A DAY IN THE LIFE...
COUNCIL OF
JULES CARLISLE
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, ENHANCED CARE SERVICE I work with patients at the medium secure unit, Scott Clinic in Rainhill, Merseyside. When a person comes into secure care it’s likely they’re very stressed, and events in their lives mean their family may not visit. They may feel a sense of abandonment, they don’t have what most of us have, a place where they feel safe.
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his morning I walked in the grounds with a patient. He used to get angry and refuse therapy. Then we discovered his life had been nomadic, he didn’t feel relaxed in an enclosed space. We moved the sessions outside, now he comes along keen to engage. Outside is his safe place. When someone is in distress they can react with anger or be harmful to themselves or others. It can be challenging, sometimes bewildering for staff so we regularly have a joint thinking space to construct a psychological understanding from a trauma informed perspective, it helps develop a psychologically safe environment.
We’re together, staff and patients in close proximity. Our nurses are brilliant, they know patients can have a lot of pain, they sit down and help without judgement. But this can be challenging and often exhausting. Having dedicated time and space to think together about things that have happened; to reflect on how we handled a situation, and what we might do differently next time, can help us through difficult times. Psychologists can be scary. Even friends feel you’re trying to read their minds!
GOVERNORS
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hen decisions are being made about our local mental health, learning disabilities and addictions services, how can we make sure we have our say? One way is through your local NHS Foundation Trust Council of Governors. We asked Beatrice Fraenkel, Chairman of Mersey Care mental health trust to explain. ‘Our Governors are a group of people who are passionate about mental health and want to use their skills, background or personal experiences to influence the ways our health services are run.
HOW MUCH OF A SAY DO THEY HAVE?
DO THEY DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS?
“The Governors perform an incredibly important role, making sure we are fit for purpose and to be authorised as an NHS Trust. They have the final say on major service and other developments. Last year they approved the Trust’s acquisition of Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Whalley, Lancashire. They also appoint and set the pay of our Non-executive directors and they have just appointed an external auditor.”
“Governors can’t deal with a patient complaint or act as an advocate for an individual; however they can advise our members on the complaints process and signpost someone to advocacy organisations.”
HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER OR A GOVERNOR? “We are proud of our large, diverse, representative membership. More than 12,000 people have joined the Trust and are helping us build and maintain effective links with the community that we serve. This ensures direct involvement of stakeholders in our corporate governance and decision making processes.
HOW MANY GOVERNORS DO YOU HAVE AND WHO ARE THEY? “We have 30 governors representing three constituencies: service users and carers, staff and the public as well as a small number who have been appointed from local stakeholders, for example, Sefton Council. I’m proud of our membership and our governors. They’re all very different, bringing their unique skills and experiences and acting as ambassadors for the Trust.
“We will be holding further elections to our Council of Governors this year. To nominate yourself to become a Governor, you will need to be a member to receive details of forthcoming elections.” If you would like to join us please call the membership team on 0151 471 2303, email to membership@merseycare.nhs.uk or by post to Alison Bacon, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Liverpool L34 1PJ.
“We have four meetings a year and anyone can come along to observe.”
Beatrice Fraenkel, Chairman.
What makes my day worthwhile is if a patient wants to engage. It means we have trust.
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HOW CAN I CONTACT THE GOVERNORS?
OUR GOVERNORS ARE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
If you have any feedback, comments or concerns, you can contact your governor by emailing the relevant constituency as follows: Service Users and Carers serviceuser-carer.governors@merseycare.nhs.uk Mersey Care staff Staff:governors@merseycare.nhs.uk Members of the public Public.governors@merseycare.nhs.uk
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