sad to say goodbye to Chris Sandford, who has greatly influenced the network but he’s left it in very good hands, page 18.

Over at St Charles, a pioneering programme prescribes exercise as treatment for patients with severe mental health problems. And patients say it’s making a real difference, page 20.

Did you know there’s such a thing as a twilight nurse? We meet

two of them from Milton Keynes Community Health, page 22

Congratulations to Sharon Asante from the Home First Team in Milton Keynes Community Health Services, you’ve won the £10 book gift voucher in our word search contest.

It’s getting harder and harder to find space in the magazine with so many exciting things happening! Don’t forget you can find lots more stories on our website www.cnwl.nhs.uk, and you can join in on the conversations on twitter @CNWLNHS and Facebook. If you feel like it you can also email me at alisha.nurse @nhs.net or pop round for tea and a chat.

Welcome from Alisha Nurse, the Editor

How is it March 2019 already? I hope you’re having a smashing start to the year. You’ll see from this edition that our wheels have been turning and turning, with all sorts of projects going on.

02

Body & Mind magazineTo cut costs, we’re printing fewer copies of Body & Mind magazine. That means that not everyone will receive copies. You can read all editions of the magazine on Trustnet and our website www.cnwl.nhs.uk/news

We’re thinking about running a writing workshop

for staff who would like to contribute to the

magazine. Let me know what you think by emailing

alisha.nurse@nhs.net and we’ll organise it.

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

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Keep up-to-date with all our news on

our website: www.cnwl.nhs.uk/news

Follow us on Twitter @CNWLNHS

This issue’s features

Also included

12 Dr John Lowe: ukulele lover

20 My prescription? Work out!

18 Championing HIV peer support

16 The Gardener’s Yard

09 Claire’s View

11 ‘Right care, right place’

22 Five perks of being a twilight nurse

23 Moving on up and saying goodbye

C ongrats to Claire Murdoch, Chief Executive, on being awarded a CBE “For services

to the NHS,” and Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones, Psychiatrist and founder of CNWL’s National Problem Gambling Clinic, on being made an OBE ‘For Services to Addiction Treatment and Research.”

Claire said, “I am privileged to accept this Honour by remembering all the great dedicated people I have worked with, and still do; above all, the patients and families I have had the pleasure to help.”

Dr Bowden-Jones said, “I would like to dedicate this award to the children of addicted parents in recognition of all the suffering they are experiencing and of the harm it has caused them.”

New Years’ Honours

Claire and Henrietta receive

Claire Murdoch

Henrietta Bowden-Jones

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Luisa Rubio, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner with Talking Therapies Service in Westminster won a fitbit in the prize draw.

Do you know your Freedom to Speak Up Guardians?If something at work isn’t right, or is bothering you we want you to know that there is someone you can talk to. Whether it’s a risk, poor practice or bullying, our Freedom to Speak Up Guardians are designated to help, and you can talk to them in confidence. They are our staff governors who you’ve already elected to represent you.

Lisa OluyinkaRepresenting nursing staff, including healthcare assistants lisa.oluyinka1@nhs.net

Dr Karim DarRepresenting medical staff karim.dar@nhs.net

Phillip AyersRepresenting other staff philip.ayers@nhs.net

Carina SheridanRepresenting nursing staff (including healthcare assistants) carina.sheridan@nhs.net

Debbie PeterRepresenting allied health professionals debbiepeter@nhs.net

Karen CookRepresenting social care karencook@nhs.net

Congratulations to our 2018 NHS survey winnersClaire Carrington – Two day break to Croyde Bay, Devon for twoSunkur Luximon – iPadE Toma – iPadLibby Owens – iPadKirsten Jarman – iPadDella Mertens – iPad

Minaxi Patel – FitbitOlayinka Famurewa – FitbitShinu Punnoose – FitbitL Rubio – FitbitJames McCandless – FitbitSue Teasdale – £50 gift voucher Farah Shamsudin – £50 gift voucher

Have your say in the staff Friends and Family Test (FFT)

A selection of staff will receive an email inviting you to take part in the survey. The link will be available for a limited period and staff can only use it once. It will only take a couple minutes to complete. Look out for the invite from Optimum Meridian.

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

05

T he NHS never stands still; though we all know it can’t and it must change as the times demand.

The NHS Long Term Plan has some truly inspirational plans for the future delivery of community and mental health services. With your expertise we can be at the forefront of some of these plans; they fit well with our work on integration and being local. And the increased emphasis on mental health, especially Children’s Mental Health, is truly welcome. Our challenge is to be efficient so that resources really count at the front line.

The CQC have started visiting us, and this will continue up to March, but provides an opportunity to demonstrate the wonderful work we do every day. Don’t be afraid to be proud.

As the year progresses, we will welcome new services, like the Out of Hospital Services for Ealing (over 300 staff will join us), following our successful joint bid with West London NHS Trust and partners.

I know we are fortunate to have such dedicated and hardworking

I hope your 2019 is going well! It will certainly be an exciting and challenging year.

Our Chair’sNew Year message

Professor Dorothy Griffiths

staff and it is important that you know how much the whole Board appreciates your dedication, day in and day out.

Happy 2019!

Professor Dorothy Griffiths OBE FCGI, Chair

Claire Bennett, Health Care Assistant at Roxbourne Complex runs a popular Jewellery Making Group for inpatients.

“I have been into jewellery making and crafts for several years and decided to share my skills with others. The Jewellery Making Group started as part of the evening and weekend activities provided at Roxbourne. The aim of the group is to promote self-expression, stress relief, confidence-building and satisfaction in producing a product. A range of techniques and products are available for people to use such

Our people as stringing beads, stretchy bracelets, Kumihimo braiding, bead embroidery. Since starting, this group has become increasingly popular and has engagement from patients who rarely or never participated in occupational activity. Some of the finished pieces also end up as gifts for family members which have received several compliments.”

Some of the jewellery made in the group

Claire Bennett

NEWS06

News bites

Jameson Division’s Ambition for Excellence festivalAll Jameson staff are invited to come and celebrate at the division’s annual festival. It’s happening on 20 June 2019, 12noon to 9pm at Kensington Town Hall. There’ll be inspiring talks and presentations from clinical services, workshops, an awards ceremony and more. If you have questions please email carina.sheridan@nhs.net or kathy.swanzy-derben@nhs.net

3D art at Riverside Centre, Hillingdon“I wanted to share my new favourite activity, inspired by one of our service users! As soon as I saw it I had to have it on the ward,” posted Kayleigh Reid, on Twitter.

The Peer Support Activities Coordinator at Riverside Centre, Hillingdon creates 3D art with patients where they stick gems to colour coded adhesive fabric.

“Very intricate and relaxing!” she said.

Homelessless Team makes presentationThe Joint Homelessness Team (JHT) made a presentation about its work at a recent Council of Governors’ meeting. They talked about the highs and lows of their work and presented case studies showing the difference they make.

The team provides a community mental health service for people who have a mental illness and sleep rough in Westminster.

CNWL Research Conference 2019 – Register Now!Our Trust’s research conference will take place on 7 May 2019. It’s an opportunity for staff to celebrate our research achievements and to hear about the plans for the next chapter in further developing research across CNWL. To register visit: www.cnwlresearchcon2019.eventbrite.co.uk

It will be held in the Knowledge Centre of The British Library.

Camden and Islington Palliative Care forumWe’re setting up a new forum in Camden and Islington to improve palliative care services in the boroughs. We hope to get the input of local people, patients, family members, carers and anyone who is interested in improving services. More information soon.

3D art created using gems to colour coded adhesive fabric

Our Patient Support Service has a new nameIt is now named the CNWL Patient Feedback and Complaints Service (PFCS), following feedback from staff and service users.

The service is responsible for listening to comments, concerns, complaints and compliments about our staff members, services and the Trust overall.

You can contact the team by emailing feedback.cnwl@nhs.net or call 0300 013 4799.

Dr Owen Bowden-Jones

Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Owen Bowden-Jones and Researcher Dr Dima Abdulrahim will receive up to £75,000 to help implement their

Staff awarded funding for learning programme to improve addiction to medications

Addiction to Medication: Improving Care project (ATOMIC).

The project aims to improve patient care by increasing clinicians’ knowledge and competence in identifying, assessing and managing the misuse of medication by young people, through an evidence-based mobile-learning app.

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

NEWS 07

We want to hear from you! Send in contributions for News bites to communications.cnwl@nhs.net

New Ealing services

Well done Jude!Jude Kearns, the Urgent Care Hub Team Lead for CAMHS in Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster was presented with a ‘Making a difference’ award from the Safeguarding Team at St Mary’s Hospital for her hard work supporting the children and young people who come there.

Jude (centre) with Dr Charles Tagore, Consultant Paediatrician and Zoe Lane, Safeguarding Nurse at Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust

Director of Therapies now Honorary ProfessorCongrats to Dr Ryan Kemp, Director of Therapies who has been made Honorary Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences at Brunel University London.

Dr Ryan Kemp

Older Adults Psychiatrist Dr Sophie Gascoigne-Cohen reviews’ Roz Chast’s graphic memoir on old age and deathThe excerpt below first appeared, in full, in Issue 72 of The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ publication, The Old Age Psychiatrist:

Discussions about death may be expected in Old Age Psychiatry. Graphic novels addressing dying, on the other hand, might not be. Roz Chast, a prolific American illustrator and author, manages to discuss death sensitively and humorously in the format of a graphic memoir, Can’t we talk about something more pleasant? A memoir, told from the perspective of Chast, an only child, as her parents approach the end of their lives and she becomes increasingly involved in their care. The book is also a therapeutic

reflection on her parents’ marriage, the relationship she had with each of them and how this shaped all of their interactions in later life.

A particular strength is how Chast highlights the impact of dementia and frailty on the individual and their carer with both sensitivity and humour. She uses an interesting mixture of prose and dialogue, caricatures and lifelike drawings plus the occasional photograph to create vivid characters. She brings to life her father’s dementia and her mother’s delirium and her own ad-hoc coping strategies. Her honesty about how challenging she finds her father’s paranoia is confronting and refreshing.

CNWL has been awarded the contract to deliver community services in Ealing alongside West London NHS Trust and local partners over the next ten years.

Ealing Community Partners will provide a range of services for adults, young people and children across the borough, including district nursing,

learning disability support, and care services to support people to receive treatment at or closer to home.

We’d like to welcome all our new staff who transferred over from other services. Lalabe Zaman, School Nursing Assistant, Harrow Community Nursing Team, transferred to our Trust in July 2018.

“It was so down to earth, they [CNWL] were very approachable, they listened, and were very interested in you as a person.”

Find out more about the new partnership by visiting www.westlondon.nhs.uk/ealing-community-partners.

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What I wish I knew then

“E arly to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”. This

phrase, attributed to Benjamin Franklin, was anathema to me as a younger person. I have always been keen on a late night and certainly as an arts student in my 20s very fond of sleeping in until the afternoon. I never missed lectures but an early start was certainly not a preference, and on occasion I did choose modules based on starting time.

Starting work meant that I set an alarm five days a week but I still preferred lazing on a weekend rather than sticking to the routine

of my working week, and luckily so did my wife!

Becoming parents changed that as our daughters’ body clocks started to take precedence over our own. But what really changed it for me was becoming even keener as a cyclist before deciding last year to try the Ride London 54 mile challenge. This meant getting up an hour early before work to get the practice in as well as giving up my precious Sunday lie-in. But it meant that I did get fitter and completed the ride in 2 hours 40 minutes, which delighted me. I also found I enjoyed the exercise and was amazed at

the difference it made to how I felt. So all those years of lie-ins could have been usefully turned to more productive time just by getting up early and sticking to a routine at the weekend, as well as during the week. As a less young person now, I intend to pay more attention to Franklin, although I may allow myself the occasional “late to bed”.

With Nigel Redmond

From trade secrets to life lessons big and small, we wish our younger selves knew. Whatever it is you wish you knew then, we want to hear all about it. Email alisha.nurse@nhs.net

WHAT I WISH I KNEW THENNigel Redmond

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

I had a pleasant surprise in an appointment letter from Podiatry at Gospel Oak; not for me but

written on the bottom was a wonderful compliment from a family the team worked with, praising the

“pleasantness and professionalism” of the staff – “absolute superstars” – and how this elderly family “would be lost without your Trust.”

Well done team and thank you.

And I thought it was loaded with learning too – how important the service is to patients; how valued the staff are; how staff courtesies go so far; and underlining their ‘professionalism’ too. I know this can be repeated across the whole Trust; making a difference when it matters.

I also really enjoyed the BAME network event on Friday 8 March, Standing in Your Shoes (see CNWL website for more information), listening to the views and experiences of our BAME staff. Again I was struck how the simple step of including a BAME person on

Spring seems to have sprung – lighter mornings and evenings lift everyone’s spirits, though the weather – and politics – can still hold a few surprises for us too.

Claire’s view

09

every interview panel for Bands 8a and above makes a difference.

With Brexit looming we are well prepared on meds and supplies. But I also want to make sure that all staff with worries are discussing them with their managers, whether it’s for assistance with settlement applications or other distressing event.

There are reports of hate crime rising in this political environment.

No person should tolerate abuse; if it happens to you we will support you so make sure you report it – including to the police if necessary.

On this, we all stand together.

Claire

A staff member asks Dot and Claire questions at the BAME network event

10 NEWS

D id you know that our charity supports a wide range of projects that benefit patients

across the Trust?

From brightening up clinical prison settings with art to supporting events aimed at boosting staff morale, we back ideas and activities which benefit our patients directly, or where the primary beneficiary is a member/ group of staff, there should be a discernible patient benefit as a result (e.g. events that raise staff morale help improve services to patients).

90 percent of the income that we use to support these projects comes from investment, and we’d love to be able to financially support more projects put forward for funding.

If you’re planning to raise funds for a charity this year, why not choose our own Trust Charitable Fund?

Calling all

fundraisers

Andrew Machin, Associate Director of Charity Development said, “The charity is keen to hear about more innovative and life changing projects from across the Trust. We were particularly excited to get a request from Medway Rehabilitation Centre – where they wanted to buy artworks to enhance the surroundings through a charity set up to sell the work of offenders – an example of not only benefit, but impact.”

So whether you’re keen to do a sponsored walk, coffee mornings, cycle rides or parachute jumps, please consider raising funds for our own Trust charity so that we can continue to make a difference.

Among recent projects we’ve supported:

� Camden HIV Citizens Advice Bureau to provide advice to recently diagnosed HIV patients

� Supporting the Harrow Mental Health Football Team

� The Shannon Ward mural at St Charles Mental Health Unit

� Computers for patients at the Gordon Mental Health Unit

� Events aimed at thanking staff, such as the Goodall Celebration and Diggory Festival

� Tea parties for carers during Carers WeekIf you’re interested in supporting us email andrew.machin@nhs.net

We’ve also invested in a new patient-focused café at St Charles Mental Health Unit, expected to open this year.

Diggory festival was supported by the Trust charity

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

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W hen it comes to this service’s work, Thomas Dowle has a saying.

“Right care, right place, first time, every time,” says the Clinical and Operational Lead for the Camden Rapid Access Services.

It came to him while he was telling Simon Stevens, Chief Executive NHS England, the prime minister and health secretary about their work.

“The most appropriate place for patients to be is in their own home environment. They’re safer there than in an acute Trust where they’re exposed to more infections, delirium and falls. The evidence shows that keeping patients at home is the best place for them.”

The service provides advanced nursing care, occupational therapy and physiotherapy to people with immediate health or functional needs who would otherwise require an admission to hospital.

Recently they were catapulted into the spotlight when they headlined a BBC Inside Out London report on NHS community services.

With more investment in community services the report was looking to the team to see how such a unit would function in the community.

What the report revealed sparked interest everywhere.

“Everyone was pleased with the portrayal of the team and the work they do. It’s really good to recognise the hard work we do to keep patients at home,” says Tom.

Camden Rapid Response Team featured on BBC’s Inside Out London.

Right care, right place

“It’s been a really good promotion for us. We’re being noticed more and we’ve been contacted for more information. The CCGs are really impressed with it. The providers are more aware of what they can do, and the feedback from the GPs has been very good. It’s really changed how they refer to us.”

They save the NHS thousands of pounds by avoiding hundreds of hospital admissions, when they treat elderly and vulnerable patients in their own homes.

Each month they treat about 100 patients in their own homes, saving £1,500 per patient.

The team has 28 staff with various roles – nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, administrators, healthcare assistants, rehab assistants and social workers who they work in partnership with.

The service runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Two new Non Executive Directors appointedThe Trust’s Council of Governors made the appointments at a recent meeting.

Mike Cooke joins us as a Non Executive Director after retiring as Chief Executive of Camden Council. He has extensive experience

working in various partnerships across London.

The Council also welcomed Paul Streets OBE, as a Non Executive Director. He is the

Chief Executive of Lloyd’s Bank Foundation, an independent charity funded by Lloyd’s Bank, after a career in the voluntary and public sector and international development.

They replace long serving NEDs Helen Edwards (10 years) and David Walker (8 years), who have come to the end of their terms of office.

Tom Kibasi has been appointed the Deputy Chair of CNWL and David Roberts becomes the Senior Independent Director.

Professor Dorothy Griffiths OBE, CNWL’s Chair, said, “Welcome to Mike and Paul and thanks to the Governors for the heavy work of selecting people with this kind of experience, ideal for the new world CNWL is operating in.”

(L-R) Dustin Kavanagh, Gareth Turner and Thomas Dowle from the Camden Rapid Response Team

NEWS

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Dr John Lowe in Notting Hill

It’s uplifting for you personally, it’s good as a way of making social relationships and

it’s good for forming communities.

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

FEATUREDr John Lowe: ukulele lover 13

E xcitement is rife. And it is written all over Dr John Lowe’s face, as he welcomes staff to

the Trust’s first ukulele class, funded by a health and wellbeing grant.

“Through my own experience, I’ve found playing the ukulele uplifting, and aware of the need to maintain staff morale and esprit de corps in hard times, I thought that maybe the ukulele would be a good vehicle for that,” he says.

John, Consultant Psychiatrist with the North Kensington Home Treatment Team for 16 years and Director of Education, knows a thing or two about learning and prescribing. That’s why he proposed the class.

“The intention is that people who participate will benefit personally in terms of individual well-being; that they will learn a new skill – playing a musical instrument – make new friendships, and learn how to ‘play’ together as a group – hopefully in harmony. Also, by forming such a group we should strengthen the ‘glue’ of diverse social and cultural networks across the Trust. Of course we plan to spread the joy by performing at Trust events, and the like. But mainly it’s just great fun.”

“The ukulele is not a panacea obviously,” he says, “but it fits in with the long term plan of the NHS

on social prescribing. So the ukulele is a sort of social prescription I think for looking after staff.”

It’s hard for John’s enthusiasm not to catch. Lately he’s taken to playing Burt Bacharach’s The look of love, and he breaks into song.

Then stops abruptly.

“I have to say although I have learnt to play the ukulele on a basic level I still haven’t learnt to sing and I don’t think there’s any prospect of that.”

“I think it’s symbolic though. I think everybody has a ukulele of some kind in them somewhere,” he says

HookedJohn’s love affair with the ukulele started about four years ago, when he found out about a class in Notting Hill.

“I must have seen this advertised somewhere on the web, and I’d seen the UK Ukulele orchestra perform live at a festival” says John.

“I got hooked. I’m not a very good student in many ways, I don’t practice much; I just go to the lessons as much as I can, and make slow but steady progress,” he says.

The whole is greaterIt was a match made in heaven. John says he’d previously tried and failed to learn instruments like the piano, trombone, recorder and guitar.

“So thanks to the ukulele I managed to achieve some degree of musical proficiency, which is quite astonishing. So it just goes to show anyone can be creative, anyone can learn a new skill, given the right conditions.

“It’s about being creative together in a spontaneous way, and taking pleasure as well as pride in what you do,” he says.

At that first CNWL ukulele class attended by more than 20 students, John said it was the first time he’d heard so many ukuleles being played together.

“I was tempted to call us the CNWL Ukulele Team Players because it’s very much a team. The whole is much greater than the part.

“It’s qualitatively different when you’ve got that many. So it’s a nice way of making a point about how important the group and team is to deliver the ultimate outcome.

“It’s not something you can do on your own, we have to do it together, and working in the NHS that’s part of the message,” he says.

On a frosty Wednesday evening in January, the sounds of 20 strummed ukuleles echo from the basement of a North London Victorian pub.

ukulele loverDr John Lowe on being a

Would you like to join the CNWL Ukulele Team Players? Email jlowe@nhs.net for more information.

NEWS14

Good luck Sam!Thank you to Sam Orr, who joined our Communications Team briefly for his work experience. He was professional, curious and engaging. We hope to see him in the future.

“Hello CNWL. I have done my work experience course with your communications team and have enjoyed my course there. The time I spent with the team has helped to further solidify my ideas for career paths in the future, taught me about the world of work I knew so little about,

and has further developed my communication and writing skills. This course has also inspired me to further my education, make it into the world of work and pursue my passion. During my time with your communications team I have completed many tasks such as publishing tweets and rough drafting emails, and now writing my own piece to appear in the magazine! In conclusion I would like to thank CNWL and the whole of the NHS for their selfless work”

T his letter was received by the Campbell Centre in Milton Keynes. We have removed all

names but the words stand as a great commendation for the staff there; they have been terrific.

***

I am writing in regards to the Campbell Centre in Milton Keynes. Firstly I’d like to state this is not a complaint. I am writing with the greatest of gratitude towards this hospital. My admission saved my life. I was admitted on 24 December 2018, I was in a really bad way, I was hopeless and in all honesty thought I’d be better off dead. Today, I am strong, happy and free from my demons. I am in the process of moving towards discharge which is due next week so I thought this would be the perfect time to express how amazing the Campbell Centre was to me.

Excerpt from patient letter – Campbell Centre, Milton Keynes

My admission

saved my lifeWhen I arrived at the Campbell Centre I was well and truly sick, I was addicted to drugs, self-harming, suicidal and struggled with disordered eating. I am only explaining this so you understand just how much the hospital has supported me to overcome these issues. With the help of staff, I can say that I am clean from drugs, no longer self-harming, I want to live and I’m physically healthy. The staff were so amazing, they were compassionate and had such good understanding around mental health. I am so grateful, as I was willing to work with them, they did all they could to reciprocate the effort.

I wrote this so people know just how amazing the staff at the Campbell Centre are, being there really did help me to get my life back on track and I couldn’t have done it without all the people involved

in my care during my admission. I hope you can read this and somehow pass on my gratitude, as they deserve the recognition. My life is now worth living.

Sam Orr

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

(Interim) J’nelle James, Head of Equality Diversity, and David Van de Velde, at the event

W e came in number 28 as the leading healthcare organisation.

David Van de Velde, Inpatient Manager at The Gordon Hospital is also the Co-Chair of our LGBT+ Network. He said:

“When I was elected as Co-Chair of the PRIDE@CNWL, LGBT+ Staff Network in Jan of 2016, I could not have even imagined that CNWL would make it to the ‘top public health employer position’ in the Stonewall Awards list. When I think about what has been achieved in such a short space of time, two emotions come to mind. Firstly, a sense of immense pride; having taken over with just over 200 members, the LGBT+ Network now comprises of a third of all CNWL staff, reaching out to all parts of our great Trust. The second feeling that comes to mind is one of responsibility; not just for our amazing LGBT+ network, but for everyone in CNWL. We must make sure we embed, as well as sustain, the importance of LGBT+ inclusion. This experience has crystallised for me, the importance of creating an inclusive workplace that is gender

Stonewall said so! That’s right – for the fourth year running our Trust has been rated one of the most gay and trans-friendly employers to work for by the gay rights organisation.

We’re in the 15

SystmOne launch successful

Scott Galloway, Chief Clinical Information Officer thanked all the staff who supported the Trust’s “smooth”

migration from JADE to SystmOne, a database allowing clinicians to access a single source of information, detailing a patient’s contact with the health service across a lifetime.

“Thanks to the many Trust staff who have worked so patiently to get us to this point….It’s been a long, hard climb up the mountain to get to this point, but at least we can now build the system to work how we need it, and deliver the quality of care that CNWL aspires to.” said Scott.

At a launch ceremony at 350 Euston Road, Scott said we’re now working with the providers on a case study after they were impressed by how smoothly we transitioned, in what was the biggest implementation to SystmOne in the country.

The project trained more than 300 ‘Super users’ across the Trust to support the migration.

NEWS

neutral, supportive and embracing of difference.”

David has been invited to speak at Stonewall’s conference in April. His speech will focus on how to ‘Engage Allies in Network Groups’.

Our achievement is no small feat. Peter Smith, Programme Manager with the Trust’s Improvement Support Service was one of the founding members of the network, and remembers eight years ago when he sat in a room with two other colleagues waiting to see if anyone would turn up at the first network meeting.

top 100 LGBT+ friendly places to work

FEATUREThe Gardener’s Yard16

“B oredom is incredibly painful,” says Simon, who is carefully tucking a seedling into a pot

of soil with his bare hands.

We were at the Gardener’s Yard, a thriving community garden run by the North Kensington charity, Westway Trust, and a short distance from St Charles Mental Health Unit where Simon had been an inpatient.

By the time he’d been discharged Simon had discovered the joys of volunteering at the garden – it got him out of bed, gave him confidence, skills and helped prevent relapses.

Nowadays, inpatients from the hospital come to the garden where Simon teaches them how to grow plants from seeds or cuttings. It gives them something to look towards, so they’re less isolated and anxious about discharge, says Cate Latto, who is standing beside Simon in the garden shed.

Cate’s job is to engage with patients and carers. She asks them everything about how they’re finding services – what’s wrong, right, what they want to see and then tries to figure out how to make it happen.

“Being discharged back into the community is exciting but also daunting. The work we do is to

bridge that gap between discharge, hospital and the community. Getting patients involved is very empowering for them. It gives them something they can feel good about.”

Simon agrees. That’s why when Cate pitched the idea he was keen to lead the patient gardening group, even while he was still in hospital.

With support from Cate, Francisco, the activities coordinator, and Colin who runs Gardeners Yard, Simon now runs the weekly group.

‘Connect up’Gardeners Yard doesn’t charge anything for patients to use the space, and it also kindly planted the garden at one of the unit’s wards.

There is a recurring theme in all the anecdotes being shared today.

The community around the hospital can be as vital to patients’ recovery as their hospital treatment.

“The role of the community is changing, and I think bringing in volunteering, bringing in

It’s the little things that

make the big difference

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

community groups is really important because it’s going to enable people to hopefully be able to get well quicker and stay well for longer,” says Cate.

Take for instance their play reading group. After a patient said there wasn’t enough for young people on the wards, Cate connected with an actress she met locally, who introduced her to Anthony, the director of the local Playground Theatre.

They had no money but the theatre supported them to run the group in therapy rooms where patients took turns reading The Paradise Circus, which was in production at the theatre.

“Nobody really knew what was going to happen,” says Cate. “And we started and everybody just had the best time. It was therapeutic in a really different way, and it was something that everybody could access.”

When the play was opened to the public, the theatre invited the group to see it.

Giving patients a voiceThey couldn’t afford to refurbish the balcony where patients sit for

fresh air, on Ganges Ward. So Cate turned to the community. They got donations, plants, paint and cushions.

“One of the patients had said to me that she felt she was in a five star hotel when she sat in that balcony. And one of the things I learnt that’s really important is it’s the little things that make the big difference.”

“Everything costs something, but what I found is if you go around to ask people and you connect people up people they’ll help. Many people want to help and they just don’t know how to.”

Another project built on connections has been making a difference to patients’ recovery. Cate brought the Volunteers Centre into the hospital to connect patients with volunteering opportunities.

“It has already helped two patients get confidence after discharge recently,” she says.

Cate wants to make sure service users have voice. It is something to do with her own experience of having an eating disorder as a teenager and no access to treatment.

“I think it gives me the empathy that I have with mental health that I can draw on now.

“Whatever we come up with, it’s service users who tell me what they need, and they are the best

people. They’re the experts by experience; they are the people who can really help our staff designing and delivering these services to make improvements that are actually meaningful.”

Just ask Simon. Through his work at the garden, he’s now started a City & Guilds Horticultural course. He looks up and cracks a sheepish smile, while potting another plant.

Cate smiles back. Simon’s progress is a testament to what can be achieved when we all work together.

“I get up in the morning and I’m empowered because I can make a difference in someone’s life and service users are the same,” she says.

FEATUREThe Gardener’s Yard 17

Simon, Francisco, Cate and Colin at the Gardener’s Yard in Kensington

Cate Latto lends a hand

Simon, one of our service users at the Gardener’s Yard, in Kensington with Francisco, Activities Coordinator

FEATUREHIV peer support 18

Chris Sandford

Thank you to all the individuals who

believed in me. Thank you to CNWL

for encouraging and supporting me. Thank you to all the patients

that trusted me.

Chris Sandford retires from CNWL at the end of March. He has been a brilliant leader in HIV services and peer support.

He has influenced HIV care and support services within CNWL and further afield having represented the Clinic at over two hundred conferences, and been heavily involved in the development of the Patient Representative initiative.

In light of Chris’s retirement, it’s time to reflect on the initiative and how the service based at the Bloomsbury Clinic at the Mortimer Market Centre will function post Chris.

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

FEATUREHIV peer support 19

B loomsbury Clinic Patient Representative Richard Watkins, 29, was diagnosed with HIV in

July 2016.

Without the help and support, particularly that offered by Chris as the Lead Patient Representative, he admits he would have been in a far worse emotional state.

“Chris defines living well with HIV for lots of patients and has been influential in a lot of their lives. Personally, he has provided me with a lot of emotional and practical support for which I will always be grateful,” he says.

Now with Chris due to retire, he and colleague Angela Byakwaga will pick up the slack. It’s a big ask, but it’s an important role given that they see about 1,200 patients a year.

They offer emotional support, understanding, advice, information and referrals five days a week.

It was this help and advice that helped Richard recover from the shock of the diagnosis.

He says: “One thing I found most difficult in the early days was processing what I should feel about it. I simply didn’t know what to feel. I was being told a lot of things by people, but what helped more was meeting other people who are living with HIV, who don’t let HIV define them and who live the best life they can.

“I saw this in the Newly Diagnosed Course, which was led by Chris, and that’s how the patient representatives helped me towards my process of acceptance of living with HIV.

“After a year of living with HIV, I decided I wanted to get more

HIV peer support Championing

involved in helping others as I was helped and started helping with the Bloomsbury Network and the Terrence Higgins Trust before applying for a vacant Patient Representative post here.

“I enjoy it here. As patient representatives we get lots of support from our managers and from psychologists. There’s no better place I could have worked in than here as I’m surrounded by experts and I’m really happy to be giving something back.

“What’s important for anyone joining the team to consider is to keep your work life and personal life quite separate. While it’s important that we bring our personal stories into work, we have to be strict about turning off after work as this can be an emotionally taxing role.”

One way Richard switches off is through his other career – that of acting, which he is stepping back into following his diagnosis and will be starring in his own show, Happily Ever Poofter, at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern on 12 April.

Our clinicians rate the service highly. Dr Laura Waters, our HIV and

Hepatitis Lead, says: “Access to peer support is embedded in the British HIV Association (BHIVA) standards and our clinic has long provided a gold standard peer support service and recognised the value of peer support as a profession by employing patient representatives as part of multi-disciplinary time.

“As people with HIV age and experience more physical, psychological and social challenges in a setting of reduced funding and closure of some support agencies, the role of our in-house peer team has become ever more important.

“Frankly we could not manage without them and, as HIV lead, I am proud to count our peer support team as colleagues.”

A final few words from Chris: “I feel privileged to have been entrusted with the development of the Patient Representative initiative, which has brought kudos to the Clinic and a world-wide reputation for innovation.

“Every clinic in the country should have in-house peer support. People diagnosed with HIV (or any other chronic condition for that matter) need a different perspective, a more humane, empathetic, compassionate point of view without fear of stigma or discrimination.

“So, thank you to all the individuals who believed in me. Thank you to CNWL for encouraging and supporting me. Thank you to all the patients that trusted me.”

You can buy tickets to see Richard’s show by visiting www.vauxhalltavern.com/events/event/happily-ever-poofter

Richard Watkins

W e enter the Psychiatric Wards at St Charles Hospital to a flurry of activity. There’s

music pumping, and patients are milling in and out of a small room in the corner of the ward.

Moving closer we see it’s a gym, and it’s packed.

There’s energy and positivity in the air as patients pull on the rowing machines, jog on the running machines and do push-ups. This is the result of Live More – a pioneering patient exercise programme which encourages fitness as a core treatment for severe mental illness.

Matt Waugh, Student Nurse, launched the programme, after receiving the Allesch-Taylor Grant for Entrepreneurship.

Nurse wins grant to treat mental health with exercise

FEATUREMatt Waugh20

My prescription?

Work out!

“When I first began my placement in St Charles, I noticed that even though the wards had gyms and open spaces, patients weren’t using them to their full potential. Now, they’re using them every day – both gyms were even open on Christmas day! It’s fantastic. Regular exercise raises self-esteem, rebuilds confidence and hopefully initiates sustained lifestyle change,” says Matt.

Psychiatric Intensive Care wards (PICUs) provide mental health care and treatment for people whose acute distress, absconding risk and suicidal or challenging behaviour requires a secure environment.

“When I’m in the gym I can visualise being somewhere else,” says Hannah*, a patient living on a female PICU. “I’m on a country cycle path or I’m running across a

field. The exercise keeps my mind active and gives me a real sense of achievement while I’m here. When I think about what I’ve achieved, I feel overwhelmed – when I started I did just 100 rows (on the rowing machine) throughout the course of a day, and now, I do over 1000 in an hour. I’m always working to beat my personal best.”

“I feel much more positive, and we’ve created a community of gym goers on the ward,” says Hannah* gestures to the small room filled with exercise equipment. “It must be the world’s smallest, but greatest gym.”

On the male PICU ward, the sentiment is the same.

“It’s helped me massively. I feel like I’m spending my day doing something productive. The push-ups help my mood and I feel

*Names have been changed to protect the patient identity

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

I feel much more positive, and we’ve

created a community of gym goers on the ward. It must be the world’s smallest, but

greatest gym.

FEATUREMatt Waugh 21

happier and less stressed,” says Eloic*, one of the residents.

Another patient, Christian* adds: “The music is therapeutic, and we’re always being pushed to higher levels of fitness. Every day we’re doing lots of different things, and we help each-other. I feel less depressed. I can breathe more deeply now. We should have this programme in every hospital.”

Matt says that many patients started off with low confidence and self-esteem, but this changed.

“Once the programme was introduced they improved in leaps and bounds. Both Hannah* and Eloic* are now transitioning out of the secure ward, and will continue to thrive. With the grant we can grow the programme, running it seven days a week on the ward at St Charles, and hopefully expanding it to other mental health settings.

“The key is to make it sustainable – professionals should find out what patients enjoy, then they can sustain and tailor the programme accordingly. We found Hannah loves rowing so we want to link her up with a rowing club when she’s discharged. Whereas Eloic enjoys the feeling he gets from body weight exercises – which can be sustained when he gets home as they don’t require equipment.

“Our mission is to make physical activity an internationally recognised core treatment for mental illness. Live More is aligned with the NHS 10 year plan’s focus on mental health and prevention. The plan puts an emphasis on this type of recovery work, and it’s easy to see why. People with severe mental illness die 20 years younger than those without, and it’s a global problem.

“While medication and rehabilitation help us to treat mental illness, we need a more holistic approach. Exercise is clinically proven to raise people’s spirits, and improve their mood, so it should be key in treating severe mental illness.” Matt Waugh, Student

Nurse, in one of the gyms at St Charles Hospital

You cover a large area “Twilight nurses cover the whole of Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas,” says Debbie, “Community

nurses who work during the day are often based in a specific area, like a GP surgery. As a result, we work with a wider variety of patients.”

We’re highly skilled “A lot of nurses think that because they’ll be working in the community, rather than an acute settings,

they’ll lose skills but this isn’t true. We regularly give intravenous antibiotics and end of life care, for example.

There’s lots of training and development opportunities “While working alongside the local hospice, you get

full training on end of life care.” said Amanda , “We’re part of a skilled team working in partnership with various clinicians such as occupational therapists and physiotherapists. We also work with the tissue viability nurses, and the continence service, so you do learn a lot.”

It’s amazing to be able to care for people at home “The people we see are housebound,” says

Debbie, “the only way they can access healthcare is through us. It’s really important to be able to deliver high quality care, at home, to people who are the most vulnerable. It’s a lovely job.”

Spend more time with your own family “You’re able to share your childcare duties with your partner due to working

different hours,” says Amanda, “you can spend time with your children during the day.”

Remembering MagsWe are sad to say goodbye to Dr Mags Portman, HIV Consultant after a battle with cancer.

We are thankful to have had her with us sharing her expertise at the Mortimer Market Centre that included helping hundreds of patients to access treatment that reduces the risk of getting HIV.

Our thoughts are with her husband Martin and children Edward and Freddie.

Five perksof being a twilight nurse

1

2

3

4

5

with Milton Keynes Community Health“It’s amazing how far you can go in your nursing career, and how many different experiences you can have,” says Amanda Black, Senior Twilight Nurse. Her and fellow nurse, Debbie Herron, begin their shift at 7pm, when the day nurses finish. We caught up with them to talk about the benefits of nursing at night.

(L to R) Twilight nurses Amanda Black and Debbie Herron

22

Body & Mind / Issue 17 / March 2019

Keep up-to-date with the latest offers,

benefits and health and wellbeing initiatives. Follow CNWL People

on Twitter @CNWLPeople

23

Saying goodbye Moving on up

Jane YoungNurse Consultant

Jane is already our lead bladder and bowel nurse and now newly appointed nurse consultant. She

joins our other Nurse Consultants who provide clinical expertise in tissue viability, diabetes, end of life and now bladder and bowel care.

She trained in Sheffield and qualified in 1993. She worked in the commercial sector as a nurse and is a qualified licensee when she helped her parents run a gastro pub. “I am the eldest of five children and have six nieces and nephews. I commute in from just south of Winchester; but I love the job and work with amazing colleagues who are a pleasure to manage.”

Anshu RayanInterim Chief Pharmacist

Anshu has worked with our Trust for 19 of the 20 years that she’s been a

registered pharmacist. She started out as Addictions Pharmacist and has held various pharmacy management roles, most recently Associate Deputy Chief Pharmacist for 10 years.

Anne Tyrrell Chief Pharmacist

Farewell to Anne Tyrell who retired last month. We’ll miss you and we wish you all the best!

Dear CNWL colleagues,

After just over five years it is time for me to say goodbye.

My roles have been at Camden and Islington Wheelchair

Service and in the Community Independence Service. I have

worked closely with teams in Camden, CIS and Corporate.

I feel lucky to have been able to build such a wide and

strong network across CNWL which has really made my

time in the Trust more than just a job.

My leaving do on the 14 January 2019 was a lovely eclectic

mix of both internal and external working relationships and

friendships. I wasn’t able to build these networks overnight

and am grateful to my managers who have always

supported my development including me reaching out to

other teams, departments and services to learn from them.

Whilst at CNWL my learning has been steep and I have

developed strong skills which will take me forward into

my next role as Assistant General Manager at North West

Anglia NHS FT.

I will miss those with whom I’ve formed deep bonds and

friendships and would like to thank those who have given

me their time, encouragement and feedback. I leave a

much more rounded Physiotherapist and Operational

Manager as a result.

The NHS is a large employer however it is a relatively

close-knit group so I hope that our paths again cross as

our careers progress. Meantime, I wish you all the best

into 2019 and beyond!

Integrated Borough Lead Kensington & Chelsea Community Independence Service (CIS)

NEWS

ISSUE 17 / MARCH 2019

Keep up-to-date with all our news on our website: www.cnwl.nhs.uk/news

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ACROSS7 Related to a population

subgroup with a common national or cultural tradition

12 Mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance

17 Solution for all difficulties

20 Unjust or prejudicial treatment of different groups of people on certain grounds

22 Period before it goes completely dark

25 An example or thing that makes something better

27 Body of information used to prove something is true or not

28 Member of the guitar family

29 Involve someone in

DOWN1 Happening in a short time

2 A thing complete in itself

3 Priority in importance

4 Proof of something

5 Physical activities performed

6 Organ similar to a storage bag

8 Showing sympathy for others

9 The state of being weary and restless from a lack of interest

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2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10

11 12

13

14 15

16 17

18

19 20 21

22

23 24

25

26 27

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10 To make something look new again

11 Exposed to the possibility of being harmed

13 How good or bad something is

14 A system of giving money, food or help free those who need it

15 Platform projecting from the wall of a building

16 Decorative objects

18 Taking place or administered within a vein

19 A small group of people within a community, differing from the main population

21 A condition that is not normal or healthy

23 Activity requiring physical effort

24 To canvas opinion on something

26 A person who is trained to give care to people