MC Magazine - Spring 2023

SPRING 2023

QUEEN OF HEARTS

Why break up songs are good for us

ADHD – Beast or Blessing?

Eurovision Fever Windrush 75 Years

MY LIFE BEGAN AT 40

Lori Lloyd was diagnosed with ADHD after years of struggling. She tells her story.

I WAS A CHILD OF WINDRUSH

Governor Garrick Prayogg looks back and celebrates the Windrush legacy.

15 I FELT WELCOME

Naser Arab was a nurse in Dubai –now he’s saving lives in Liverpool.

FINLEY’S FLYING HIGH

MC magazine team:

Managing Editor: Steve Murphy.

Editor: Jackie Rankin.

Contributors: Sophie Brown, Jo Henwood, Emma Wilson.

Editorial: Julie Crompton, Joanne Cunningham.

Photography: Freepix.com, Matt Goodfellow, Joel Goodman.

Design: Jo Hadfield.

Cover: Mae Muller

©BBC/Harry Carr/Capitol/EMI

You can contact us at: communications@merseycare.nhs.uk

MerseyCareNHSFoundationTrust

@Mersey_Care

@MerseyCareNHSFT

MEMBERSHIP AND GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION

The GDPR is the General Data Protection Regulation, a European-wide law, which governs how organisations can collect, use and transfer personal data. It came into force on 25 May 2018 alongside the new Data Protection Act 2018. As a Foundation Trust, Mersey Care has a statutory requirement to develop and maintain a membership and it is necessary for us to process our members’ personal data to perform this task. Our members are drawn from the public, people who use our services or care for people who use our services and staff. We request and securely hold data on our members, which they provide when joining our membership. The data we hold on our members enables us to show that we are representative of the community we provide services for, to keep members updated through our quarterly MC magazine via email or post and to invite all members to the Annual General meeting. We also engage with all members advising when the election for governors will be taking place, giving members the opportunity to nominate themselves to become a governor and to vote in elections for the council of governors. Should you no longer wish to be a member of Mersey Care please email membership@merseycare.nhs.uk with your details or call 0151 471 2303 asking that your details be removed.

How we talk to our children is how they talk to the world.

WELCOME

There’s a sense of renewal in spring – even if it’s still fresh outside the light seems different, green shoots appear, a sign of what is to come. This issue has a sense of anticipation about it. We talk to people with reasons to be cheerful, like Oliver, (below) the lifelong Eurovision fan who has truly found his ‘tribe’.

As celebrations begin for the 75th anniversary of Windrush, Mersey Care governor Garrick Prayogg shares his own memories and pays tribute to nurses who made Britain their home and have kept the Windrush spirit alive.

It’s like going from ‘night to day’ is how mum of two Lori describes her life since she was diagnosed and treated for the brain disorder ADHD*

Former MP Rosie Cooper talks about a childhood with deaf parents, her joy at seeing her bill to make British Sign Language a legal language – and what she hopes to bring to her new role as chair of Mersey Care. Enjoy spring!

The MC Magazine Team.

It is with real sadness we share the news that our friend and MC magazine contributor Diane Cooke has died aged 63. Diane had been living with cancer since 2014. Her daughter, TV journalist Elisa Menendez said: “Mum was an incredibly talented journalist and her writing could make you laugh out loud or cry. She was the best role model and career advisor I could’ve ever asked for.”

New arrivals on Empire Windrush.

MAKE TIME TO TALK

We marvel when a baby smiles back at us, says its first word, or mimics our actions. It’s no coincidence. Jackie Rankin discovers how baby babble and bedtime stories can shape a child’s ability to communicate.

Charlotte Rees could talk all day about the benefits of communicating with a child. As a specialist speech and language therapist in Knowsley she says we all play a vital role in helping our children develop the skills they need.

“We are the specialists, but there’s so much parents, schools and nurseries can do to help. Speech and language is everybody’s business.”

Speech and language therapist Nicola Sadaati, says it’s never too early to start. “We know that babies in the womb can hear our voices. Midwives are now advising parents to ‘talk to the bump’.

When the baby is born, lots of face to face contact and simple sounds will demonstrate expressions and language we want the baby to learn and copy.”

When life is busy, it’s often hard to see the value of reading books or reciting nursery rhymes. But Charlotte Rees says they’re vital communication tools.

“We learn language by copying, but children need to be taught how to copy. Books are visual so you can match the spoken word with the pictures.

“You can discuss taking turns – ‘my turn to choose a book’ your turn to turn the page’. Children enjoy the rhythm of a nursery rhyme, and it relates to real things”.

Charlotte urges parents to worry less about making more time in a busy schedule, but to use the time they have mindfully.

‘a shiny apple’. Suggest ‘Teddy wants to eat the apple’? She recommends switching off televisions or other background noises while you play. “Have you ever tried to read a text when someone is talking to you? Children are the same, they can only process one channel at a time, they’re far more likely to listen and tune into the interaction if there’s no distraction.”

“Every tiny moment you spend with a child counts. Use natural opportunities throughout the day. Tell a story at bath time, use phrases like ‘arms up’ or ‘legs down’ while you’re dressing your child. Sing Round and Round the Garden while you’re putting on shampoo or cream. If you’re walking or driving, talk about what’s around you or find things with a clue for example ‘let’s find something that is large’.”

Play helps develop language says Nicola. “Grab a teddy and an apple and explain to the child that it’s a ‘green apple’,

• Find a calm and quiet space, turn off the TV or electronic devices

• Describe your own or your child’s actions, for instance “I’m putting on your red coat”

• Repeat and extend language your child uses. If your child says, “doggy!”, respond, “yes, the black doggy is running”

• Playing games which require turn taking and praise your child when they show they can wait for their turn

• Try keeping desired items out of reach so your child must ask for it, or give smaller amounts of an item to encourage your child to ask for more

Has the pandemic affected children’s speech? “Research is only just beginning about the challenges this will bring, but there are children who started nursery later because of lockdowns, who may not have the skills they would be expected to have,” says Charlotte. “We’re lucky, our nurseries recognise that there’s so much they can do to promote language development and they know when to refer to us.”

Read Finley’s story on page 6.

HINTS ANDTIPS

• Connect a word to an object. When reading, point and name items in the pictures

• Join in with your child’s play, making comments like, “you gave the dolly her bottle”

• Everyone’s communication is different. Be patient and wait for child to respond in their own way.

Find more on speech and language at merseycare.nhs.uk

We learn language by copying, but children need to be taught how to copy.

Every tiny moment you spend with a child counts.

Speech and language therapist Charlotte Rees.

FINLEY’S FLYING HIGH

Parents Lindsey and Darren became concerned when their son Finley’s speech appeared to be lagging behind others of the same age.

Finley was our first baby, so we weren’t sure what to expect. We had lots of friends with children of the same age, and they were saying words and sentences. Finley was only making sounds.”

The family was referred to sessions where children learn language through play and from there Finley was referred for speech therapy, but when he started nursery Lindsey’s concerns grew.

“He’s such a sociable outgoing little boy so he’d find other ways to communicate – he even developed his own sign language! But at home he’d become frustrated trying to get the words out and he’d stutter or give up. I worried he wouldn’t cope,”

Initial speech and language assessments showed Finley had no other developmental issues, but that his speech difficulties were severe. Knowsley Speech and Language team have spent three years working with the family, nursery and later Finley’s school.

“The speech and language team, his nursery and school have worked so hard together, I can’t thank them enough.”

In that time Lindsey and Darren’s bright, outgoing little boy has made astonishing progress. Lindsay says the support they’ve received has been invaluable.

“They explained that language is a pyramid, you need to build it up bit by bit. They gave us tools and techniques; one was to not put out Finley’s knife and fork at teatime, so he’d need to ask for them. We’d then say, ‘what’s missing’? so he’d say the words ‘knife and fork’.

Lindsey asked Finley recently how he had felt when he couldn’t speak. “He looked at me and said ‘help’. It broke my heart – I didn’t know that deep down that was how he felt.

“There are still words he can’t say, but we know they’ll come. His confidence is amazing. It’s only when you look back you realise how far he’s come.”

MORE INFORMATION

If you feel your child is having difficulties, please contact: Knowsley or St Helens Speech and Language Therapy teams on 0151 351 8800 (Knowsley) or 01744 415 609 (St Helens).

Language is a pyramid, you need to build it up bit by bit.

He’s such a sociable outgoing little boy so he’d find other ways to communicate.

Finley with mum and dad Lindsey and Darren and baby brother Frankie.

photo: Joel Goodman

TALK ABOUT LIFE

By

Is the old adage ‘live life to the full’ still the same when you have a life limiting condition? Yes, say experts.

Mersey Care’s Specialist Palliative Care teams work with other health professionals, patients and families when someone has a diagnosis of a life limiting illness.

Barbara Houghton, who leads palliative and end of life care across Mersey Care, says that, while open and honest conversations help families to fulfil someone’s wishes after they die, it’s equally important to help bring quality to their life right now.

Continued on Page 8.

‘How you live your days is, of course, how you live your life’, so wrote author Annie Dillard.*

Jackie Rankin

Continued from page 7.

The teams can be involved with people in their final days, but they can be involved with the person and their family for a year or more before.

“None of us know how long we’re going to live, we might only think about what gives us fulfilment when we learn it may not be as long as we’d hoped,” says Barbara.” We can have those conversations and help put things in place that will give quality to the person’s life.”

Conversations are sometimes about bucket lists – living a full life right till the end. Barbara recalls one patient who knew her

diagnosis was life limiting and wanted to go on a cruise. The team worked with doctors to ensure she could continue her treatment on the ship.

She shares the story of another patient who loved gardening but was no longer able to get into his garden.

“This man’s spirituality came through tending his plants. When he shared his distress at not being able to plant up seedlings, his occupational therapist arranged a potting bench. He spent spring potting up seedlings, which his young grandson then planted out in the garden, under his grandad’s direction. They were able to spend time together in summer watching them grow.

“He still had a palliative diagnosis, he knew he was going to die at some point, but he spent his days doing what he loved most with the people he loved – it brought quality to his life.”

It seems that doing what you love is not just about living well, but also dying well.

We can have that conversation and help put things in place that will give quality to the person’s life.

Barbara explains: “Conversations towards the end of someone’s life can affect whether they have a peaceful death. A gentleman in his final weeks of life had enjoyed playing piano for relaxation. He was missing it terribly, so we arranged for piano music to be played. It gave him what he needed in those moments.

“We take care to assess what someone needs to discuss, work with their beliefs and needs and try to understand what they already know to make sure what we say and do is not harmful” says Barbara.

“Some people are pragmatic and ready for what lies ahead, but others have dilemmas; they may feel their faith has let them down or they struggle coming to terms with leaving loved ones. Those are difficult issues to discuss, and we can ask for help from psychologists or religious or spiritual leaders.”

Is it as challenging for health professionals to raise issues as it is for the rest of us?

“It can be difficult” says Barbara, “but having conversations means no one is left pondering a dilemma from something that’s not been discussed.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Dying Matters Awareness Week runs from May 8 to 14. The campaign aims to make it easy and more comfortable for people to talk about their death and concerns after their death. hospiceuk.org/our-campaigns/dying-matters/dying-matters-awareness-week

NEED SUPPORT?

• Help yourself – our range of self help guides on bereavement and various subjects can be read online, downloaded or watched as a video.

merseycare.nhs.uk/self-help-guides

GOOD GRIEF

Enter stage left Good Grief, a play exploring loss and the memories left behind. Physical comedy company Ugly Bucket turned a commemoration of their comedy lecturer and long time supporter Tim Miles, into a full length sprint along the gamut of grief related emotions.

It’s well researched. The cast visited death doulas – the death equivalent of a midwife - and the soundtrack features real voices, including Tim’s. There’s been a film version during COVID, and tours include death cafes.

“Tim wanted people to ‘find the funny’ in his passing”, said performer Jess Huckerby. In grief you do find yourself in fits of hysterics, if you can make someone laugh, find the light in what we all go through, in emotions we repress or don’t want to burden people with, then people start to feel it’s ok to grieve. We have a breakout

space and an open accessibility policy where people can feel free to leave and come back whenever they need.”

Memories are stirred and tears jerked, but it’s an awesomely clever production with an abundance of laugh out loud moments. Good Grief is designed to open the conversations no one wants to have – that’s why the most poignant part for me was when the lights went on, and there in the second to front row, a young man and his elderly grandad were in deep discussion, each in their own place of grief but open to the other’s.

uglybuckettheatre.co.uk

@uglybuckettheatre

@UglyBucket

@uglybuckettheatre

Review: Jackie Rankin

Being open about grief is one thing – but a comedy show?

TALKING ABOUT THIS GENERATION

By Steve Murphy

This year we mark the 75th anniversary of both the MV Empire Windrush arriving in Britain and the founding of the NHS.

In June 1948, the same year the National Health Service (NHS) was created, the passenger liner and cruise ship ‘Empire Windrush’ arrived at the port of Tilbury, on the River Thames, carrying hundreds of people from the Caribbean. In the years that followed, tens of thousands of people – men, women and children, encouraged, at first, by the British Nationality Act –answered Britain’s call to come to a nation short of workers and vital skills to help to build our country’s struggling economy and fledgling health service; they left their homes and crossed an ocean to start new lives here.

Indeed, many of the so called Windrush Generation would join the newly founded NHS – in fact it’s been estimated that between 1948 and 1972 the health service recruited around 100,000 nurses of Caribbean origin. Their vital legacy lives on as Health Education England’s chief executive, Dr Navina Evans, pointed out earlier this year, commenting that: “The Windrush Generation has been fundamental to the NHS since its founding, having been invited from commonwealth countries, especially in the Caribbean, to help fill labour shortages in the UK from 1948 to 1973. Ever since, they have formed an essential part of our workforce and communities.”

Dr Evans’ sentiments are echoed by Karen Bonner, a chief NHS nurse in Buckinghamshire whose parents travelled from Jamaica and Barbados, in the 50s and 60s; writing in her blog that, “It has often been said that

the NHS could not function without its black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) staff, and this is undoubtedly true. Today, the NHS is the biggest employer of people from a BAME background in Europe – 20.7 per cent of the NHS workforce which represents over 200 nationalities. Many are doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, domestics, caterers and porters. The Windrush Generation helped to build the National Health Service and I stand on the shoulders of those nurses who came before me.”

Windrush child Garrick Prayogg reflects –page 12.

It has often been said that the NHS could not function without its black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) staff.

Their story may be 75 years old – but it will live on forever.

THE HISTORY GIRLS

By Garrick Prayogg

‘We have built the NHS because we were committed to our work and our nursing careers’. So said one of thousands of Caribbean nurses who responded to the call for workers to come to Britain.

years ago, there were very few Black people in the UK, particularly in smaller towns. Many nurses moved to cities like Liverpool, which already had African, Asian and Caribbean populations.

My own family came to the UK during the 1950s. As a child I got off the plane to freezing weather! I’d never worn a hat or gloves before – I’d never seen snow. But we were warmly welcomed and as the first Black family in Wallasey we have always felt part of our community.

not recognised back home, and they knew they would not qualify for senior posts.

Not everyone had the same experience. Caribbean nurses were well respected by the people they cared for, but there were also examples of abuse and accusations by employers with lower pay and grades than qualifications merited, and by the public and local service providers. Although the Windrush 75th anniversary will be widely celebrated, there will always be a mark of sadness that Windrush generations suffered years of hostility and injustice.

It was becoming wives and mothers that made most Caribbean nurses settle in England. Some had planned to go home but the State Enrolled Nurse (SEN) qualification was

Many Jamaican nurses left their homes lured by the promise of higher education, the chance to support communities back home, and to dedicate their careers here to helping underserved communities of colour. Following in the footsteps of Mary Seacole, who treated the wounded during the Crimean War, and bound together, they founded the Nurses Association of Jamaica.

preserve their history before it was lost to time. The research and writing process was intense; they worked tirelessly gathering archives and anecdotes and spent countless hours drafting their book: ‘Unity is Strength’.

Publishers Story Terrace helped document their unique history in a way that would connect with readers. Paulette recalls:

“The goal was to try to tell the story differently, to make it much more real.” It is real. It may be 75 years old – but their story will live on forever.

• Garrick Prayogg is a Mersey Care Public Governor (Rest of England and Wales). Includes excerpts and adaptations from ‘Unity is Strength’.

As years passed, and with dwindling numbers, a group of members decided to

Nurses Association of Jamaica: naj.org.uk

Pictured: Members of the NAJ honour Mary Seacole, a Jamaican nurse who served in the Crimean War. Dorothy Turner (second left) was a midwife and founding member in 1977 and former midwife Paulette Lewis, MBE (second right) is the current president.

We have always felt part of our community

A group of members decided to preserve their history before it was lost to time.

Claire Dutton, Mersey Care’s new Strategic Carer Lead, explains why her role feels personal, and why she’s excited for the future.

I’m an unpaid carer. I love my caring role; I wouldn’t have it any other way. But I understand first hand how easy it is to forget about your own needs. It can be hard to accept that the love and care you provide is beyond what would be expected. You may not even see yourself as a carer.

A CARER TOO

I’m excited that Mersey Care is launching a new way for carers to get what they need, and all from a single point. We call it the Carers Pathway – what it means for me, and other carers is that we now have a team of people dedicated to helping us to care for ourselves.

You may just want a conversation with them, and to know that you can reach out anytime. If you want more, our Engagement Officers – who each have experience of being a carer – will help you understand what support is available and access what’s right for you.

This might be by referring you to your local Carers Centre, or by introducing you to the team at The Life Rooms, where you can access learning courses, or their pathways advisors, who connect you to other organisations that can help keep you physically and mentally well.

to support the person you care for, and your own wellbeing.

Once you’re registered on the Carers Pathway, you’ll receive regular updates and invitations to events throughout the year. There’ll be opportunities to get involved with the coproduction of new developments within the Trust.

When you’re ready, we’re here for an informal chat. If nine to five doesn’t suit that’s ok, we’ll fit around you.

GET IN TOUCH

Call: Claire Dutton: 07824 432 785

Faye Williams: 07824 433 582

Email: engagement@merseycare.nhs.uk

If you don’t get the right support to look after yourself, it affects everyone; but finding that support can be confusing – you don’t always know where to start.

You might prefer our Carer Training Education and Support course – bespoke to Mersey Care – where you can learn practical ways

Or write to: Claire Dutton, Strategic Carer Engagement Lead, Participation and Engagement Team, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Hollins Park House, Hollins Lane, Winwick, Warrington, WA2 8WA.

Finding support can be confusing –you don’t always know where to start.

Claire Dutton.

I KNEW I’D BE WELCOME

Growing up in Jordan I nursed both my parents; I studied nursing so I could give them better care. I soon realised mental health care was for me – the compassion and tender loving care that’s needed matched with what I felt I could offer.

After 20 years of nursing and studying in Dubai, I moved to England. I’d heard about the high standards of health care and friendliness of the people and both my brothers live here. One is married to a Scouser, so I knew I’d be made welcome!

I’m now a mental health practitioner with Mersey Care’s 24/7 mental health telephone line, part of our crisis service. We talk with people who call because they are in emotional distress and get them the help they need.

We may work on phones, but we’re not a call centre – we’re specialists in supporting people in a crisis. Some callers just want someone to listen to their problems, but others may need immediate action. I recently spoke to someone who had suicidal thoughts, she fully intended to act on them and had planned how to do it. I was able to help her change her mind and receive urgent help – doing that gives me great job satisfaction.

My job is challenging, but you learn to develop professional boundaries and find ways to switch off when you go home. I’m always looking to develop, and there are opportunities to do that at Mersey Care.

I’d say if you feel like I do then give it a go.

SPREAD YOUR WINGS

If you’re interested in finding out more about working for Mersey Care, visit: merseycare.nhs.uk/working-us

PARAMEDIC WITH A SUPER POWER

Paramedic Lauren Collier (left) and Senior Nurse Practitioner Laura Gouldbourne.

People think we just drive ambulances.

They think we just drive ambulances, but we’re good at assessing people – and great in an emergency!” says the 26 year old who previously spent five years helping people after they dialled 999.

Lauren is one of four Mersey Care paramedics working across walk in centres across Liverpool. She performs the same role as other members of a highly skilled team that includes emergency care, paediatric and cardiac nurses, but she brings the unique skills and perspective that comes from being in life and death situations almost daily.

She’s always smiling and has a naturally calming voice and demeanour. But she can be persuasive and assertive. If Lauren has a super power, it’s spotting an emergency and convincing reluctant patients that they need to go to hospital.

“I always introduce myself as one of the clinicians, but if someone’s observations are worrying and they shrug off our advice to go to A&E, I’ll step in and say ‘I’m a paramedic and if I came out to you at home I’d be taking you to hospital’. It usually works.

“I saw a lady the other day who’d fallen off a horse – that’s classified as major trauma with a high risk of pelvic fracture,” said Lauren.

“I recommended that she go to A&E, but I could tell she wasn’t taking me seriously. When I asked her if she was planning to go, she said probably not. I told her I am a paramedic, that I’d seen such trauma before and that she needed to go to hospital. She agreed to go.”

“I made the right choice – I love this job. I’m learning from my colleagues in areas where they have the expertise. In the same way they’ll ask my opinion on whether a patient needs an ambulance.

Paramedic wasn’t Lauren’s first career choice. With a degree in geography, she’d applied to work at the Canal and River Trust, but changed course after she witnessed someone being treated by a paramedic.

“Being at the sharp end has also given me confidence to advise someone to go home. Not everyone needs to be in hospital –recovering at home may be the best thing for them.

It’s clear Lauren has found her dream role. “It’s always been my goal to work in a walk in centre, I’m just so happy I’ve done it sooner than I expected. When someone comes in and needs an ambulance it makes me miss that side, but I feel so relaxed coming to work – I love it here!”

Seeing a paramedic working in a walk in centre confuses people says Lauren Collier.

I made the right choice –I love this job.

Lauren works closely with colleagues such as Senior Nurse Practitioner Emma Ifon.

BEAST OR BLESSING?

ADHD – it’s the neurological condition on everyone’s lips. With TikTok alone notching up 3.4 billion views using the hashtag #ADHD, more people are reading about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and saying, ‘that’s me’. We talk to experts about the reality of having ADHD, and the need to bust myths and accentuate the positives.

Impressionist Rory Bremner says ADHD is his ‘best friend and worst enemy’. For singer songwriter Sam Fender it can be a ‘creative super power’. Yet ADHD can make daily life overwhelming. Those living with the condition may constantly lose things; they forget important dates and arrive late to everything because the time management part of their brain is impaired.

They can be impulsive, struggle to manage workloads and may be viewed as unreliable because they don’t fulfil commitments or meet deadlines.

The person is likely to be acutely aware of these traits – and the impact on their own and other people’s lives – but their ADHD brain stops them changing the situation.

The condition is very treatable, yet many people are never diagnosed. Social media coverage has brought a surge in numbers of adults recognising themselves and seeking help.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Kuben Naidoo leads a pioneering adult service based in Sefton, Merseyside, developed in 2006 after forward thinking psychiatrists

argued that children were being left unsupported once they turned 18.

“Back then the view was that children grow out of ADHD. There was scepticism from psychiatrists who said everyone has days where they lose things, or struggle with concentration.

“That’s like suggesting that occasionally feeling down in the dumps is the same as being clinically depressed. We do all forget things now and again. But imagine waking up, day in day out, feeling completely overwhelmed by details, struggling to be organised, and unable to stay focused. For someone with ADHD that’s the reality.”

Dr Helen Pears is a consultant psychiatrist specialising in adult ADHD. She says the clues to whether someone has the condition are always there during assessment. “It’s like being a detective. You need to look at the whole person.”

Helen describes those she sees as ‘a brilliant group of people’.

The word ‘disorder’ can make ADHD sound like the problem,” she says.

“Parts of it can present problems, but the other side is people who are

energetic, creative, fun loving, flexible, observant, entrepreneurial – people who will take a risk or try something different. I’ve never yet met a patient who doesn’t have some of those attributes.”

Some people are happy just to have a diagnosis and make lifestyle choices that play to their strengths. Options for treatment include psychological therapies, or medication. Unusually the latter is often a first line of treatment because it is so effective.

“Up to nine out of ten patients will experience some positive effects – that’s much higher than we see in many other areas of medicine,“ says Helen. “Some of the medications work almost immediately, like a painkiller. You can take it when you need it, and it wears off after a few hours. It can make treatment very flexible.

Dr Kuben Naidoo and Dr Helen Pears treat people with ADHD.

ADHD is described as having a Ferrari brain with bicycle brakes.

“ADHD has been described as having ‘a Ferrari brain with bicycle brakes.’ Medication strengthens the ‘brakes’ in people whose heads are full of ideas, thoughts and distractions. It lets them focus all those ideas into action, filter out what they want, and act on it before the thought or idea flies away.”

There’s increasing evidence and recognition of ADHD as a real condition. Brain scans show differences in ADHD brains. GPs treating people for anxiety or depression can see how, once the ADHD is treated, other issues can disappear. Schools are taking a more positive outlook, seeing it as a superpower that needs managing, and making adjustments.

Helen says assessment brings mixed emotions. “It’s always sad to meet ‘bright people whose self esteem has eroded just because they haven’t been able to prove themselves. It’s also really good to be able to give them a way to show what they can do.”

Read Lori’s story on page 20.

Beauty and The Beast and Harry Potter star Emma Watson is reported to have posted on social media that she has been on medication for ADHD since childhood. Other celebrities who live with the condition include rapper and judge of BBC’s The Voice, Will.i.am, singer Justin Timberlake and TV chef Jamie Oliver.

MY LIFE BEGAN AT 40

Lori Lloyd lived with undiagnosed ADHD for years. She tells how getting help changed her life.

As a child I was called a daydreamer. The reality was I couldn’t understand schoolwork, I’d go into a sort of trance. I told my mum, but ADHD wasn’t understood back then.

At school I was mature and knew I had the brains, but there was a mental block. It was only when I was diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed medication at 40 that I was able to properly read a book.

I was seen as difficult, but inside I was struggling and too proud to ask for help. I had friends but I always felt on the outside.

Everything I did was on impulse, and nothing lasted, including relationships –I married three times in six years. My last marriage was to the solicitor looking after my second divorce!

That time I was in love, and we have two sons together. But through it all I was still struggling. I’d forget or lose things. I was constantly looking for something new. I’d wake up with a long list of jobs but do none of them. My mind was racing so fast that I couldn’t think straight. I drank and wasn’t nice to be around.

Eventually I was expelled. I did a hairdressing apprenticeship, it was easier because it’s practical. But I’d come home and want to go straight out again – I couldn’t settle. Your mind is constantly racing, you go from being in a fog to having too much energy and wild ideas.

My husband says it was like having a third child. We split for eight years but I was lucky, he asked if we could try again and we’re still partners.

When my sons were diagnosed with ADHD, I learned it was genetic and had tests.

When they found the right medication, it was like going from night to day. I’m calm and able to do things one at a time, at my own pace. I’ve reunited with friends I lost along the way, and I’ve trained as a

counsellor. I also run a recovery group for people struggling with alcohol addiction. I’d advise anyone who thinks they may have ADHD to seek help. I feel like my life has just started.”

WHAT IS ADHD?

Adults with ADHD may have problems with:

• Organisation and time management

• Following instructions

• Focusing and completing tasks

• Coping with stress

• Feeling restless or impatient

• Impulsiveness and risk taking

• Some people may also have issues with sleep, strong mood changes or social interaction and relationships.

Find out more about living with ADHD at:

• NHS UK: https://www.nhs.uk/ conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/living-with/

• ADHD Foundation: adhdfoundation.org.uk

Try reading:

ADHD: A Hunter in a Farmer’s World by Thom Hartmann, a guide to reframing our view of ADHD and embracing its benefits.

I was seen as difficult but inside I was struggling and too proud to ask for help.

Everything I did was on impulse, and nothing lasted.

SILENCING THE SCEPTICS

He was part of a campaign to develop adult services, both for young people whose ADHD was treated by specialist children’s services, and undiagnosed adults who were seeing news and social media and thinking ‘that’s me.’

Mersey Care’s service was launched in 2007. Within four years demand was far outstripping capacity. A major hurdle was the reluctance among GPs to prescribe stimulant medication, the most effective treatment, meaning people had to see a consultant for their prescription.

Media coverage remained negative. “It was said we were medicalising failure,” said Dr Naidoo. “In fact, many of our patients are doing very well in their lives –but something is missing. With ADHD you are anxious from constantly chasing your tail, always fearful of the day you get it wrong. You must try so much harder just to stay on top of things. Like depression it is on a continuum. It is up to us as clinicians to help patients recognise when it becomes

an impairment. That is why the diagnostic process is so important.”

Medication, usually a controlled stimulant, had a poor image too. Yet Kuben Naidoo was witnessing dramatic improvements in some of his patients, with limited side effects.

He explains: “It’s instantaneous. A patient recently told me it was like putting on a new pair of glasses – she could see clearly for the first time. Of course, medication does not suit everyone, and we must find the right one or consider psychological support.”

Based on strong clinical evidence, belief and funding from commissioners and a shared

vision for innovation within Mersey Care, the service has expanded to become a leading light in ADHD treatment.

The challenge now is to bring down waiting lists. A recently launched nurse led programme means that, following clinical assessment, a highly trained nurse prescriber can oversee someone’s care.

Kuben Naidoo is still as passionate about helping people with ADHD as he was in 2007. “It may be an illness,” he says, “but it can also be a strength which, if controlled and channelled in the right way, is a life changer.”

When Kuben Naidoo became a consultant psychiatrist in 2006 there was just one adult ADHD service – and it was in London.

Adults were seeing news and social media and thinking ‘that’s me’.

It may be an illness but it can also be a strength.

FINDING THE BALANCE

MC magazine reporter Emma Wilson (above) struggled to come to terms with a food intolerance. She talks to a mental health specialist dietitian about renewing relationships with what you eat.

Food was never something I thought too deeply about. I loved trying new dishes, going out for dinner – and chocolate.

Then, at 18, my body developed an intolerance to dairy products. After eating milk, cheese or butter, I’d suffer with abdominal pain, cramps and bloating. It broke the trust I had with my body; I was wary about everything I ate. I asked myself how could I be fine for 18 years and suddenly I’m not? I needed to know ‘why me’?

Mental health specialist dietitian, Michelle Barton says, unlike allergies, it’s not known why intolerances develop. Waiting for a diagnosis can create anxiety, but she urges people not to change their diet in desperation.

“It can take a long time and people sometimes cut things out hoping it will solve the problem but doing this without medical supervision can lead to nutritional deficiencies and malnutrition.”

For me it was a lack of control over my body. I became hyper fixated on what I was eating and how it made me feel. I felt rubbish – and I became anxious. I was in a vicious cycle, and it was exhausting.

Michelle supports people with mental health issues to look at their diet.“If you’re having to look at labels and constantly watch what you eat, you can become quite obsessive about it.

“Anxieties around food come from our body’s fight or flight response. If someone’s anxious, it may not be the food they’re eating causing their upset stomach it could be the adrenaline.”

After my diagnosis I took advice and changed my eating habits – but I still didn’t feel like me. I was filled with anxiety. I just wanted to feel normal.

Continued on page 24.

Waiting for a diagnosis can create anxiety.

I was in a vicious cycle – it was exhausting.

Continued from page 23.

Michelle says it’s important to bring back the pleasure in eating. “Try to plan meals. Look for things you like to eat, but that you can substitute with something similar. For instance, instead of cow’s milk, try oat milk recipes. That way you’re still eating what you enjoy, it’s just a little bit different.”

“If you’re going out for food, find out beforehand if a restaurant can cater to your dietary requirements”.

GLUTEN FREE BANANA AND CHOCOLATE CAKE

Her biggest piece of advice is to change focus. “So much of our lives revolve around food. When you can’t eat what you want it’s important to find alternatives that don’t involve food to distract you.

“How we feel is linked to our self esteem. So, if you’re feeling a bit under the weather, something as simple as pampering yourself can help alleviate symptoms, reduce anxiety and make you feel better all round.”

Online forums have helped me realise I’m not alone and there are solutions. It’s good to read people’s stories and ideas. I’ve learned to be conscious to what my body needs. Instead of fixating on foods I can’t have, I concentrate on things that make me happy.

As Michelle says: “You might miss certain foods but feeling better and knowing there are alternatives will make it worthwhile.

Do I still miss chocolate? Yes. But it’s worth it”.

By Emma Wilson

FOR MORE INFORMATION

on eating with a food intolerance go to:

Allergy UK: allergyuk.org

Coeliac UK: coeliac.org.uk

You can have your cake and eat it, says specialist mental health dietitian Michelle Barton. “I chose banana cake to dispel the myth that dietitians are the ‘food police’ – we love food and we love cake! You can have cake and chocolate as part of a balanced diet.”

INGREDIENTS

180g caster sugar

180g olive oil based spread/butter

3 large eggs

180g self raising gluten free flour

3 ripe bananas chopped to 1cm slices

75g chocolate chips (gluten free)

75g dark chocolate chunks (gluten free)

METHOD

Cook in slow cooker on high

• Soften butter, add caster sugar then whisk

• Beat in eggs one at a time

• Fold in flour

• Mix in banana and chocolate chips

• Line slow cooker with a baking sheet. Pour in mixture

• Cook for three hours. Remove when cooled

• Melt chocolate and drizzle over cake – enjoy!

Dietitian Michelle Barton.

When you can’t eat what you want it’s important to find alternatives.

MAKE THE WORLD YOUR OYSTER

Jo Henwood discovers dining is about more than the food.

When my dietitian put me on a restricted diet – it was likely the cause of my stomach acid – I struggled. Being coeliac already limited what I could eat. Added to the list were onions, garlic, peppers, tomato, cucumber, chocolate, caffeine. I can’t even enjoy a glass of red wine.

Food felt like my enemy. I struggled with what to cook at home; I turned down social invitations that involved eating. I became

convinced I would never eat normally again. My relationship with food had to change. I decided to focus on what I could eat rather than what I couldn’t. I concentrated on other elements – like using posh glasses for my cordial or having my favourite ice cream in the freezer.

I experimented with alternatives in recipes – leeks instead of onions, garlic infused oil instead of garlic and shaved parmesan, seeds and nuts on salads.

Going out, I now focus on what I might wear rather than what I could eat. I treat myself to new earrings or a scarf. I tune in to the lovely things around me – what friends are wearing, whether the waiter is attentive, the ambiance of the restaurant. The food and drink take second place.

It’s never easy having an allergy or intolerance but shifting focus from the negative can open your eyes to other lovely things you might otherwise have missed.

SWEET BLT JACKET

POTATO

METHOD

SERVES: 4

Preheat the oven to 200oC degrees

• Wash, oil and salt potatoes. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes

• Dice bacon, cook in pan until crispy

• Peel avocados and mash with lime juice and salt

• Cut cooked potatoes in half and spread the avocado mix onto the tops. Return to oven for 5 minutes

• Mix mayonnaise, chilli, lime juice, salt and garlic powder in a bowl and whisk until smooth

• Remove potatoes from oven, add lettuce, tomato, and bacon pieces

• Drizzle with chilli lime mayonnaise

• Serve with a side salad and enjoy!

Dietitian Michelle Barton says: “ This is an ideal recipe for someone with a dairy intolerance. Taking out the bacon makes it meat free – I often make it for my daughter and I so we can share the same meal.”

INGREDIENTS

Spray oil – olive oil or vegetable oil

4 sweet potatoes

2 slices bacon

2 small avocados

4 tsp lime juice

1 tsp salt

Pinch of pepper

2 tomatoes diced

Handful of shredded lettuce

CHILLI LIME MAYO

½ cup of vegan mayonnaise

2 tsp lime juice

½ to 1 tsp chilli powder

(depending on how hot you want it)

¼ tsp garlic powder

UNITED IN MUSIC

By Jo Henwood

MAE WROTE A SONG

Are you ready for Eurovision? Even if you’re a Eurosceptic it’s hard to avoid the feelgood factor spreading across Liverpool and beyond.

The slogan, United in Music, says it all. Liverpool, hosting on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine because of that country’s ongoing conflict, is using the power of music to bring communities together.

If you weren’t lucky enough to secure tickets for the 67th Eurovision final on Saturday, May 13, the party atmosphere will be growing in and around the city throughout the week.

We look at what’s happening, where you can watch the show and ideas to party at home.

Mae Muller has already surpassed Eurovision super status. The 25 year old has been hailed the ‘relatable queen of sass’.

Her self penned club anthem style song – ironically entitled ‘I Wrote a Song’ – is an outpouring of the heartbreak caused by a cheating partner.

It’s not just the catchy melody that’s stuck in our minds. It seems we love a good heartbreak song, especially one about survival. It can actually make us feel better! The lyrics can help us express thoughts and feelings we struggle to say out loud. Hearing that can validate your own feelings and make you feel more powerful. Go Mae!

Read more about Mae here: maemuller.com Or follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @maemuller

UK entry Mae Muller’s song about heartbreak has won the hearts of millions.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Staying home to celebrate means no entry queues or waiting around for taxis and can be just as much fun. Buy your bunting and flags early to avoid disappointment!

• BBC Good Food offers theme buffets – think Boom Bang a Bang chicken and creamy Swedish meatballs: bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/eurovision-party-recipes

• Pinterest is perfect for party ideas – there’s even a Eurovision Bingo! Pinterest.com

HOW EUROSAVVY ARE YOU?

1. In which year did ABBA first enter Eurovision?

2. What was Sonia’s 1993 entry?

3. How many times has the United Kingdom hosted the Eurovision Song Contest? (Answers at the bottom of the page).

SPOT SONIA

• Follow a city wide trail to uncover 20 cut outs of Sonia, the UK’s runner up entry for Eurovision in 1993

• Eurovision TV describes Liverpool as ‘a city that dances to its own beat.’ See more at eurovision.tv

WHERE CAN YOU WATCH?

• Eurovision fan zone at Pier Head will have live music stages and big screens showing semi-finals on 9 and 11 May with the final on Saturday 13 May

• Over in the Baltic Triangle, Camp & Furnace will be the city’s official party venue with a EuroClub takeover from 5 May

• Watch all three live Eurovision 2023 shows on BBC One – you’ll be among 160 million viewers across the world.

COME AND JOIN US

• The city will be alive with visitors from all over the world looking for places to stay, golden tickets and new friends. Take a ride in – you never know who you’ll meet!

Go to: visitliverpool.co.uk

STICK TO THE RULES

Eurovision rules state that:

• Songs must be original and no more than three minutes long

• Lead vocals must be performed live

• No more than six performers can take to the stage during any one performance

• Winners are chosen by a jury of music industry professionals and viewers.

FESTIVAL FEVER

• A diverse cultural festival in the lead up to May’s main event will include events and installations celebrating UK music, Eurovision and most importantly, act as a platform for showcasing modern Ukraine.

Go to: cultureliverpool.co.uk

ANSWERS TO QUIZ

1973 with Ring Ring, a year before winning with Waterloo. 2. Better the Devil you Know

3. Nine times

Oliver

OLIVER’S ARMY

Growing up gay, Oliver says that he had a profound realisation that ‘these are my people’.

“I can remember sitting as a teenager in my room on New Year’s Eve 2010, watching the Romanian song selection!”

Like most superfans, the university student union communications officer can reel off a list of highlights – from Ukraine’s star topped drag queen Verka Serduchka back in 2007 to one of his all time favourites, Finland’s Hannah Pakarinen with Leave Me Alone.

Oliver has been to Sweden, Amsterdam and Paris and is in online fan groups. He’s beyond excited for this year and says we should embrace the contest when it reaches our shores in May.

“It’s like being a football fan, there’s so much to talk about – and it may never be here again. If you don’t have tickets to the event itself, still come to the city and enjoy the experience. There’ll be so many screenings in pubs, clubs and bars, art installations and a special Fan Zone at Pier Head.

He is visibly proud at the prospect of hearing ‘Our Song for Liverpool’ in different languages.

“Eurovision has been all over Europe and this time it’s coming to me!”

Oliver blogs about Eurovision wiwibloggs.com.

OLIVER’S TOP TRIO

1984: Sweden – Diggi-loo Diggy-ley (Herrey)

2007: Finland – Leave Me Alone (Hannah Pakarinen)

2021: France – Voilà (Barbara Pravi)

Adams had his first taste of the Eurovision Song Contest at nine – he was attracted by the flags and wondered what it was all about. As he grew the talented young musician fell well and truly down the Eurovision ‘rabbit hole’.

Eurovision super fan Oliver Adams says the song contest helped him discover who he was.

Puppy cuddles and yoga – it sounds like the ultimate self care package. Reporter Sophie Brown (pictured centre below) went to a session to see if Puppy Yoga really works.

I’ve always gone to tough circuit classes and never really considered yoga. After a difficult year, I tried it and found calmness and a difference in my mood, physical strength, and balance.

I’d read how four Liverpool psychology students came up with the idea of combining yoga and spending time with a puppy as a

THE CUDDLE CHEMICAL

By Sophie Brown

way of boosting mood, wellbeing, and physical strength. I’m a dog lover so it was no surprise to learn that being with a puppy decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

As I and my friends Amie and Emily embarked on an hour long yoga session (nothing a beginner couldn’t manage) little bundles of fur (in our case Huskies) bounded, lay and slept next to us.

It was like nothing I’ve experienced before. That combination of mental clarity and calmness created by yoga and the comforting effect of cuddling a puppy makes it special.

My friends felt the same. “You forget your worries while you’re there. You’re either holding a yoga pose while a puppy sleeps next to you, or you’re cuddling them – either way it’s heaven”, said Emily.

Amie enjoyed the flexibility. “You can enjoy it in your own way. If you want to stop halfway through the yoga for a lie down with a puppy, you can”.

There’s a cost, so for me Puppy Yoga would be an occasional treat. For a purse friendly alternative meet friends with pets for brunch, enjoy a walk – and of course canine cuddles.”

Studies have shown that even small interactions with dogs cause the human brain to produce oxytocin, a hormone often referred to as the “cuddle chemical.” Oxytocin increases feelings of relaxation. Pets can be great listeners, offer unconditional love and won’t criticise you. This can help your self confidence, especially if you feel isolated or misunderstood, trust, and empathy while reducing stress and anxiety.

Petsforpatriots.org

Mental Health Foundation: mentalhealth.org.uk

puppyyogauk.co.uk

Reporter Sophie Brown (centre) and friends enjoy a cuddle with Husky puppies.

DON’T MENTION THE F WORD

By Jo Henwood

There’s a joke amongst mainly women of a certain age – never say ‘I’ve had a fall’ – it makes you sound old.

There’s nothing funny about falling. In fact, we all need to know how not to do it. But most of us are like the 60 something lady who, when asked by Age UK if she’d welcome advice on preventing falls, said she’d probably think ‘that’s for old ladies, not for me”.

Good advice often falls on deaf ears (pardon the pun). Yet one in three adults over 65 will have at least one fall a year. Most do not result in serious injury. But they can cause the person to lose confidence.

Occupational therapist Hayley Almond is part of a specialist Rehab at Home team, supporting people as they’re discharged from hospital after hip surgery, including injury due to falls.

She explains: “People are often in shock that their independence has been taken

away; they may find it difficult to rely on carers, even if they are friends and family.”

Occupational therapist Vikki Turner leads a dynamic team that includes a physiotherapist and therapy assistants. They liaise with dietitian, podiatrists, district nurses, GPs, and orthotists to support every aspect of a patient’s life.

“We look holistically at what the person needs at home to stay safe, recover and regain their independence,” says Vikki. Soon after someone leaves hospital, they are visited at home to assess their mobility, balance, range of movement, and muscle power. The team also looks at what can be done to make it safe and easy for the person to move around their home, use the bathroom, get up from chairs, and other activities we take for granted when we’re fit and able.

A physiotherapist will plan exercises someone can do whilst sitting, standing, or lying down. They’re often simple but highly effective.

The team works with other services to get help in other areas of the person’s life where they need extra support, such as a mental health condition, alcohol or drug dependency, a cancer or dementia diagnosis or a recent bereavement.

Their aim is to return someone to their original level of strength, ability and independence.

What advice would they give? “Don’t compare yourself with others. Everyone’s situation is different, and your recovery will be too.”

For advice on avoiding falls visit: nhs.uk

Illustration: Ella Byworth

INDEPENDENCE DAY

When self confessed ‘clean freak’ Elaine Berry (above left) climbed onto her kitchen worktops to clean the tops of her cupboards, disaster struck. She slipped and fell, landing on her stone kitchen floor and smashing her hip.

The super fit 66 year old responded well to surgery for a full hip replacement. As Elaine recovered in hospital, Vikki Turner (pictured with Elaine) led the Rehab at Home team into action. They assessed her house for hazards, raised her bed for ease of getting in and out, and arranged for walking and other home aids to be there when she arrived home.

Before her accident Elaine, a passionate walker, had been clocking up 15,000 steps daily and she was determined to get back to her original fitness. She describes the team as ‘a Godsend’ and follows their advice with gusto in a bid to regain independence.

“They were great, they’d give me exercises to do daily – I’d do them every four hours!”

Husband Eddie, her three sons and their partners rallied round to support Elaine, but being unable to do things for herself left her feeling low.

“It is so frustrating to need help with simple things like putting your clothes on and tying your shoelaces,” she said. “Some days

I couldn’t be bothered washing – it felt so much of an effort.”

But with the help of the Rehab at Home team Elaine has worked hard to make progress and is feeling positive. She’s still unable to carry shopping, push a vacuum cleaner, or scrub the bath. And simply looking at her kitchen cupboards brings back stomach curdling memories.

“I know this will take time and I’ve told myself to accept that. If it takes an hour to get dressed so be it. Sometimes I forget and do too much, but then I say to myself: ‘Stop, you haven’t come through all this to mess it up’.”

ADVICE FROM THE REHAB AT HOME TEAM:

• It’s very important to keep hydrated in reducing the risk of falls

• If you are in pain and have been prescribed painkillers, take them. Pain can make you more reluctant to move which can limit your recovery. It won’t be forever; it is just until you get better

• When walking up the stairs, use your good side first. When walking down, step on your bad side first

• Keep moving. Try to change position every one to two hours to reduce the risk of blood clots or pressure sores, strengthen your muscles and keep you mobile

• Try to get dressed each day, even if it’s difficult at first. It will make you feel better

• Try to sleep in your bed rather than a chair. You’ll get a better night’s sleep which is important for recovery

• Remove loose rugs or clutter to reduce the risk of falling again.

For more about the Rehab at Home team visit: merseycare.nhs.uk

It is so frustrating to need help with simple things.

The Rehab at Home team supported avid walker Elaine Berry after she fell and broke her hip.

ASK A GOVERNOR

When plans are being made for the future of your health care there’s a team of volunteers working tirelessly to make sure your voice is heard. We shine the spotlight on Mersey Care’s governors and ask what they can do for you.

decisions or reject a proposal if we feel it’s not right.

MC: WHY SHOULD PEOPLE COME TO YOU FOR HELP?

change which would have an impact on certain staff. Those managing the change took my concerns seriously and explained the decision, which reassured the people affected.

MC: SEAN, WHAT DOES A GOVERNOR DO?

SD: We hold the people who run our health services to account. Our responsibility is to ask questions and seek assurance that strategic decisions are right for the people we serve.

We’re a critical friend, we have direct contact with the Board of Directors. We have a strategic overview of what’s happening both now and with future plans – and we can and do challenge decisions.

MC: ARE YOU PART OF THE ORGANISATION?

SD: No, Governors are volunteers so we’re independent and not part of the management. We have the power to challenge some

SD: I will act on what you tell me. I may not know the answer, but I can and will ask questions at the highest level and give you an honest answer and explanation. I’ve raised issues in the past and I’ve always had a full response.

MC: WHY DID YOU BECOME A GOVERNOR?

SD: I work for the Trust, so I wanted to listen to staff and raise their concerns with Board members. We’re expanding and building new hospitals. If we want quality services we need to recruit and retain staff and look after them.

MC: HAVE YOU DONE THAT RECENTLY?

SD: Yes, I raised a query about a proposed

MC: DO YOU GET FRUSTRATED WHEN THINGS DON’T HAPPEN QUICKLY?

SD: Of course. Answers don’t always come back as quickly as people may want, but there are processes to go through and while you’re investigating you still have to operate. I don’t think people always appreciate that.

MC: WHAT’S THE MOST EXCITING THING YOU’VE DONE RECENTLY?

SD: Being involved in appointing the new Trust Chair. Governors must approve all non executive director posts and I’m delighted we have Rosie Cooper as our Chair, she challenges ideas.

Sean Doherty Staff Governor.

Sean Doherty (above): Staff Governor, support worker, homelessness outreach volunteer and lifelong Everton fan.

MC: HILARY, WHY ARE YOU SO KEEN TO REPRESENT SERVICE USERS AND CARERS?

HT: I’m a carer myself and I’m involved with lots of carer groups and forums. I’m in touch with the people I represent so I can hear their concerns and take them directly to the top.

MC: IF SOMEONE NEEDS HELP TO GET AN APPOINTMENT CAN YOU DO THAT?

HT: We can’t act for individuals, but if someone comes to us with general questions about a service, we can go in at top level and say, ‘we’ve heard this, can you tell us more’? We make sure information coming from Board members matches with what we’re hearing on the ground.

MC: WHY ARE GOVERNORS SO VALUABLE TO PEOPLE WHO USE SERVICES OR WORK FOR MERSEY CARE?

HT: We’re in a unique position to look and act on what we see. We can ask the questions the person in the street wants

to know and then push for change if they need to. Big decisions, like the acquisition of other organisations, can’t happen until we agree.

MC: WHAT CHANGES HAVE THE GOVERNORS HELPED BRING ABOUT RECENTLY?

HT: There was a backlog in phlebotomy services after lockdown, people were struggling to get appointments. Governors took their concerns to the Board, and they responded by introducing evening appointments.

We also successfully advocated for a pilot of a new mental health therapy to become permanent, after hearing how much it had benefited patients.

MC: WHAT ARE YOU MOST PLEASED ABOUT?

HT: How we’ve worked as a team with the Board to make our services more holistic, looking at the whole person and bringing mental and physical health services together – it’s now happening quickly in Mersey Care.

Meet our governors and find out how they can help you at: www.merseycare.nhs.uk/about-us/council-governors

Marie Da Silva Bleasdale: Mum, volunteer, Service User and Carer Governor.

I’m a service user and carer governor. Luckily I have had a wealth of experience. I was a carer for my mother, and I’ve used mental health services myself.

You should never stop learning; being a governor has helped my confidence. You’re part of a team, you’re accountable and those around you listen to your point of view.

I see governors as part of a jigsaw that enables the organisation to grow and improve. If you like a challenge and enjoy helping people a governor role could be for you.

Hilary Tetlow (right): Former buyer in fashion retail, carer, voluntary sector campaigner and Service User and Carer Governor.

Hilary Tetlow, Service User and Carer Governor.

THIS IS ME

As former MP Rosie Cooper takes the chair at Mersey Care, MC

editor Jackie Rankin talks to the woman behind the role.

Rosie Cooper is busier than ever. She has been interviewed for a documentary by actor and BBC Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose Ayling Ellis about the challenges deaf people face. The Eastenders star had backed a campaign by Rosie and deaf charities to make British Sign Language a legal language.

As curtain calls go, Rosie’s departure from politics was spectacular. In late 2021, as the other Rose was holding up the Strictly glitter ball, Rosie saw her private member’s bill voted through Parliament with all party support. It became law in April 2022.

Campaigners had long argued that BSL is an indigenous minority language with a rich cultural heritage. As a child of deaf adults Rosie experienced that richness; her profoundly deaf father had successfully campaigned for subtitles on TV programmes.

“When the Bill became law, it felt like we’d delivered social justice, changed attitudes. My dad wouldn’t have accepted anything less.”

With a wry grin she recalls how her animated hand movements are often misread as annoyance or impatience. “That’s just how deaf people communicate” she says. “It’s my first language.”

There’s an energy about Rosie Cooper. How will it be utilised in her new role?

“My heart has always been in health. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty and people should expect me to get into the detail. I was told the executive team at Mersey Care is probably the best in the Northwest. That’s a phenomenal reputation to have, but the truth is, however good we think we are; we can be better.”

It felt like we’d delivered social justice, changed attitudes.

magazine

“There’s a lot to consider when we create and improve services. We must consider everyone who might use them, and we need people to tell us where we can do better.

“Integrating physical and mental health is vital. They go hand in hand and too many people are put at risk if they’re not connected. It’s great that we’re forming strong bonds with local health partners, and finding ways to work together.

“Of course, we can’t do it without great community services, so someone can be discharged home quickly and safely, or better still, not go into hospital. People thrive when they’re cared for in their own home.

“Community services are often forgotten about when people talk about healthcare – they shouldn’t be.

“We’re also using technology to create services that mean people don’t need to go to hospital for treatment.”

Supersized ideas are no stranger to the woman who, as a huge Elvis fan, returned to Liverpool after a trip to Memphis in the 60s and used her role as a city councillor to help get the Beatles freedom of the city.

She tries to keep personal and public lives separate, but her passion for public service is personal.

Her door, she says will be always open, especially to staff.

“Terry Wogan once asked Dolly Parton why she was on the boards of her many businesses. Quick as a flash she said: ‘I kind of figure that no one looks after my interests the way I do.’

“NHS staff work hard, if we’re going to make space to recharge batteries and energise people, we need to be doing things that make a difference to frontline staff.”

“Patients know what works for them and what doesn’t, staff know what’s needed for that to happen, it’s all about coproduction. We need to harness the power that’s out there. I’m undertaking to listen – I may not always be able to get what you want but I’ll get an answer. If you have an idea, I want to be with you saying – why not?”

“I see my job not just to help improve, but to find where systems are failing and solve the problem. I was the ears and voice of my mum and dad. In everything I’ve ever done in public life, what I’m really doing is articulating what the people around me need and want. I will do my level best to fix, break down obstacles – whatever it takes to find a solution. There’s no point in papering over a problem. If you sort it, then it’s not a problem anymore.”

• The British Sign Language Act gives BSL recognition as a minority language of Britain. It also requires government departments to explain how they are working to promote and facilitate the use of BSL.

I will do my level best to fix, break down obstacles – whatever it takes to find a solution.

Rosie Cooper with (l to r) her family, actor and campaigner Rose Ayling Ellis, and BSL Bill supporters.

We need to harness the power that’s out there.