Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

NHS

about mental health and learning disability

Trust involvementhighlighted as modelexample see page 5

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY LAUNCHED CARERS EVENT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY INVOLVEMENT UPDATE CHANGE ONE THING

Involvement Centre of

Excellence

JUNE 2010

MESSAGEFROM THE BOARDAs I write, we have just beeninformed that in partnership withRethink and NottinghamshireCommunity Health, the Trust hasbeen successful in its bid to provideservices within prisons in Doncaster.

I would like tocongratulate everyonewho worked so hard tosecure this contract. It isreally great that we cannow provide our highquality care to morevulnerable people inprisons. Moreinformation about thiswill follow in the nextissue of Positive.

Last month also saw a documentaryfollowing the lives of three of our AdultMental Health service users air on BBC4and BBC2. ‘Sectioned’ was produced bythe Open University and Maverick andprovided an honest account of enduringmental illness and its impact on peopleand their families.

The powerful and moving documentaryreceived much critical acclaim and raisedawareness of an often misunderstood andstigmatised topic. We really hope that‘Sectioned’ challenged some commonassumptions and changed the way peoplethink about mental illness and the manyindividuals who live with it everyday.

Public membership of the Trust continuesto grow; we now have more than 7500members, many of whom are gettinginvolved and really having an influence.

All members were last month invited toput themselves forward for election tobecome Governor Members andrepresent fellow members’ views at theMembers’ Council. We had a fantasticresponse and now members areencouraged to elect their favouredcandidate by returning their vote on theballot paper by 5pm on Friday 25 June.Thank you for getting involved and goodluck to all of the candidates.

Finally, we were delighted to welcome a team of assessors from Monitor to the Trust last week. This assessmentstage is a crucial part of our progresstowards becoming an equivalent of aFoundation Trust.

Dr Peter Miller, Medical Director

With support and leadership from JoLeech, Head of Secure Services PolicyTeam at DH, the group spent the nexttwo and a half years developing theHigh Secure Building Design Guide.Based on several existing documentsincluding the design guide forRampton, the experiences of groupmembers and a solid evidence base,the Guide includes chapters on thefollowing:

• High-Level Planning and DesignPrinciples

• Site Wide Issues• Building Design• Building Construction• Mechanical, Drainage and Electrical

Services• CCTV installation• Construction Works• Product Testing

Following wide consultation and variousassessments, the Guide was approved asGovernment policy and signed off byMinisters in April 2010.

The recently constructed DavidWilson, National High SecureLearning Disability Unit at Ramptonreflects the standards within the Guide.

The publicly available ‘OverarchingPrinciples’ section of the guide can beaccessed on the DH websitewww.dh.gov.uk/en/healthcare/Mentalhealth/Policy/Mentalhealthsecureservices/index.htm. The ‘Technical Design Guide’ section is restricted and managed by Lee Brammer, Head of Security atRampton Hospital.

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support in shaping responses topsychological trauma. Together with David,the students provide socially orientedrelationship based support to people whohave experienced significant traumas.

The unit is linked to other service providerswithin the statutory, voluntary and communitysectors and will work with clients either at theCTRG or at the base of the referring agency;wherever the client feels most at ease.

The type of support offered ranges frompractical help through to more social/interpersonal focused work. The underlyingbasis of all the work is that it is grounded ina therapeutic relationship. The focus of thework usually begins by understanding the

Social SupportUnit respondsto traumaThe Social Support Unit is based withinthe Centre for Trauma, Resilience andGrowth (CTRG) at Westminster House.The unit offers clinical placements tosocial work students with an interestin mental health.

David Murphy is an Honorary Psychologistwith Nottinghamshire Healthcare and hasa particular interest in the role ofinterpersonal relationships and social

High SecureBuildingDesign GuideIn October 2006, Andy White, thethen Rampton Hospital EstatesManager and now Capital ProjectsManager, and Ian Fidler, ClinicalSecurity Manager at Rampton Hospitalwere asked by the Department ofHealth (DH) to join a group looking atdesign and construction standards forAshworth, Broadmoor and Ramptonhigh secure hospitals.

The group, consisting of representativesfrom Capital, Estates and SecurityDepartments from the three hospitals, aCommissioner of High Secure servicesand the Security Advisor to DH, beganwork in November 2006. The objectivewas to produce a document to replacethe existing Physical SecurityRequirements which set out standardsfor design and construction for newbuilds and major refurbishments.

l-r Andy White, Capital Projects Manager, Jo Leech, Head ofSecure Services Policy. Mental Health Division, DH, Ian Fidler,Clinical Security Manager, Estates Liaison

Positive June 2010 3

LeadershipAcademylaunchedOver 280 people attended theofficial launch of the EastMidlands Leadership Academyon 13 May at the annual NHSEast Midlands LeadershipSummit.

The new Leadership Academy has amembership of 24 NHS organisationsfrom across the region and is hosted byNottinghamshire Healthcare, following itssuccess in the recent tender process.Jointly funded by its members, theAcademy aims to provide a dynamic,responsive, cost effective and innovativelevel of leadership development toensure better care for patients.

Each member organisation currentlydelivers its own leadership development.However, the Academy will enhance thisby providing a suite of programmesrelevant for all, where the needs of eachorganisation can be met by the sameprogramme or develop the skills requiredto work across a number of organisations.

The keynote speaker at the official launchevent was Greg Dyke, Chairman of theBritish Film Institute and Former DirectorGeneral of the BBC, discussing LeadingChallenging Organisations at ChallengingTimes. Other speakers included MikeCooke, Trust Chief Executive and Chair ofthe Academy, Dame Barbara Hakin, ChiefExecutive NHS East Midlands and KarenLynas and Professor Rachel Munton,Director and Deputy Director of theAcademy. Attendees were also able toshare best practice and to consider howthe Leadership Academy can supportleadership development across the region.

Mike Cooke, Trust Chief Executive, said:“We are delighted to be hosting the

Leadership Academy, which provides sucha valuable resource for developing theleaders of the future and supporting allthe member organisations in achievingtheir leadership goals.”

nature of the traumatic event and why theclient has asked to access the service. Thefocus then shifts towards the socialdimensions of the client’s life either before orafter the traumatic event. At this time, thetraumatic response is understood from withinthe client’s frame of reference and help andsupport is aimed at helping to identify andmeet their needs within the social context.

The social support unit is the only placementunit of its kind in the region and is prized byall the local universities. It is keen to fosterpartnerships with other services in the Trustthat may work in a similar way and todevelop inter-professional learningopportunities for trainees and potentialresearch projects.

Greg Dyke

Self-help for traumaSteve Regel and Professor Stephen Joseph of the Centre forTrauma, Resilience and Growth and the Institute of MentalHealth have just published a new book with OxfordUniversity Press, called Post-traumatic stress: the facts.

The book opens with a foreword from Terry Waite andprovides a description of post-traumatic stress and otherrelated problems often experienced by survivors. SteveRegel said: “We now know a lot about the psychologicalroadblocks that people can encounter following trauma. Wewanted to get this information out to people in anaccessible and practical way. The book is aimed at sufferersof post-traumatic stress, their families and friends, but is also a resourcefor professionals, particularly those who want to know about thepsychological impact and management of trauma in a variety of contexts,such as general practitioners, clinical psychologists, psychiatric nurses andthose in the voluntary sector.”

Leadership at the Point ofService (LATPOS) is a series ofleadership training modulesaimed at staff in a leadershiprole or who aspire to lead. Itis most useful for staff in ateam leading role (Bands 4-7,e.g. Ward Manager,Administration Supervisor).

Some modules provide theopportunity for more seniorstaff to revisit or top up theircompetencies in specific areas.

Modules are practical and skillsbased and may be takenindividually or several at a time.There is no formal assessmentbut there is a requirement tocomplete some work beforeattending most modules.

A rolling programme formataims to offer flexibility. Alltraining sessions canaccommodate 20 places.

Modules include:• Leadership and Management

in today’s NHS• Leading projects successfully• Leading teams and developing

others• Presenting information and

communicating effectively• Running and improving

services; delivering results• Self and service development;

next steps, new challenges• Understanding and

developing yourself as aleader

• Understanding finance andusing resources effectively

• Working in partnership withothers

For information on the modulesand their content contact KevinWarren, Training Manager(Local Services), tel: 01159691300 ext 10526, email:Kevin.Warren@nottshc.nhs.ukor Martin Jones, TrainingManager (Forensic), tel: 01777

248321 ext 7684, email:Martin.Jones@nottshc.nhs.uk

To book a place contactKimberley Spencer, tel: 01159691300 ext 11152, email:Kimberley.Spencer@nottshc.nhs.uk

The team is very different to those inLocal Services, providing an eclecticservice ranging from dealing withadmission referrals to identifying fundingauthorities and submitting cases andassessments to the admission panels.

They also ensure that patients aredetained legally during their stay,looking after their legal rights, andliaising with the Ministry of Justice.

The Mental Health Act Team atRampton Hospital is a specialist teamwithin the Forensic Services of theTrust. The team is responsible forensuring that the Act is deliveredeffectively within the hospital and withinguidelines of good practice. Their rolemonitors and manages all requirementsof the Act relating to detention anddischarge of patients, as well asproviding advice and support to staff.

RamptonHospitalMentalHealthAct Team

Leadership at the Point of Service

l-r Amy Porter, MHA Support, Mary Robbins, MHA Assistant,Dawn Ingamells MHA Caseworker, Oliver Cuff, MHACaseworker, Linda Fields, MHA Manager, Jo Milton, MHACaseworker, Tracy Anderson, MHA Assistant, Bev Storey,MHA Coordinator, Lindsey Smith, MHA Assistant

They act as the coordination point forTribunal and Care Quality Commissionactivities, Associate Hospital Managers’review panels and arrangements forcurrent patients appearing in courtduring their detention.

With over 70 years’ combined experienceworking with the Mental Health Act, theteam takes pride in its reputation forknowledge and helpfulness.

Kevin Warren

Martin Jones

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5Positive June 2010

PersonalityDisorder andDevelopmentNetwork openafternoonThe Personality Disorder Network heldits first open afternoon for Trust andpartner agency visitors on 27 April.

The event was opened by Trust Chair,Professor Clair Chilvers. Visitors

experienced a service presentation, acontribution from former service usersand the guided showing of a videomade by service users. Also availablewere online resources and displaysabout local service information, nationalpolicy drivers, advocacy services, selfharm, and more.

The afternoon provided an opportunityfor visitors to discuss issues with eachother and the network staff, to find outmore about the services on offer fromthe network, and to develop theirknowledge and understanding of theneeds of people diagnosable withpersonality disorder.

Attendees findout what thenetwork hasto offer

Department of Health Directorvisits Involvement Centre

CarerseventCome along and meet withworkers from A Place To Call OurOwn (APTCOO) and adult services(including the local authority,voluntary sector and independentproviders) to find out what maybe available for you and theperson you care for.

This event on Wednesday 23 June,is open to carers from Mansfieldand Ashfield who care for someonewho has a learning disability (bothadults and children).

The session will be held atAPTCOO, Unit 15 Botany Park,Botany Avenue, Mansfield, NG185NF and runs from 11.30am to2.30pm with a buffet lunchprovided.

If you would like to attend pleasecontact: Sam, tel: 01623 629902or Ian, tel: 01623 436640.

The Trust’s Involvement Teamwere proud to host a visitrecently from Joan Saddler,National Director for Patientand Public Affairs at theDepartment of Health.

Joan came to the Involvement Centreat Duncan Macmillan House to learnabout the Trust’s unique approach toinvolvement. She met withJanet Sheard, ExecutiveDirector for Nursingand Allied HealthProfessionals,Involvement Teamstaff and some ofthe service userand carer

volunteers who work at the Centre.Joan was interested to learn about theirexperience of being involved with theTrust and the activities they wereengaged in. This included involvementin the Executive Leadership Council, theTrust induction programme,interviewing staff for jobs and helpingto develop the service user and carerexperience survey.

Reflecting on her time spent at the Centre,Joan said: “I was impressed with thecommitment demonstrated by the Trust toplace patients and service users at theheart of care. At a time when publicfinances are stretched, it will become moreimportant to ensure the real engagementand involvement of all people.”

The Strategic Health Authority, NHS EastMidlands had recommended Joan visitNottinghamshire Healthcare, highlightingit as an organisation with a goodapproach to involvement and an exampleof best practice.

Joan Saddler (front left)with members of theinvolvement team, serviceuser and carer volunteers

6

A development day for nurses withinChild and Adolescent Mental HealthServices (CAMHS) was held onThursday 29 April.

Facilitated by Marie Armstrong, NurseConsultant, the day ‘kicked off’ withDirectorate Manager Paul Farrell and hisvision for CAMHS. Sam Sykes and GwenMorgan then enlisted colleagues in role playdemonstrating their collaborative work inthe young adults’ ‘Stop and Think Group’.

The afternoon saw Michelle Persauddiscuss her role as Associate Director forNursing in Local Services. A special‘Nurses’ Got Talent’ contest organised by

New EyecareService foremployees The Trust is now offering anew Corporate EyecareService in conjunction withSpecsavers. This service isavailable to all staffmembers who are regularusers of display screenequipment (DSE).

As a regular user you willbe able to obtain a DSEEyecare Voucher. Thisentitles you to a full eyeexamination for free and upto £65* towards glasseswhere it has been identified

they are required solely andspecifically for DSE use.

This provision is part of theTrust’s obligations underHealth and SafetyRegulations.

Specsavers are also offeringfree of charge to all staff, aPremium Club voucher. Thisentitles you to a £20discount off glasses fromthe £99 range and above.You may request twofurther Premium Clubvouchers annually for useby family members.

Details of eligibility for thescheme and how to obtainyour Eyecare Voucher can

be found in the TrustPolicy and associatedProcedure Safe Workingwith Display ScreenEquipment 16.11.

For further informationcontact the Health andSafety Team (Ian Freegard,Gail Willis, AlisonThornton, Colin Meredith,or Gill Berridge on Trustemail or via extension11117) or visitwww.specsavers.co.uk

*A pair of glasses can be selectedfrom the £45 range as standard.The voucher has Specsavers’Premium Club offer built in to itwhich contributes a further £20towards glasses selected from the£99 range and above giving thecombined contribution of £65.

Liz Tatham and Hayley Fickling, followed.Everyone was put into teams andchallenged to demonstrate the essenceof CAMHS nursing by showcasingQuality, Innovation, Productivity andPrevention. Winning prizes came in theform of mugs decorated by youngpeople on the adolescent unit.

The day ended with thoughts andreflections including: “I really enjoyed it.It was good to meet up as a group ofnurses and was really interesting”, “Itwas great to feel so welcome, includedand valued as a nursing student,” and“A great ‘North/South’ venture, a reallygood day, I came away feeling uplifted.”

CAMHS nursedevelopment day l-r Babita, Helen, Joe and

Caroline from the winningteams show off their prizes

InternationalWomen’s DaycentenarycelebrationsEvery year on 8March, InternationalWomen’s Day (IWD)is celebrated aroundthe world. On the dayand for the whole ofthe month, eventsmark the achievementsof women, particularly

those classed as economic,political and social.

Each year a different theme is chosenwhich reflects global and local genderissues. This year’s centenary themewas ‘Equal rights, equalopportunities: Progress for all’. Thetheme was extremely relevant to theTrust as it strives to ensure it meetsthe needs of the very different anddiverse communities it serves.

The Trust held its own celebration onTuesday 16 March. Professor ClairChilvers opened the lunchtime eventdetailing her own personalexperiences as a female within themedical arena and outlining thehistorical significance of the IWDcentenary year.

Delegates watched an episode of ‘TheNo.1 Women’s Detective Agency’ setin Botswana, which allowed an openforum discussion on key issuesimpacting on many women, such ascaring responsibilities, domesticviolence, the concept of the maternalrole, cultural norms and expectations,and entrepreneurship. Networkingand sharing experiences were centralto the session, which was thenconcluded by Aneela Asim whodemonstrated a rendition of anArabic dance.

Feedback from attendees, whichincluded service users, carers, staffand community members, reportedthe event to be an overwhelmingsuccess with numerous requests thatit should last a whole day next year.

7Positive May 2010

Climate ChangeLegislation has been enacted in the UKto limit CO2 emissions and from 1April next year, the Trust will be one ofat least 5000 organisations from boththe private and public sectors whichwill be expected to implement effectivecarbon reduction plans or face theconsequences which include the loss ofrevenue or large fines.

This stems from commitments madeby this government in climate changediscussions prior to the Copenhagensummit which resulted in the CarbonReduction Commitment EnergyEfficiency Scheme. Organisationswhich consume energy above acertain level will be expected to takepart in a carbon trading schemeaimed at reducing CO2 emissionsfrom buildings, commonly referred toas “cap and trade schemes”.

Each year, starting from 1 April 2011,the Trust will have to purchasecarbon allowances at an initial cost of£12 per Tonne of CO2. As the Trustcurrently produces around 23,000Tonnes of emissions from itsbuildings annually it will incur aninitial outlay of around £276,000.The Trust will then be assessed on itsperformance with regard to 9Positive September 2009

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

NHS

about involvement

Membership UpdateThe speakers are members who haveexperienced mental health problems,learning disability or substance misuseissues, or have cared for people underthese circumstances. By speaking atinduction, they not only raise awarenessbut promote the anti-stigma messageand use their own experiences tohighlight the importance ofinvolvement. Attendees gain an insightinto service users and carers’perspectives and this has proven to be avaluable addition to the inductionprogramme, reflected in the continuedexcellent feedback received.

continues on page 8>>>

and carers in our interview processes fornew Trust staff. It has built up a bank ofservice users and carers who participate oninterview panels and has also set upanother group in the north of the countythis year. ERIF began work with AdultMental Health Services and leadership postsin the organisation and has now launchedforums for Learning Disability and Childand Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Speaking at the monthly induction A number of members speak every monthat the induction session for new staffappointed to the Trust. They speak aboutthe work of the Involvement Team andgive their own accounts of involvementwith the Trust.

We are proud to say the Trust now hasmore than 7500 public members.Members have been involved in a wide rangeof activity that has made a positive differenceto the Trust, including the following:

Working to promote our anti-stigmacampaignFrom being ‘Human Library books’ tohelping with the anti-stigma road shows,the work of members and volunteers hasmade a huge contribution to the success ofthe campaign.

Shaping and being involved in ourinterview processesThe Employment Resourcing and InterviewForum (ERIF) aims to engage service users

Members participated inInvest to Lead 2

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Helping to develop our service user andcarer experience surveyWe have launched a simple, regular surveyto gain service user and carer views on theirexperience of services.

The survey contains five simple questionsasking how people rate the service,whether they were treated well and if theybelieve it has made a difference to theirlives. There is also an opportunity forpeople to comment on what they wouldmost like to be improved and the bestthing about the service. Results from thesurvey are provided to each team anddirectorate quarterly so they can see howtheir service is viewed, what is rated highlyand what needs to improve, which in turnhelps ensure they continue to provide aquality service. Survey analysis is carried outby the Institute of Mental Health.

Participating in our LeadershipProgrammeFollowing the success of the 2008/09 Investto Lead programme, the Trust ran Invest to

Membership Update (continued)

Rosewood InvolvementCentre in Ollerton has beenworking in partnershipwith Wathwood Hospital topromote and improvepublic involvement in Trustservices. Some recentexamples of this include:

• The Rosewood Cup wasproudly presented toWathwood for their AnnualSports Day Event.

• Service user and carervolunteers at Rosewoodraised £130 for Wathwood’sGala day which is held inthe summer.

• Members from Rosewoodattend the monthly serviceuser meetings and quarterly

carers meetings atWathwood.

• Rosewood members weredelighted to welcome guestsfrom Wathwood to share intheir first birthdaycelebrations in November2009 celebrating theirachievements over the year.

• Roseforce Garden Projectaims to improve the gardenarea and exterior of theRosewood Centre. A teamat Wathwood made anddonated a wishing well tothe garden which has beennamed ‘Rosewell’.

• 22 members fromRosewood visitedWathwood to celebrate St

George’s Day. 10 membersof the Rosehips BellyDancing Troupe performedand managed to get serviceusers and staff fromWathwood up and dancing.

• The Wathwood ForensicEmployment Resourcingand Interview Group hasbeen set up and the first setof interviews for new stafftook place in May.

Rosewood & Wathwood working together

Lead 2 – its second programme designed todevelop leadership within the Trust. 14service users and carers from bothinvolvement centres participated in thisexciting opportunity and graduated at theend of the five month programme.

Recruiting new membersExisting members of the Trust andvolunteers have been helping to recruitnew members, both throughout the Trustand by attending events in the community.Many volunteers are keen to use their ownexperience of being involved with the Trustto highlight the benefits to others. We havebeen working hard to reach a widerpopulation, giving more peopleopportunities to influence services and findout more about mental health, learningdisabilities and substance misuse services,as well as helping to fight stigma.

Mentoring CourseIn partnership with Let’s Build we are hostinga six week mentoring course with fivemembers from involvement attending.

Rosewell

9Positive June 2010

Forensicpatientfeedback now onPatientOpinionOn 27 April representatives fromPatient Opinion met patients atArnold Lodge medium securehospital in Leicester to explaintheir work and to introduce theirwebsite. This informal workshopwas the first of its kind held in asecure setting.

The patients were supported by theIndependent Patient Advocacy Service,staff from the Therapy Servicedepartment and the Involvement Team.

After the workshop, the patients gavevery positive feedback about theirexperience to an advocacy worker.Feedback included:

“The people that facilitated the groupreally made me feel that I couldcontribute to Patient Opinion and Ididn’t have to use the internet to do it.”

“I liked the fact that if I do send mystory it could help raise awareness ofmental health and also give other peoplehope that things can get better forthem.”

“Since the meeting I have already postedan opinion on the site to encourageothers to do it and to show there is lightat the end of the tunnel.”

“It was good as it gives patients anotheroption of getting views heard.”

“I found it interesting but some of it Ididn’t understand because I’m not overlysure about computers or the internet. Ithink I will use it in the future but willprobably use the paper version.”

Patient Opinion has kindly offered tohold two further workshops soon.

This is pioneering work. Patients atArnold Lodge have warmed to thismethod of feedback. It is innovative,current and connects patients who don’thave the same degree of internet accessas the rest of us. Patients can write theirstories on a paper feedback form withthe support of advocacy who agree tosubmit the posting to the website. Theresponses to the stories are printed offfor the patients to see.

This empowers and includes people in asecure setting to get their voice heard.All postings are checked to make surethey are anonymous and comply withthe regulations of the website. Anexample of one of the patients’ postingscan be found below.

The benefits are far reaching; peopleconnect with others in similar positions.This feedback is helping patients to sayhow they feel about services at ArnoldLodge, with many praising the goodwork of staff at the hospital.

Patient Opinion & CommunityForensic ServicesFollowing on from the success of PatientOpinion at Arnold Lodge, recentmeetings with staff on Thurland, Trentand Darwin wards at Rampton Hospitalhas shown there is a desire to work with

patients and to encourage new ways ofleaving feedback. This has beensupported by involvement leads andgeneral managers who see how open andtransparent conversations can benefitand improve services. Plans are afoot totry using Patient Opinion as a feedbackmethod at Wathwood Hospital andRampton Hospital over the next year.

About Patient OpinionPatient Opinion has been set up as anot-for-profit social enterprise. It is openand transparent about how it works andwhat it does. It is run as a sustainableand financially independent business.Any surplus will be used to supportfurther work with patients throughoutthe NHS.

Patient Opinion was founded by PaulHodgkin, a GP who wanted to find away to make the wisdom of patientsavailable to the NHS.

For more information and how to getstarted on Patient Opinion pleasecontact: jane.danforth@nottshc.nhs.ukTel: 077869 15464

There is a light at the end of the tunnel To all the people out there, all my life I’ve been a very angry man as Ihated the world because of what it dealt me as a child.

I could not solve a problem without being angry or sarcastic. I look at the negativeside of things.

I have been at Arnold Lodge for a year or so now and it has given me a lot of selfesteem in my self and they have given me the skills to learn how to deal with aproblem in a positive way.

By putting loads of options down and if one don’t work then try the other option.But this don’t come easy you have to be honest with your nursing team and yourRC (responsible clinician) and you have to put loads of hard work in, but you havethe support from all the nurses and your RC too.

It is worth all the hard work, my life at Arnold Lodge is on the up now and I’mmoving on to better things. I still need to work on some things as I’ve got thirtyeight years of behaviour to change but it can be done with the right help andsupport and you must remember that there are people out there who do careabout you and they want the best for you and there is a light at the end of thetunnel but just take one day at a time and you will be fine.

by 85% (90%) of peoplein Local Services and by66 (68%) of people inForensic Services.

The percentage ofpeople who said theywere always treatedwith dignity andrespect was 80%(90%) in LocalServices and 66%(67%) in ForensicServices.

The percentage of peoplewho said they were either always orsometimes involved in decisions abouttheir care was 88% (93%) in LocalServices and 78% (77%) in ForensicServices.

The percentage of people who said thatour services had made their lives either alot or a bit better was 88% (91%) inLocal Services and 73% (73%) in ForensicServices.

In Local Services the main things thatpeople would most like to see improvedare: communication; activities; respectshown by staff; food; information aboutservices.

The best things about Local Services carewere reported as: The friendly, kind andhelpful staff (overwhelmingly mostcommon response); relaxed, friendlyatmosphere; developing and moving on;

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Response ratefor survey isup 40%Since June 2009 we have received1988 responses to the service userand carer experience survey. In theJanuary to March 2010 quarter wehave received 804 responses, 578from Local Services and 236 fromForensic Services. This responserate has gone up 40% from thelast quarter. Surveys were sent to190 teams and responses werereceived from 99.

The survey is offered to service users andcarers on a regular basis, for example, ateach care review, or at the end of atreatment programme, discharge from award or on a quarterly basis.

This summary looks at the findings andhow they compare to the results from lastquarter. Last quarter’s figures are inbrackets.

Our services were rated as excellent, verygood or good by 89% (91%) of people inLocal Services and by 72 (79%) in ForensicServices.

Communication about care and treatmentwas rated as excellent, very good or good

treatment/activities;24/7 care provided ina consistent fashion.

In Forensic Services themain things thatpeople would most liketo see improved are:more staff on the ward;more leave/tripsout/home visits; moretime to smoke/able tosmoke; more activities;staff attitude/care.

The best things aboutForensic Services care were

reported as: the kind, friendly, helpful staff(most common response); activities;outcome of treatment/personaldevelopment; good communication; cleanward/bedroom.

The survey is organised by theInvolvement Team and analysis is carriedout by the Institute of Mental Health.

Results from the survey are provided toeach team and directorate on a quarterlybasis so that they can see people’s viewson their service, what is rated highly andwhat needs to improve, which will in turnhelp ensure that they continue to providea quality service.

Further results from the survey and actionstaken in response to service users andcarers’ views will be published on aregular basis.

Members’CouncilElectionsLast month we opened the electionprocess for members to vote for theGovernor Members who will makeup the Members’ Council andrepresent members’ views.

All members of the Trust were giventhe chance to put themselves forwardand were sent a nomination form atthe beginning of May. Interestedmembers were able to find out moreabout being a Governor Member atan information event held on

Thursday 6 May at the InvolvementCentre in Nottingham.

Ballot papers and candidatestatements have since been sent outto all members. Ballot papers shouldbe returned to the Electoral Reformservice in the prepaid envelopeprovided.

Your vote counts so please rememberto vote before the closing date 5pm

Friday 25 June. Results are due to beannounced at the end of June.

Governor Member Induction SessionsOnce the Governor Members havebeen appointed, the Trust will holdtwo induction events; Monday 12 July2010 and Tuesday 27 July 2010 from5pm, at Duncan Macmillan House,Porchester Road, Mapperley,Nottingham, NG3 6AA.

Governor Members will be appointedfor a term of up to three years withthe initial appointments being madefor either two or three years. AGovernor Member may serve twoconsecutive terms of office.

The first Members’ Council meetingwill take place at the end ofSeptember 2010.

11Positive June 2010

doing, it’s worth doing well” – I havealways tried to follow that advice.

q What was the last CD you bought? a I really can’t remember! I’m a wordsperson, not a music person. A Radio 4fanatic, who usually has two or threeradios on, so I can keep up withprogrammes as I move around the house.

q What is your greatest achievement? a My two daughters, who are beautifulyoung women both in looks andcharacters; getting a 1st Class Honoursdegree in Social & Cultural Studies runs apretty close second!

q What makes you angry? a Pomposity; people being takenadvantage of.

q What are you most passionateabout?a That’s a hard one: I don’t think I havean overriding passion.

q What single thing would improveyour working life at NottinghamshireHealthcare? a I have been very lucky in doing a job Ilove, but as is true in many areas, morestaff and resources would mean that wecould bring the benefits of volunteers tothose areas of the Trust that do notcurrently have them. More widely, acommitment to provide longer termfunding for ideas and services that provetheir worth as pilots, but then can’tcontinue for want of resources.

q What is your favourite hobby?a That depends on the time of year:gardening in the good weather; crossstitch on cold, wet days.

q What keeps you awake at night? a Nothing – I sleep like a log.

q What is your job title and what doesyour role entail?a Head of Volunteering (Nottingham). Irecruit volunteers and find opportunitiesfor them to support Trust services within allcare groups and a very wide variety oflocations in the greater Nottinghamconurbation. It’s a great job that means Imeet with an amazing variety of people -members of the public, service users andstaff. Everyone who comes offering theirservices as a volunteer comes with adifferent ‘story’ – different experience ofmental health and/or learning disability –sometimes no experience; differentmotivations for wanting to volunteer;different skills and interests, timeavailability, geography. My skill lies inidentifying a placement that will capitaliseon all of that to the best advantage of thevolunteer, our service users and staff.

q How long have you been withNottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust? a Nearly 11 years – I joined the ‘old’Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust on 1September 1999.

q What do you see as your prioritiesfor Nottinghamshire Healthcare?a To play my part in helping to makepatients’ and clients’ experience of Trustservices as positive as possible. To helpbreak down the misconceptions and stigmasurrounding mental ill-health and learningdisability by involving members of thepublic and involving them in volunteering.To promote recovery amongst service uservolunteers – many of whom usevolunteering as a ‘stepping stone’ alongtheir recovery pathway.

q What is your employmentbackground? a Extremely varied! I have worked in theForeign and Commonwealth Office, a largeAcute Trust and another mental healthTrust, before taking time out to bring upmy two daughters. I then studied for adegree as a very mature – 40 year old! –student. Since then I have worked full timein Common Purpose – an educationprogramme for senior decision makers, aspecialist recruitment agency serving thevoluntary sector and then with the Trust.

q What is the best piece of advice youhave ever been given? a My mum’s mantra was: “If a job’s worth

q What is your favourite film? a Le Grand Meulnes – I saw it in Paris asan 18 year old on my first trip abroad – itis such a magical film.

q What is your idea of bliss? a A group of friends; a good meal; acouple of bottles of wine and goodconversation.

q What three words would you use todescribe yourself? a I jokingly suggested “bossy, self-opinionated and a control freak” to mycolleague and she thought I was serious!The truth will out!

q What is your favourite holidaydestination? a Almost anywhere. I have been lucky inhaving the opportunity to visit friends andfamily in Jamaica, India, Australia,Solomon Islands, Kenya, South Africa,Uganda. Given the opportunity to visitsomewhere new, I grab it with both hands.

q Who would you take to a desertisland?a The survival expert Ray Mears – a girl’sgot to have a shelter and something to eat!

q Where do you see yourself in 10years’ time? a Enjoying my retirement, but still verymuch involved in the wider community.

q Do you have a ‘claim to fame’? a ‘Fraid not – unless you count sitting inthe same underground train as thebroadcaster, Andrew Marr!

q How would you like to beremembered?a At work: as a hard-workingprofessional; in my personal life: as a goodfriend. A combination of the two wouldbe my ideal.

q&aThis month we talk to Diane Bown, Head of Volunteering

Emma Cannon andMike Cooke look onas Charles Jarvis triesthe new equipment

Internships are unpaid workplacements for students or traineesto gain experience for future workor qualifications.

On Wednesday 12 May, Tim Wood,Val Lupton and Mel Simpson fromthe Vocational Services ‘WorkExperience Project’ held the first of

a number of planned informationsharing events on internships. Held at Duncan Macmillan

House, the focus of the day was toencourage more Trust departments tosign up to agreeing in principle tohosting internships, building on thesuccessful placements alreadytaking place andcelebrating theexcellent workof the hostingdepartments.Staffdropping

in to the event were able to pick upmore information and chat with Tim,Mel and Val.

Tim, who is currently the lead for theMental Health side of the ‘WorkExperience Project’ explained: “We arekeen to recruit as many internship hostsas possible so that when an application

is received from a potential intern anappropriate internship is readilyavailable.”

This work falls into a widerproject led by Steve Williamson,which is designed to look atformalising all Work Experienceoffered within the Trust.

A follow up event will be held onWednesday 23 June.

MHSOPinpatientsget active“An inspirational room”, “fantastic”,“very relaxing and well equipped”, “I want that floor in my kitchen!” –these are just some of the commentsmade by visitors to ‘Autumn Leaves’gym open day at the Queen’s MedicalCentre in January. Patients, staff, carersand visitors packed into ‘AutumnLeaves’ for the opening by Mike Cooke,Trust Chief Executive.

The gym was refurbished as part of theongoing Enhancing the HealingEnvironment project. The refurbishmentwas led by the Mental Health Servicesfor Older People’s Inpatient MentalHealth Physiotherapy Team along withstaff on ward B50.

Emma Cannon, SpecialistPhysiotherapist, commented: “The gymmakes patients smile as they walk in thedoor; it’s fabulous to see. This project

Work experience (internship) information sharing event

has meant more older inpatients canaccess these wonderful facilities and, inturn, encourage other people they havebefriended on the wards.”

The aim of the project was to transforma drab window-less physiotherapy spaceinto a bright, welcoming gym speciallydesigned for the older person. There isalso a separate relaxing therapy area fortreatments or a cup of tea and a chat.

Jane Hutchins, Physiotherapy TechnicalInstructor said: “Everyone who has usedthe gym has responded positively. Thefriendly atmosphere makes motivatingpatients much easier. People who have

never exercised are finding the courage totry out treadmills and exercise bikes forthe first time. Some have joined gyms intheir local communities, as a result!”

Three patients volunteered to pose forthe cameras, talk to a reporter from thelocal paper and cut the ribbon. Onepatient said: “It’s magnificent and it’salready improved my confidence!”

A big thank you to all involved inpreparations for the open day includingRichard Danks, Community Services EastManager and special mention to SharonHowe, Modern Matron and the staffinvolved for all their support.

l-r - Mel, Val andTim at the event

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13Positive June 2010

Acupunctureavailable atMillbrookPatients on Millbrook’s LucyWade Unit will soon beable to take advantageof stress-reducingacupuncturetreatments.

Trained therapists ScarlettWilliams and Colin Revillwill deliver the AuricularAcupuncture, a therapy whichis rapidly growing in popularity.

Auricular Acupuncture works by stimulatingnerves in the outer ear using

sterile needles. The result isbeneficial changes in thebrain that help improvepatients’well-being.

The treatment has been shown to helpreduce high levels of stress and anxiety,along with improved sleep andincreased energy levels. Theacupuncture has also shown to have apositive impact in the treatment ofaddiction problems and reducinghostile behaviour and the need forextra medication.

Scarlett and Colin are aiming to run agroup twice a week for patients on theward, and participants will be asked to

provide feedback which will be usedto help improve the service andensure it best meets the needs ofthe patients on the unit.

For further information, contactScarlett or Colin on the LucyWade Unit at Millbrook.

Colin Revill and Scarlett Williams

Hospital woodworkinstructor speaksat civic receptionRampton Hospital’s woodworkinstructor Gordon Leesley wasrecently guest speaker atBassetlaw Council’s civic dinnerreception, presenting on his workat the Hospital.

Gordon received a letter of thanks fromChairman of the Council, Councillor HelenColton who reported that feedback fromthe guests was very positive with manycommenting on how interesting his speechwas. Councillor Colton also thankedGordon for his gift of a hand crafted penand pencil set which she said was a lovelygift that she will treasure.

l-r Councillor Colton, GordonLeesley and his wife at thereception

Simon Smith (back row, left) withthe Care Environment Coordinators

Care Environment Coordinatorachievements celebratedOn 26 April the Care Environment Coordinators from across Local Serviceswere presented with certificates by Simon Smith, Executive Director LocalServices acknowledging their work in various areas relating to InfectionPrevention and Control. The role of the Care Environment Coordinator canbe very supportive and informative in this crucial area.

It was recognised that although many of the Coordinators carry variousqualifications already, a consistent level of knowledge across Local Services isrequired. Training delivered included Chartered Institute of Environmental Health(CIEH) Level 2 Health & Safety course, Level 2 Food Hygiene courses and a CleaningBuildings Interiors course. The training was excellently delivered by the LocalServices Hotel Services team and all staff who attended passed all their exams.

Well done to all the Care Environment Coordinators and their contribution towardsthe training days which made them especially enjoyable. Thanks also to MarkDavies, Hotel Services Manager and his team including Donna Smith’s adminsupport for organising and delivering the training.

ChangeOne ThingA new Trust campaign is kickingoff, asking participants to‘Change One Thing’.

Its organisers are looking for yourhelp in building a ‘change bank’of ideas for ways people can getinvolved. “Just imagine if everyone of us did ‘change onething’, the wider positive impactof this would be phenomenal,”said Zulfkar Hussain, Trust StaffSide Diversity Lead and ServiceQuality Improvement Manager,

Local ServicesDivision.

“We’re askingeveryone to make apledge to at leastchange one thing intheir lives that will helpus promote equality anddiversity,” he added.

“Every example, no matterhow small or big, from

Greenfingers atMillbrookSue Todd, CSV VolunteeringProject Manager, is in theprocess of starting newvolunteer led groups atMillbrook Mental Health Unit.One such group is benefiting fromMillbrook Mental Health UnitCSV volunteer Elliott’s kindgesture to give up a patch of hisallotment for service users, staffand volunteers to grow vegetablesand plants.

Service user Tom said: “Gettingout and about has really helpedme and it’s nice to growsomething that I might be able toeat one day!”

l-r Roger, Elliott, Teresa, Occupational Therapist, Acute RecoveryTeam and Tom enjoy an afternoon out at the allotment

RevitalisedreceptionStaff and visitors to DuncanMacmillan House may have noticedthat the main reception area islooking brighter and more welcomingthanks to a recent face-lift.

The area has been overdue for a refreshfor some time and following a lick ofpaint and some decorative touches, it isnow a light, bright and airy space.

Chief Executive Mike Cooke said: “For many people the reception area iswhere they will gain their firstimpression of NottinghamshireHealthcare. It is really important thatthis impression is a good one and Ithink this more accessible, friendlierenvironment should achieve that.

“My thanks to the reception staff fortheir patience while the work wascarried out and to their ongoingcommitment to providing a great firstpoint of contact for everyone whopasses through the door.”

your personal or working lives, is animportant and valuable step.”

The new campaign is the brainchild ofboth Zulf and Michelle Persaud, AssociateDirector of Nursing and Diversity Lead,Local Services. As part of the campaign,both Zulf and Michelle have agreed to

visit the Gender Identityclinic to improve theirown understanding ofsurrounding issues.

“We want to make thiscampaign an ongoingcommitment, and onethat is shared and ownedby us all,” Michelleadded. “Therefore, wewant you to tell us, byemail, phone, letter, or inperson, your example of‘change one thing’.”

Zulf and Michelle are also asking for ideasfor symbols and logos to help give thecampaign an identity.

Contact Zulf,zulfkar.hussain@nottshc.nhs.uk or 0777 1957038, or Michelle,michelle.persaud@nottshc.nhs.uk withyour ideas, examples and suggestions.

14

MichellePersaud

Zulfkar Hussain

15

Courses are now on offerto professionals wishingto develop theirknowledge of drug andalcohol issues.

One day courses andlonger term periods ofstudy for qualifications areavailable via the newtraining programme fromLet’s Build, a leadingprovider of drug

and alcohol training inNottinghamshire.

The programme provides awide variety of courses, alldesigned to developknowledge and practice, byproviding training that isboth enjoyable andinformative.

If you have ever felt youdon’t know enough about

the ever-changing drugscene, or have seen thenegative impact ofsubstance misuse but beenunsure where to turn forsupport, then the Let’sBuild programme could befor you.

For more information, or tobook onto a course,contact 01623 652743 orvisit www.letsbuild.org.uk

Do you know whatto do to help avulnerable adult?If you are worried about thewelfare of a vulnerable adult, actnow to stop abuse. Call the AdultSafeguarding Access Team on 0115 883 8460.

Nottingham City Adult Safeguarding Boardhas launched a public awareness campaign toensure people in Nottingham know what todo if they are worried about an adult beingharmed, abused or neglected.

Everyone has the right to live their life free fromviolence, fear and abuse. This campaign ishelping to make sure that all vulnerable adultscan be protected from harm or exploitation.

Some adults are less able to protectthemselves because they have a physical ormental impairment; are frail due to age orillness; or have issues with their mental health.

Abuse can be physical, sexual, financial,emotional, neglect or discrimination and could take place at home, in a residential ornursing home, in a hospital, at college or in apublic place.

If you need help or advice, or you are worriedabout someone, call 0115 883 8460 today.For more information visit:www.mynottingham.gov.uk/adultsafeguarding

Salon offer Stanley Adams hair design in Hockley,Nottingham has a special offer open toNHS employees. Three salon visits worthover £200 are available for £39.99. Eachvisit offers a choice of treatments and thosetaking up the offer can also purchaseadditional treatments at the reduced pricefor their family members. This is valid fornew clients only.

To find out more or purchase the offercontact Marc and his team:020 7739 1550 (London Head Office 9am-6pm) or 020 8208 3132 (Central Officeweekdays 7-10pm and weekends 11am-7pm) or marc@salonevolution.co.uk

Gedling CMHTinvolves serviceusers and carers

Drug and alcohol trainingprogramme out now

Staff at Manor Road, the base for Gedling Community MentalHealth Team were delighted with the turn out at the first ServiceUser and Carer Involvement meeting. The meeting was held tointroduce the staff team and to find out what service users andcarers wanted from the service.

Managers Amanda Peto and Michelle Malone introduced themselves and talkedabout the team’s remit. Adult Mental Health clients from the community expressedtheir concerns about support at times of crisis, an area that needs to be addressed.

One of the other feedback points was that people wanted more information so a newleaflet is being developed which sets out the rights and responsibilities of both staffand service users. The meeting, which was lively and vocal, finished with a lightlunch and the overwhelming feeling was that this type of interaction should continue.

l-r Amanda andMichelle talk to

attendees at themeeting

16Positive June 2010

Fraud against the NHS is adrain on the valuable assetsmeant for patient care andcosts the health servicehundreds of millions ofpounds.

Types of fraud and offendersvary: for example, patients mayavoid paying prescriptioncharges by falsely claimingexemptions; staff may gain

employment with falsedocumentation, claim pay forshifts they did not work orfalsely claim NHS sick pay whilstworking for another employer;contractors may exaggerate orfalsify records of NHS work.

Fraud prevents health servicesfrom being run in the bestpossible way and impacts onstaff and resources.

June is NHS Fraud AwarenessMonth and is an opportunityto inform staff and patientsabout these issues and –importantly – who to contactif they have a concern aboutfraud in the health service.

The Local Counter FraudSpecialist (LCFS) for the Trust isLaura Hampson, who can becontacted on 0115 9555392

or by emailing laura.hampson@nottshc.nhs.uk.

If you have a concern aboutNHS fraud, please contactLaura or call the confidentialNHS Fraud and CorruptionReporting Line on (freephone)0800 028 40 60. Furtherinformation is available on theCounter Fraud page on theTrust intranet.

HealthInformaticsService

IT use has increased immensely;historically you’d see the odd PC inuse but now there’s one on almostevery desk. The Trust has investedheavily in the use of technology toenable us to meet our clinical goals.

With increasing demands on IT systemswe have to ensure our equipment workseffectively. A recent study by the Gartnergroup (the world's leading informationtechnology research and advisorycompany) identified that PCs over fouryears old cost on average, 2½ timesmore to maintain annually than a newPC; our average cost to visit an item of ITequipment is around £100. Other studieshave identified that older equipment isless environmentally friendly, both inpower consumption and in terms of theuse of materials.

Condemning a working PC may beviewed as wasteful, but such decisionsare based on sound business principlesi.e. the PC is not efficient in its operation.We’re currently working to identify olderstock and will keep people informedabout when replacements are imminent.

Historically we reduced the financialburden on services by purchasing PCsfrom IT end of year monies, butinevitably with increasing demands onbudget holders to reduce spending, thiscannot continue.

In addition, we have engaged in a majorpiece of work to identify a more efficientprinting strategy for the Trust. Wecurrently spend in excess of £750,000 peryear on print cartridges and paper. Bychanging how we print we estimate we

could save up to a third of that amount.To help achieve this we need to considerthings like whether it’s essential to print incolour and to look at the benefits ofprinting on both sides of a piece of paper.

These initiatives will bring IT to theforefront of people’s attention and maynot be popular. However we will consultand work in partnership withdepartments to identify the businessneeds and help save money, delivering abetter, more efficient, service.

Over the next few months we will meetwith various staff groups to gain a clearerunderstanding of their business needsand consult on our proposed strategy. Ifyou would like further information pleaseemail Ian Stevens, Technical ServicesManager ian.stevens@nottshc.nhs.uk

HIS update: Re-provisioning of IT equipment

Using Time not Doing Time –Practitioner Perspectives onPersonality Disorder and Risk,published by Wiley-Blackwell isa new book edited by NurseConsultant Allison Tennantand Professor Kevin Howells.

The book was launched last month byAllison and Kevin at an event attendedby more than 50 people.

Allison talked about her personaljourney of how she was involved indeveloping treatment pathways for this

NHS fraud awareness month

client group over decades and evidencedhow far they had come. She commentedhow the book is extra special to herparticularly because it was mainly writtenby clinicians whom she had worked withclosely over the years.

The book cover design featuringumbrellas is particularly interesting andcan be interpreted differently byindividuals. Allison gave herinterpretation of how the blackumbrellas signify people in our societywho have personality difficulties whilstthe red umbrella represents the few thatoffend against others.

Using Time not Doing Time

Kevin Howells and AllisonTennant proudly display thebook at the launch event

Second BMEmentoringscheme getsunderwayThe second cohort of the Trust’sBlack and Minority Ethnic (BME)Mentoring Scheme has commencedon the programme.

The scheme is an opportunity forcandidates to experience careerdevelopment by working with mentorswho deliver inspiration and advice to

help them move forward within asupportive and inclusive, team ledenvironment.

Mentees are supported by their mentorsin one-to-one sessions where they canaddress current and future challenges.Emphasis is upon developing tailored,supportive strategies or interventions tomeet candidates’ developmental needssuch as advance planning, signposting,confidence building and inspirationalspeakers to help them achieve their truepotential.

The BME executive mentoringprogramme was pioneered by MikeCooke in 2007, in which he personallymentored the first cohort of candidates.Following its success, the current group,

17

New Learning & Developmentprospectus out nowThe Learning & Development prospectusfor 2010-2011 is available now for allstaff. Hard copies can be requested fromKimberley.Spencer@nottshc.nhs.uk orKaren.Watson@nottshc.nhs.uk. A PDFversion is also available on the Learning &Development website.

The prospectus coversthe following areas oftraining: • Essential Training• Therapeutic Skills,

which includescourses such asDual Diagnosis,Family CarerAwarenessWorkshops, Improving MentalWellbeing by Promoting Physical Health

• Leadership & Management Development.N.B. we are now taking bookings for theLeadership at the Point of Serviceprogramme, please contact KimberleySpencer for further information or tobook a place.

• Skills for Work & Life• Learning Beyond Registration• E-Learning

Left: The second cohortof BME mentees andtheir mentors andinsert: Jaswinder Basi,Trust Wide CPAManager, one of thementees who wasunable to attend thegroup photo

which was recruited in 2009, is beingmentored by executive directors and althoughnewly formed, the candidates have alreadysuccessfully secured three grants for projectswithin the regional Pacesetters programme.

vulnerable volunteers. Therefore, thenew post of First Steps MentalHealth Worker was created tosupport those volunteers leftvulnerable by a period of poormental health.

The post is funded by NHSNottinghamshire County and willhelp Voluntary Action Broxtoweoffer better dedicated support tovolunteers with mental ill-health, inorder to help them gain themaximum benefit from volunteering.

For more information, or if you wishto become a volunteer contactGemma Dickson on 0115 9178080,or email gemmad@vcb.org.uk.

New supportfor First Stepstoward bettermental healthExtra support for volunteers withmental ill-health is now availableat Voluntary Action Broxtowe.

Following a surge of almost 50 percent in the number of volunteerscoming forward in Broxtowe, theorganisation found itself overloadedand struggling to support its more

WHO WE ARE... WE NEED YOU!You may have picked up this copyof the newsletter not knowingwhat Nottinghamshire HealthcareNHS Trust is. We provide mentalhealth and learning disabilityservices for the whole ofNottinghamshire. We alsomanage medium-secure units inLeicester and Rotherham, and thehigh-secure Rampton Hospitalnear Retford.

Printed on Revive · 100% recycled paper

If you have any ideas or suggestions for the newsletter, please contact Suzanne Aitken in the TrustCommunications Team on 0115 955 5403 or via email at suzanne.aitken@nottshc.nhs.uk. We are alwayspleased to receive articles for possible publication, but ask that they do not exceed 300 words. If any individualsother than yourself are mentioned in what you write or featured in accompanying photographs, please make sureyou check with them that they are happy to be potentially featured. Please note that the Communications Teamhas full editorial control and may have to edit articles appropriately. Therefore, if you want to see the final versionplease ensure you send your article in with plenty of time before the deadline and state clearly what you require.

If you would like copies of any past editions of Positive, or if you are having any ‘distribution issues’ with thenewsletter – whether you’re receiving too many copies, too few, or none at all then please contact us. If youwould like your story in the August issue of Positive, please contact us by 9 July 2010. However, due tospace constraints we cannot guarantee the publication of all articles received by the deadline.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, The Resource, Duncan MacMillan House, Porchester Road, Nottingham, NG3 6AA. Tel 0115 9691300www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk

Thank you AsadFor the past year, Asad Mughal has been helping out staff and volunteers inthe Involvement Centre at Duncan Macmillan House along with providingan extra pair of hands to the Communications Team on several occasions.

Asad said: “I felt welcomed in the centre and part of the team. I have learned lotsand when I come to the centre I always feel confident in coming to a safeenvironment. I would like to thank Aneela for bringing me here.”

Asad was always cheery and dedicated in his work, so a big thank you fromeveryone who he helped. We are delighted that he has now begun employmentoutside of the Trust. Well done Asad.

World classresult forsports dayIt was a gold medal performance fora sports activity day in Newark lastmonth, attendees agreed.

Held at the Magnus Church of EnglandSchool’s sports centre, the day was organisedas a follow-up to a similar event last summer.Parachute games, curling, boccia, skittles andgiant Connect-4 kept participants entertainedand active throughout the day. A contestorganised by a professional archery clubproved to be bang on the bullseye, and wasone of the most popular activities on offer.

Old friends renewed their acquaintances at thefun-filled event and couldn’t wait to find outwhen the next one will take place.

The day was organised by a partnershipbetween the Trust and organisations including,Adult Social Care, Notts County Council,Mencap and Newark & Sherwood DistrictCouncil.

The organisers would like to thank Helen Purdyand her team, Sue Johnson, Liz Moan, BevRolfe and Liz Moran, as well as all the staff,carers and support workers.

Another sports activity day is planned forTuesday 17 August.