MC Magazine - Spring 2021

HEROES Cleaning up the front line

SPRING 2021

The Changing Face of Therapy

Drink Dilemma

A New View

MC

MAGAZINE 26

WHERE’S THE LOO? Learn how to look after your bladder.

29 LIVING

ON THE FRONT LINE

We meet the people keeping our spaces clean to prevent the spread of the virus.

10

IT FELT LIKE THEY WERE BY MY SIDE

3 WELCOME 4 THE CHANGING FACE OF THERAPY 8 TWO OF A KIND 10 VIRTUAL CARE

12 ON THE MOVE 14 A NEW VIEW 18 THE APPRENTICE 20 OUT OF THE DARK 22 THE DRINK DILEMMA 25 ONLY THE LONELY

Read how Colin had a 'virtual ward' in his home.

26 WHERE IS THE NEAREST LOO?

04

GOING ONLINE We look at the changing face of therapy.

MC magazine team: Managing Editor: Steve Murphy.

Editor: Jackie Rankin.

Cover photo: Rebecca Clark, facilities management assistant, Clock View Hospital, Liverpool. (credit: Joel Goodman).

INSIDE...

29 LIVING ON THE FRONT LINE

22

THE DRINK DILEMMA

What happens when a lockdown tipple turns into a habit?

Contributors: Ashley Byrne, Jo Henwood Graham Hignett.

32 WHEN HOME WORK GETS HARD 33 LIFE MATTERS

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

Editorial: Julie Crompton.

MerseyCareNHSFoundationTrust

Photography: Joel Goodman, Freepik, Vecteezy.

@Mersey_Care

34 SPOTLIGHT ON...

Illustrations: Ella Byworth, Shae Fowlis.

@MerseyCareNHSFT

35 MEET YOUR GOVERNOR

Design: Jo Hadfield.

2

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.

With vaccines being rolled out and spring not too far ahead, there is a sense that things are changing for the better.

WELCOME W

e’ve dedicated this issue to the people who are keeping us safe and well during difficult and testing times. Heroes come in many guises and as our cover shows, the front line in the battle against COVID-19 is diverse.

We’re all wrapped up in our own personal battles, often wrestling with ourselves and struggling with mixed emotions.

Our feature on online therapy shows how much has gone into making sure people who need therapy perhaps more than ever don’t miss out because they can’t meet their therapist face to face.

We pay tribute to those running day to day community services, and hear from a couple who are indebted to the nurses who cared for them during dark days as they battled coronavirus at home.

With vaccines being rolled out and spring not too far ahead there is a sense that things are changing for the better.

We hope you can find optimism in the pages of this issue as we have. It gives us all hope that by sticking together even when we’re apart we can overcome adversity and come out the other side reflective and resilient.

Enjoy this issue.

The MC Magazine Team.

Heroes come in many guises... the front line in the battle against COVID-19 is diverse.

We are in an ever changing situation. The information in this issue was correct at the time of going to press, but please consult nhs.uk or gov.uk for latest advice and information.

3

SPECIAL FEATURE

THE CHANGING FACE OF

THERAPY

4

Student Helen Maver tells how having therapy on a virtual platform has helped her (page 6).

This year has seen an increase in mental health issues, with talking therapies more in demand than ever. The strains of living in lockdown, job losses, and relationship difficulties have seen people seeking help on an unprecedented scale.

T

he pandemic has also meant face to face sessions have had to stop, replaced by remote sessions online or by phone.

SO HOW DO PEOPLE GET THEIR THERAPY NOW? AND IS IT WORKING? At Talk Liverpool, Mersey Care’s IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) service for the Liverpool area, huge effort has gone into setting up a robust virtual system so increased demands can be met.

Engagement lead Claire Webster says there’s no 'one size fits all' and not everyone wants or is able to have therapy through a video platform.

“There are lots of reasons why someone doesn’t want to go online. It could be that they are anxious about how they look; they are trying to home school, or they may not have privacy.

Not everyone is familiar with technology, so going on an online platform may add to their anxiety. It could be that they don’t have Wi-Fi. Or they may just prefer the anonymity of talking by phone. We’ll work with them so they get the best from their therapy."

Talk Liverpool engagement lead Claire Webster.

“They are reassured by seeing someone’s face, knowing you’re 'in the room’ with them. There are often silences during therapy that may feel uncomfortable to some people. They want to be able to see the therapist.

“There’s sometimes a fear of the unknown.

We’ll try anything we can to make sure people get the support they need in a way that suits them.”

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ANXIOUS ABOUT EMBARKING ON A THERAPY PROGRAMME? “Give it a go. If you’re struggling go to your GP and ask for a referral, self refer online, or give us a call on 0151 228 2300. We will do everything we can to facilitate the referral process.”

We'll support people in a way that suits them.

WHAT HAPPENS THEN? Once you have made the referral a member of the Talk Liverpool business support team will contact you to book an assessment with a therapist.

The therapist will explain what help or support is available, give you information about what works best for depression and anxiety, and, if the service is right for you, recommend the best treatment programme.

It is recommend that everyone coming into the Talk Liverpool service has a course or computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy treatment first. This is because these treatments can help you to feel better quickly and easily.

Most people with depression, anxiety and panic attacks find that a course of treatment or computerised CBT is all they need to set them on their way to feeling better.

The Talk Liverpool website shows testimonies from patients and the therapies on offer. talkliverpool.nhs.uk

For some, like student Helen (see page 6) online is the only way.

We'll work with someone so they get the best from their therapy.

5

SPECIAL FEATURE

I WANTED EVERY SECOND TO COUNT

Being online felt like I was actually meeting my therapist.

Helen Maver is studying as a postgraduate at Liverpool University.

She tells MC Magazine how online therapy helped her.

I

’d had times when I’ve felt low since I was 17. It would come whenever I was under stress.

When I came up to Liverpool from my family home in Kent to study human physiology, I had Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, but I was always looking for a reason why I was feeling so sad. I knew I needed something else.

During the summer I had days where I really struggled, but I thought I was just like everyone else. I tried to fight it but I couldn’t. I’d go home, thinking it would give me some distance from my thoughts, but it didn’t.

All the time I wanted someone to talk to me about things that had happened to me.

To help me understand myself. I self referred to Talk Liverpool; it definitely helped when the call came with an appointment for telephone therapy.

It felt awkward when Claire called. I’m not used to talking about myself. I gabbled on, and then I felt selfish.

We agreed on telephone therapy, but I’d have moments of panic during the calls.

If there was a silence I’d wonder what she was doing. Was she listening? It felt more like a meeting – I needed to be able to see her.

When we changed to online sessions I felt I was finally meeting her. I was talking to an actual human being. I’d make notes so I could relive the sessions. I wanted every second to count.

I'd always dismissed issues. Claire taught me that I had to acknowledge the difficulties to break the cycle.

She guided and helped me verbalise my thoughts. But her real skill lies in helping you understand what you need to do to give yourself advice. Once you can do that through your life you become your own crutch.”

IT'S A SAFE SPACE Senior psychological wellbeing practitioner Charuni Perera knows maintaining continuity for clients is crucial.

As Talk Liverpool lead for digital courses, she was also acutely aware of the challenges in developing a safe, reliable digital course in a short timescale.

“We were working remotely and had the added pressure of time; we know that people receiving cognitive behavioural therapy need consistency to avoid setbacks”, said Charuni.

6

Clients were prioritised and the most at risk offered immediate support. The team was given training in online techniques, and IT support to eliminate technical problems.

The team is delighted at the level of uptake and attendance of the digital course.

Charuni Perera Charuni explains: “We were nervous people might not keep appointments, but they can see it’s a safe and secure space. Our support workers are on hand and will buddy up with people and may come on the call to offer a familiar face and reassurance, and if needed will give them a call afterwards.”

Need to talk?

Talk to us

Need help with stress, anxiety or depression?

We can help.

You can refer yourself online by visiting talkliverpool.nhs.uk or calling 0151 228 2300,

Claire helped me understand how to give myself advice.

NEED SUPPORT? ANXIETY

Support for you

alternatively you can be referred by your GP or another health professional.

DEPRESSION AND LOW MOOD Support for you

• Help yourself – our self help guides on anxiety and low mood can be read online, downloaded or watched as a video. www.merseycare.nhs.uk/are-you-a-service-user/self-help-guides

7

SPECIAL FEATURE

TWO OF A KIND

by Jo Henwood

Nursing is a challenging job at the best of times. The past year has meant drastic changes to the role. MC Magazine talked to two nurses, working in very different areas of the profession, to find out how it was for them.

L

iz Owens is a ward manager on the acute respiratory ward, at Liverpool University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. She is based at the Royal Liverpool hospital and her ward is now requisitioned to treat patients with COVID-19.

Maria Murphy is a community care practitioner for Mersey Care, visiting patients in their homes.

WHAT’S YOUR TYPICAL DAY? LIZ: “As a ward manager my priorities are staffing and patient safety. I check infection control measures are in place and that we are safe, clean and tidy. As a respiratory nurse I’m used to wearing personal protective equipment, but now I put on a surgical mask the minute I enter the hospital.

8

“Our ward round brings together everyone involved in someone’s care: the consultants, the doctors, the physios, the pharmacists, senior nurses. We discuss everything about the patient and what they need. Then we get on and do it.

“I try to take breaks, for a drink at least.

I always encourage staff to take comfort breaks though. They work long shifts and I’m mindful that they need a few minutes to themselves.”

MARIA: “No two days are the same.

My day starts the night before, when I electronically check my case list for the next day. By 7.30am, I’ve checked my PPE and supplies so I’m ready for my first patient for 8.30am. Lunch? I never have a fixed time for lunch.

“My first priority is people who need vital medication, such as insulin or heparin to thin their blood. Sometimes we have to visit a patient more than once in a day; you get to know them and their carers.

“There’s a strong link between health and social care. We have to get both right, so the patient can live either in their own home or a place they choose. My job is to help people manage conditions and prevent them needing to go into hospital.”

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC CHANGED HOW YOU WORK? LIZ: "The biggest change is how much more time we spend making sure patients and families stay connected while they can’t see each other in person. I’m so committed to making sure patients and their families stay connected. It’s a lot of work but it’s so important. Families are sometimes frustrated by the situation. I try to be as kind as I possibly can, let them vent their frustrations and explain that the guidelines are to keep them safe."

MARIA: “PPE! My car now resembles a stock cupboard. Before the pandemic we would only wear gloves and an apron to carry out a procedure. Now we carry full PPE. If someone has tested positive we’ll go into their home wearing a long-sleeved gown, a fitted mask, a visor and gloves. It’s different but people are fine. I read of people who were not kind to staff in nurse’s uniform but I’ve received nothing but support."

“A big change is how we meet as a team. We’d get together at our office but now we ‘huddle’ electronically. It works, in some ways it’s more effective, but I miss the social element, the peer support and bouncing ideas off each other.”

WHAT’S THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR JOB RIGHT NOW? LIZ: “I was taught never to give people bad news over the phone. Now I have no choice and it’s very tough. I want to give relatives a hug, hold their hand, and offer them a cup of tea. We’re well supported by our senior nursing team, but it’s still difficult.

What helps is the positive feedback from the public, and to see and hear from patients who have survived the virus – that’s what keeps us going.“

Liz Owens, ward manager on the acute respiratory ward at the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

MARIA: “I support people with mental health issues. It’s been hard to know what to say when we were scared too. I nursed during the AIDS pandemic, that’s how it felt at first. We didn’t know if we could pass it to our families and our colleagues. Now the difficulty is the complexity of some patients' care. I’m caring for people who may have been discharged from hospital perhaps earlier than normal because beds have to be freed up for COVID-19 patients.

Some are quite poorly, which puts extra pressure on us. Others, particularly those with underlying health conditions won’t go into hospital even if they need to because they’re afraid they’ll die."

Maria Murphy, community care practitioner for Mersey Care, visiting patients in their homes.

Working remotely has been a steep learning curve, but now I can see the positives.

WHAT POSITIVES ARE YOU TAKING INTO 2021?

LIZ: “A stronger team. We’ve learned a lot and it’s

It helped me that people took the time to stop and thank the NHS.

brought us together. At the start morale was low.

People were frightened and anxiety was really high.

I tried my best to support staff, and now we see more and better treatment and better outcomes for patients. Morale is higher. We’ve welcomed four new nurses to our ward. They’ve settled in well and are part of the team."

MARIA: "Technology! Virtually everything can be done remotely. It’s been a steep learning curve in an already challenging environment, but now I can recognise the positives. There’s nothing better than being face to face in a room, but it works. The Trust instigated something called reflective practice, which gave us time with psychologists to discuss how we were feeling. I’ve benefited a lot from that."

HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN THE NATION WAS CLAPPING THE NHS? LIZ:"We cheered too. My son loved seeing the neighbours cheering – it felt like the whole country was behind us. It helped me that people took time to stop and thank the NHS."

MARIA: "I was a bit embarrassed, as nurses we’re not used to that sort of thing! But it was nice to be recognised."

WHEN LIFE RETURNS TO NORMAL, WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? LIZ: "A holiday with my son Thomas."

MARIA: "To be able to celebrate my 50th birthday with my friends and family."

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FOCUS ON... TECHNOLOGY Modern technology is helping reduce pressure on hospital beds by offering COVID-19 patients the opportunity to be monitored and cared for at home. We hear how it works and talk to a couple helped through a crisis.

C

olin Etheridge is on the mend after being ill with COVID-19.

He doesn’t remember much about

it, but when he was poorly nurses from Mersey Care’s Telehealth Hub stepped in to install a ‘virtual ward’ in the lounge of his Bootle home so they could monitor and care for him.

The COVID Oximeter@Home service involves installing a small machine known as a pulse oximeter in the patient’s home. It allows a nurse, carer or patient to record vital signs such as oxygen levels through an app on a smart phone or by texting in their readings. The system is proving vital in helping identify a form of oxygen deprivation called silent hypoxia, or signs of deterioration in someone’s condition.

The new service is a partnership between Mersey Care, Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group and digital health company Docobo.

Bernadette Nuttall says feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

It is allowing hundreds of patients either with COVID-19 or suspected of having it, to be cared for in the community, rather than adding to the pressure on hospital beds. People can be referred by their GPs or a hospital Accident and Emergency department.

Bernadette Nuttall, acting Telehealth Team Leader said feedback has been extremely positive. “People are telling us how much security it gives them to have someone monitoring and giving advice. They’re scared, they may have breathing problems, and they can’t have family or friends coming in to help. Once they know we’ll be there to monitor and on the end of a phone whenever they need us, people start to feel more reassured.”

IT’S LIKE HAVING

SOMEONE AT YOUR SIDE

W

hen Colin Etheridge developed a light cough he didn’t think too much. Even when his sense of taste and smell disappeared and he developed diarrhoea Colin was convinced he couldn’t have COVID-19.

The 67 year old was referred to the Telehealth service by his GP. Within 24 hours monitoring equipment been delivered and Pauline, who had also contracted the virus but with mild symptoms, was in touch with specialist nurses.

Childhood sweethearts Colin and his wife Pauline are known in their neighbourhood as good Samaritans. But since the pandemic they’d been isolating and wearing masks when they were outside.

When Colin’s condition worsened nurses arranged for him to go to A&E, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia. He was discharged with antibiotics and Telehealth service resumed care at home. Colin became more unwell. It was decided he should stay at home and the Telehealth service became the couple’s lifeline.

“I don’t generally get coughs and colds so I ignored it thinking I hadn’t been anywhere to catch COVID. But it took a hold quickly.

I had no energy, I couldn’t think straight.

There was a low point where I thought ’this is the end’,” said Colin.

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As they look back on what they describe as a frightening time, Colin and Pauline feel indebted to the nurses who supported them through their ordeal.

Pauline explains: “They’d constantly call and reassure me that the readings were OK. When they said ‘ring anytime’ they meant just that. It was just you and them, like you weren’t putting them out.

I can’t express enough how fantastic a service this is. I know it sounds strange but it was like having them in the room with you, at your side. I never felt I was on my own.”

It was like having them in the room with you, at your side.

VIRTUAL

CARE

Colin and Pauline Etheridge have plenty to smile about. The couple were supported through COVID-19 infection by nurses from Mersey Care's Telehealth Hub.

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ON THE MOVE

FEATURE

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Nurse Barry Sims recalls the day he met the mother of Ben, a 25 year old patient in Ashworth High Secure Hospital.

Her son was making great progress with his psychological therapies, but he was struggling with massive weight gain since being admitted.

She grabbed my hand and said ’you’ve saved my son’, but look at his body’. I felt her pain. Almost all our patients have experienced unthinkable trauma in their lives, they are often mistrustful of anyone trying to help them. Mental health medications and sedentary lifestyles because of restrictions can lead to lethargy and inevitably weight gain and health conditions like diabetes. It can be a huge barrier to their recovery and moving on.”

Barry, a strong advocate of exercise for health, retired and not long after, took up a role as a personal trainer. He remained frustrated at not discovering the key to helping men like Ben. “Mersey Care does a fantastic job in providing a benchmark service for some of the most unwell men in the country. This was the missing piece in the jigsaw of care, to get someone well enough physically as well as mentally, so they start to sense normality and hope, often for the first time in their lives.”

Senior nurse Sarah Pilling shared Barry’s vision but knew there would be challenges: “These are people with complex backgrounds, they don’t easily engage with staff. They’ve been let down in their lives so they don’t trust that it won’t happen again. We knew if

we started a programme we’d have to make sure it happened they way we said it would."

She brought together a team including mental health nurses and nursing assistants. Then she made the call to Barry Sims and fellow technical instructor Mark Wiggans to come out of retirement and use their skills to get the programme up and running.

She has the utmost praise for the team who underwent motivational skills training beforehand. “They’re so adept at what they do and totally dedicated. They’ve never cancelled a session, even if it’s just for one person, because they know how important it is to that patient.

They included patients like Ted who was diabetic and worried. By working with the team he lost 34kg and no longer has diabetes.

The team would knock on bedroom doors of the men taking part, and gently encourage.

First it was pool games or a walk in the garden, acclimatising patients to being away from their ward.

The results were dramatic. Other patients, seeing their peers going off the ward to do exercise, asked to get involved. On one ward 80 percent of patients took part. Weight was lost and confidence gained.

“We had to be creative with activities to be inclusive” said Sarah. The majority of participants were overweight. They’re struggling with their mental health. It was as much about creating a sense of belonging and building a rapport so we could start talking about a plan for the future.”

Mark Wiggans says support from other departments has been key to the programme’s success. “They supported us all the way and now they see the difference in patients on the wards. People are calmer and more relaxed.”

The training has been extended to students.

“When we show our student nurses techniques to motivate patients, they’re amazed, they’re learning early.” says Mark.

For Barry the reward is watching people improve, physically and mentally. “We may have nursed someone when they were very vulnerable, now we’re playing football with them and helping them plan the next part of their journey. “

People are calmer and more relaxed.

Barry Sims, Mark Wiggans and Sarah Pilling are seeing positive results in patients on the physical activity programme.

We may have nursed someone when they were very vulnerable, now we’re playing football with them and helping them plan the next part of their journey.

Photographs taken before current restrictions.

The PAW programme is currently paused.

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FOCUS ON... HOSPITALS

Clinical Psychologist Dr Frank McGuire has spent years anticipating what Rowan View Hospital would look and feel like. He’s delighted at the result but for Frank aesthetics are secondary.

A NEW 14

VIEW

The building is lovely, but it’s not a hotel, it’s a hospital for people who are very ill," says Frank McGuire of the new £60m Rowan View mental heath and learning disability medium secure hospital.

"We wanted something that would say to service users ‘we appreciate this isn’t the best time in your life, you’re in hospital, you don’t want to be here. We’re going to help you get your life back, reset things for you.

“We’re happy it looks so nice, but this is taxpayers’ money. We’re building a service.

“We’re recognising that, at a certain time in someone’s lives, they may need to come into secure care because they’ve become unwell, done things which are risky and dangerous, or they could pose a risk to others.

"What’s paramount to us, far above anything else, is protecting the public and reducing risk in the future, by equipping people who come here to get what they need to live a stable and active life after their time in secure care”.

WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL ROWAN VIEW MAKE? “It’s a chance for a step change in the quality of care we give. Our staff were already doing an amazing job, in a building that didn’t serve them well. We knew we had a fantastic base to build upon. Rowan View is a testament to the hard work of many people.

“The hospital is on Maghull Health Park, alongside high secure services in Ashworth Hospital. That means we can concentrate clinical knowledge and expertise in one place.

"Our aspiration is to become an internationally recognised centre of excellence in forensic care. This will become an asset to the local community – we are not just sitting in Sefton, we’re part of Sefton."

WHY DID YOU INVOLVE ARCHITECTS AND BUILDERS SO MUCH? “We wanted to imbue the critical importance of the building to people’s lives. We engendered enthusiasm, sharing with them the values of the Trust and impressing how every single day matters, that no day is wasted. We wanted every penny we could to be spent helping staff provide therapeutic recovery. And they got that.”

WHAT MAKES THE BUILDING SPECIAL? “The paradox of long term hospital care is previously you had to get well enough to do the thing that makes you well. Now service users can access the treatment that creates change from the moment they are admitted. The design reflects that.

Right in the centre there’s a social therapeutic hub. Every service user’s front door faces the hub, it’s where everything happens, like the hub of any other community.

There’s no-one living in a room down a long corridor or around a corner.

"We didn’t want someone’s therapy being delayed, or for them to drift from their therapeutic programme. We equipped all wards and therapy areas the same, so staff can use any space, any time to work with their patient.

WHAT ELSE STANDS OUT? "The building is designed to raise people’s spirits, to evoke a sense of change. There’s a beautiful chandelier in the reception area which changes colour throughout the day.

We wanted art work that represented energy and movement, to say 'the world is ever changing, you can change within that.’

"The café area where patients can meet family or friends says 'come in, sit; relax' – just like you would say to a visitor."

HOW WILL THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT? "Now is an enormously difficult time for people evrywhere. We're going to face challenges we’ve never faced before economically and socially. One of the most important things in making communities vibrant, enjoyable places to live is the provision of really good employment opportunities and careers. When that’s taken away people’s mental health suffers.

Frank McGuire says Rowan View is ‘testament to the hard work of many people’. He paid special tribute to the ‘incredible commitment’ of the project team: Strategic Project Manager Elaine Wilkinson (pictured with Frank) Senior Nurse Joey Dunn, Ward Manager Steve Gilmore and Senior Clinical Nurse Cathie Thomas.

HOW DOES IT FEEL NOW YOU’VE MOVED IN? "The challenges of this year have been to keep our patients and staff safe. Now we have a really important job to do, to be the best in the business. So when people make the psychological transition they’ll have great memories of their care.

"It’ll take time to settle in, there’ll be challenges. Like moving into a new house, everyone’s trying to get a sense that it’s their space, a sense of safety, security and belonging. We’ll get there, with the skills, commitment and passion of our fantastic staff it’s hard to imagine Rowan View as anything other than a great success..."

• Read more about Rowan View and Hartley Hospital, Mersey Care's new acute hospital in Southport on pages 16 and 17.

"For us, being a part of the community, bringing opportunities for safe, sustainable, well paid, jobs for people is enormous.

Adding to the identity of Sefton as the seat of an internationally recognised centre of excellence will create opportunities for school leavers; not just the people who are going to be doctors and nurses, but other opportunities. They’ll be part of a progressive organisation that is extending the boundaries of clinical care, knowledge and experience.

The reception area at Rowan View Hospital.

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BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE The physical environment of hospitals and medical facilities can have a significant impact on those who use them. Listening to patients, their families and staff, Mersey Care is creating a new generation of mental health hospitals that share aspirations to support ‘perfect care’.

O

ver the past two years capital investment approaching £100 million in new buildings

and major refurbishment projects reflects the Trust’s commitment to providing leading edge patient accommodation and a place to work that is fit for the 21st century.

INSIDE ROWAN VIEW Rowan View is Mersey Care's £60m mental health and learning disability medium secure unit at Maghull Health Park for some of the country’s most vulnerable patients.

Innovations include immersive technology, sensory rooms and media walls, and new forms of therapy. Service users will have safe computer access to care plans, activity plans, ordering meals, viewing their personal photographs and the ability to maintain contact with family and carers virtually.

A café space opens out into extensive gardens, plus recreational areas and places for quietness and reflection. Art and light displays which support calmness and relaxation have been created in consultation with people who use services.

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Elaine Darbyshire, Mersey Care’s Executive Director of Estates, said: “It looks and feels totally different from traditional mental health hospitals. More importantly we believe the expertise and care delivered from here will be the best in the country if not beyond.”

BACK TO THE FUTURE HARTLEY HOSPITAL The state of the art £21 million Hartley Hospital represents a new era for Southport mental health services.

Located on the site of the landmark Southport General Infirmary, the name Hartley Hospital was chosen after extensive community consultation. It pays tribute to the Christiana Hartley Maternity Unit, itself named after the local renowned health and social reformer.

21st century mental health care offers patients single en suite rooms and wards, safe inner garden courtyards, therapy and activity areas, a gym and a short term assessment suite.

Designs created by local artists and young carers adorn communal corridors, and a purpose built family visiting room lets patients spend time with their loved ones.

Hartley Hospital is now the base for the local community mental health and learning disability teams as well as outpatient clinics.

Healthwatch Sefton ambassador Brian Clark OBE said: “We are delighted that work on the new Hartley Hospital is complete despite the major difficulties caused by COVID-19. It is a credit to all the staff involved they were able to move the inpatient service and outpatient clinics during these difficult times.”

It looks and feels totally different from traditional mental health hospitals.

IT’S PERSONAL

S

haron Ball knew what was needed in Southport’s new Hartley Hospital.

She’d spent a long time nursing in noisy wards with shared dormitories, shared toilets and minimal personal space.

“Coming into hospital can sometimes feel scary for our service users, so privacy, dignity and a homely atmosphere can make such a difference. We knew when we designed the building that having your own space to sleep, shower and relax was essential,but there are also bright, welcoming open spaces to safely enjoy company.“ Sharon, who manages the north Sefton community mental health team, says having staff involved in someone’s care based in one building makes it easier to work together.

“The biggest difference is how we can personalise someone’s care. Community and hospital teams are all in the same place so we can support each other and the service user much more easily.

Staff can have one to one sessions with a service user in private, calm spaces with soothing décor. Having a gym, activity spaces and gardens attached to each ward means we can support people to take part in activities that will help their recovery.”

Privacy, dignity and a homely atmosphere can make such a difference.

Community mental health team manager Sharon Ball was among staff involved in the design of Southport's new Hartley Hospital.

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FEATURE How do you imagine an apprentice? A school leaver with work boots on a building site? Someone making tea in an office?

S

tephanie Kynaston begs to differ. She’s 43 and has just begun her social worker

apprenticeship with Mersey Care’s Criminal Justice Liaison and Diversion team.

Her manager Sadie Canning-Dossor is also homespun and proud. She’s building an entire team on apprenticeships. The team provides early support for vulnerable people who come to the attention of the criminal justice system and are co-located in police custody suites, courts, prisons and communities. Their role is to divert people away from offending and into health, social and other support services.

People join us because they really want to work with that service user group.

“We’re a distinctive service” says Sadie.

People join us because they really want to work with that service user group. It’s more than a job, it’s enabling people to reach their potential and creates a sense of recovery and value. I experienced that from my own managers. They were always thinking about development of the service and an individual’s skills and succession planning.”

She’s candid about her motives for supporting others development. “I’m not fully altruistic, our staff are skilled and dedicated, and I know if you’re not developing you may stagnate. I want my colleagues to develop and progress here in this team and not elsewhere!

Lesley Cradduck leads Mersey Care’s dynamic apprenticeship programme.

She says there are apprenticeships right up to master’s level.

“Our apprentices range from administrative staff, to nurses and senior managers.

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With the support of your manager you can plot your career path from the beginning and upskill while you’re working. It’s fully funded and flexible.

There are so many pathways and it’s good for employers, they’re getting really well trained staff in the areas where they're needed. Apprenticeships should help to increase diversity. We’re able to grow people we’ve invested in."

Steph Kynaston is a trailblazer. As one of two social worker apprentices, the former housing officer divides her week between leading an outreach resettlement programme for people coming out of prison and studying for a degree in social work at University of Central Lancashire.

She’d already completed a Level 3 senior healthcare worker apprenticeship with Mersey Care, which allowed her to apply for the degree level apprenticeship.

“I’m interested in how trauma in someone’s life can lead to their committing crime, and how we can divert people so their life changes and we prevent them going back to prison," she says.

I’ve been given something really special.

“My niche was always mental health, I just didn’t realise it. My mum was my core. She died of ovarian cancer in 2015 and as I was caring for her she said ‘you should have been a nurse you know’.

That was my catalyst.”

Steph’s journey has not been without its challenges. “I wondered if I was capable of studying at this level. The course has been mostly online because of the pandemic, and I’ve had COVID-19. But the team and my family are behind me.

“The support from Mersey Care has been incredible. They’ve seen something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I know I’ve been given something really special.”

THE APPRENTICE Social work apprentice Stephanie Kynaston (front) with Sadie Canning Dosser, Mental Health Team Manager, Criminal Justice Liaison Diversion Team (left) and Apprenticeship Manager Lesley Cradduck.

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FOCUS ON... TECHNOLOGY

OUT OF THE DARK Imagine being mentally unwell and about to be admitted to hospital against your will.

Now imagine waiting long hours while the paperwork needed to get you to a place of safety to be sorted out.

We explore how Mersey Care is leading the way in using technical advancements to make things better.

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Mersey Care Service user and volunteer Waffa Nasser says digital developments will bring about swifter access to care for people detained under the Mental Health Act.

W

affa Nasser has had many bouts of mental ill health in her life.

Each time the distress was

compounded by long waits to be admitted to hospital.

“Any time I’ve been put into hospital it’s been traumatising. You’re in the dark, confused and terrified. It feels like no-one is telling you anything. You’re scared you’ll deteriorate while you’re waiting for the paperwork to arrive.

You’re being asked to tell your story and explain how you’re feeling again and again. It makes you relive difficult situations which makes you feel even worse. If the information was on a screen and available that wouldn’t happen.”

As a psychiatrist, Arun Chidambaram has experienced the frustration of paper forms to detain someone under the Mental Heath Act. He has campaigned and Mersey Care has led the field in digitising its entire system. Digitalisation has since been authorised and ratified by law.

Dr Chidambaram explains: “Within mental health, we do most things digitally, from electronic patient records, and increasingly electronic prescribing. Mental Health Act detention is the last piece of data still kept as paper copies.

"It involves other organisations – police, ambulance, local authority – so paper worked because it could be passed between whichever agencies were involved in making sure someone got help.

"However it hasn’t been modernised since the Mental Health Act came into being and had several reviews; all the time that one piece of paper is used over and over again. It’s challenging for professionals. You know someone needs to be detained and admitted to hospital so they can get help, but the paperwork can hold things up and the person can deteriorate even further.

“There are so many checks and balances and opportunities for error, from the writing eventually becoming illegible, to a wrong spelling of a name or a date of birth, or the form being mislaid along the way. If we don’t get it right we could be detaining the person illegally.

More important is how traumatic it can be for the person waiting. It may feel like a violation.

It’s primitive.

During the pandemic the ability to use digital forms helped enormously in reducing transmission. "We can transfer the paperwork electronically, so I can be in one place, a social worker somewhere else, but because we both have the information we can act quickly."

Dr Arun Chidambaram.

The pandemic has seen an increase in the number of people detained under the Mental Health Act. Digitisation of mental health forms hasn’t been done because of COVID -19, but it will make a big difference. As I have been often saying now – Digital is not just for COVID.” Waffa Nasser is a service user representative and expert by experience in digital improvements, as part of Mersey Care’s Global Digital Exemplar programme, helping people in her position have a better experience, and to promote digital inclusion.

“For me it’s about getting swifter access to care and for that care to be informed by staff knowing what’s happened in the past to make someone unwell.

“They won’t need to ask distressing questions, they’ll be able to see what your difficulties are.

They’ll know what triggers you and how to approach a conversation so they don’t say something that makes things worse. I don’t know why it hasn’t happened before but I’m glad it’s happening now.”

They’ll know how to approach a conversation so they don’t say something that makes things worse.

HAVE YOUR SAY Please tell us about your experience of Mersey Care services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your feedback will help us improve our services for the future. Complete our online survey here.

See QR code.

If you can’t access online please call our PALS team on 0151 471 2377 and they will help you complete the survey over the phone.

Mersey Care is a Global Digital Exemplar. In 2017 the Trust successfully attracted £5m of central NHS funding to accelerate our ambition to digitally transform our services. We are working on a number of projects looking at delivering exceptional care, efficiently, through the use of world class digital technology and information.

The Mental Health Act (1983) is the main piece of legislation that covers the assessment, treatment and rights of people with a mental health disorder.

People detained under the Mental Health Act need urgent treatment for a mental health disorder and are at risk of harm to themselves or others.

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We’re all in this together. And that it seems, includes drinking more. A report by the alcohol education charity Drinkaware revealed alarming increases in drinking. An article in the British Medical Journal warned that we could see the toll of increased alcohol harm for a generation.

We ask the experts why, and offer ways to get help.

THE DRINK

DILEMMA

F

irst it was sipping Prosecco at sunset in early summer lockdown, and then ditching Dry January. As we wrestle with ever tougher restrictions, our relationship with alcohol has changed.

Research from Alcohol Change UK found that more than a quarter (28 per cent) of people who have ever drunk alcohol think they drank more during the first lockdown.

A quick scroll through social media during lockdown and as well as recipes for soda bread and the best brownies, many celebrity posts included a glass of wine, a lockdown cocktail or a new drinking game.

This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby joked on Keith Lemon’s YouTube channel that she ‘hadn’t stopped drinking’ during

by Jo Henwood

the first lockdown, and that she had ended up with the ‘worst hangover ever’.

many this has meant a change in our relationship with alcohol.

Dancing on Ice star Denise van Outen confessed to MailOnline that for three weeks during lockdown ‘everything went out the window’. She said: “I didn’t have a drink for a year. “But then I massively fell off the wagon and drank and drank and ate all the things I shouldn’t.”

Peter Lyons, deputy manager of Liverpool Community Alcohol Service (LCAS), says that during lockdown people are drinking more alcohol, more often.

I didn’t have a drink for a year. But then I massively fell off the wagon.

Even those who have stayed off the booze for years recognise that lockdown hasn’t been easy for many. In December, the Oscar winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins took to Twitter to admit that his 45 years of being sober hasn’t always been easy. The 83 year old star of Silence of the Lambs, said: “I was heading for disaster. I was drinking myself to death. I got a little message, a little thought that said: ‘Do you want to live or die?’ And I thought ‘I want to live’. I have my off days and sometimes little bits of doubt and all that but all in all I say hang in there. Today is the tomorrow you were so worried about yesterday. You young people don’t give up.”

Job insecurities, furlough, home schooling, home working and a lack of social interaction have all affected our mental health and for

He told MC Magazine: “A lot of people don’t have a structure like they did before and days have morphed into one."

“Some people are furloughed, so have less to do; others find they have an increased workload, with additional stresses like home schooling children. They may be working at home in a small space with other people.

“Extra pressure can lead to reaching for a drink earlier in the day, not sticking to normal limits. Just simply ordering more alcohol when you book your supermarket home delivery slot means you drink it because it’s there.”

A lot of people drink alcohol as a reward.

“A lot of people drink alcohol as a reward.

They think: ‘I’ve worked hard today so I deserve a glass of beer' or ‘I’ve looked after the kids all day and now I deserve a glass of wine’. Unfortunately, it’s when one glass becomes two, then the bottle, then two as they start drinking earlier or their tolerance to alcohol has increased."

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

22

Denise Van Outen

FOCUS ON... ALCOHOL

Holly Willoughby

23

The fear of catching COVID-19 has actually made some people more committed to getting themselves stronger and healthier. Reducing their alcohol intake is part of that plan to stay healthy.

WHERE TO GET HELP • Ambition Sefton

The service provides help, support and a wide range of recovery focused treatment pathways to those with a drug and alcohol problem. You can self-refer (COVID-19 restrictions mean you

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 “When we talk about reward with clients it can be a lightbulb moment. Once they identify that it it’s a chance to reduce the amount, or seek out our support.”

Mindy Johnston, senior recovery worker with Ambition Sefton says alcohol is often used as a crutch in difficult times. “If people are worried their mental health can be affected and they turn to alcohol. It gives us a happy feeling. It can feel like it takes away some of our worries and stresses."

need to make an appointment) and treatment includes one to one support, detoxification pathways, access to Intuitive Thinking courses, peer support mentoring and psychosocial support and services.

Extra pressure can lead to reaching for a drink earlier in the day.

For services in Bootle telephone 0151 944 5334.

For services in Southport telephone 01704 534 759.

• Liverpool Community Alcohol Service (LCAS)

The service works in local communities across Liverpool with around 75 clinics held each week

She says by the time clients reach services like hers, they have reached rock bottom.

They may have lost their job, had to leave the family home or been arrested.

She wants people to get help early. “In these unprecedented times there will be many more people unknowingly subjected to substance misuse problems. We want to identify them and offer early help to reduce the damaging effects.”

COVID-19 restrictions mean that most consultations are held online (via systems like Zoom or Skype) and you need to make an appointment.

Peter Lyons says there have been lots of benefits to moving online.

“People have really embraced the technology.

Because we are dialling in to them at home they feel more comfortable about taking part in a session,” he said.

Alcohol abuse does not differentiate and Mindy and Peter are both keen to stress that this can affect anyone.

Peter cites one client who was referred after he began work from home. His wife began to work from home and realised how much he was drinking during the day, something he’d managed to hide from her when she was out at work.

However the pandemic has motivated other clients to take positive action.

“The fear of catching COVID-19 has actually made some people more committed to getting themselves stronger and healthier.

Reducing their alcohol intake is part of that plan to stay healthy.”

He recalls a woman who, by reducing her alcohol intake was able to identify domestic abuse threats, and has since joined domestic violence support groups.

at easily accessible sites such as GP surgeries. (COVID-19 restrictions mean that Attend Anywhere sessions are now run online).

You can ask your GP or any other health or social care professional you are involved with to refer you

NATIONAL CHARITIES • Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) (alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk) is a free self help group with a 12 step programme to get sober with the help of regular support groups • Alcohol Change UK (alcoholchange.org.uk) work for a society that is free from

into services or you can self-refer.

the harm caused by alcohol. Help and support includes ways to check how much

For information telephone

you are drinking, tips to cut down your alcohol intake and training for workplaces.

0151 471 7784.

The blog page has stories from people who have reduced their alcohol intake,

• NHS website (nhs.uk) gives advice including risks and advice on safe limits.

and clever tips for how to refuse an alcohol drink • Drinkaware (drinkaware.co.uk) provides independent alcohol advice, information and tools to help people make better choices about their drinking. There are tips on how to reduce your drinking, track your drinking or just change your relationship with alcohol.

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Research cited: Alcohol Change UK Drinking in the UK during lockdown and beyond https://alcoholchange.org.uk/blog/2020/drinking-in-the-uk-during-lockdown-and-beyond. Drinkaware www.drinkaware. co.uk/professionals/press/drinkaware-warns-lockdown-level-drinking-could-have-lasting-impact-as-research-reveals-worrying-drinking-trends. BMJ article www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1987

ONLY THE LONELY HELP!

HELP! HELP! HELP!

NEED TO

TALK?

Wordsworth may have wandered lonely as a cloud but according to research millions of us have joined him this year.

More than seven million people told a survey that their wellbeing was affected through feeling lonely during lockdown.

W

hile being alone and being lonely are very different, adults living on their own,

especially in rented accommodation, fared worse than those living in a two adult household.

MIND Infoline 0300 123 3393 (open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday)

YOUNG PEOPLE CAN BE LONELY TOO

Age UK advice line 0800 678 1602 (Lines open 8am to 7pm, 365 days a year)

The impact of lockdown on schools, colleges, university and the job market have taken their toll on young people. Almost half of 18 to 24 year olds interviewed in a university linked study said they were lonely during lockdown.

British Red Cross Coronavirus Support Line 0808 196 3651 (10am to 6pm) Samaritans 116 123 samaritans.org

Sources quoted: Mental Health Foundation in partnership with the University of Cambridge, Swansea University, University of Strathclyde and Queen’s University Belfast. cam.ac.uk/research/news/almost-a-quarter-of-adults-living-under-lockdown-in-the-uk-have-experienced-loneliness Surveys quoted: *Coronavirus and loneliness, Great Britain: 3 April to 3 May 2020, ONS www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/ bulletins/coronavirusandlonelinessgreatbritain/3aprilto3may2020

Its health impact shouldn’t be underestimated.

Loneliness is as bad for you as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to Cambridge University researcher Dr Tine Van Bortel.

Age UK say significant life changes can trigger loneliness. Working from home or grief following the loss of a loved one, which

many of us have felt during the pandemic, can heighten our sense of loneliness.

If lockdown and local restrictions have left you feeling lonely, be kind to yourself: • Go for a walk where there are people but where you are still able to social distance. A walk during daylight hours will help top up Vitamin D to keep you healthy • Join an online group or class. It can be easier to make the first move virtually rather than in person. Check your local library or online guides • Consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help each other.

Mersey Care’s Life Rooms can help.

Liferooms.org • Share your knowledge and skills with others. If you are good at baking, DIY or playing chess, invite people to join a group or session.

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STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

WHERE’S THE

NEAREST LOO? 26

Have you ever had the urge – to go to the loo that is – and made it by the skin of your teeth? Don’t tell Georgina Cole.

A

s a specialist bladder and bowel nurse she sees the impact of holding on till you’re desperate and it’s not good.

Georgina leads a team of highly trained specialist nurses. Many patients can be helped back on the road to control in three sessions. Causes can range from complications giving birth and prostate related problems requiring training in using key muscles, to people of all ages who may have suffered unimaginable damage from sexual abuse.

One of the first myths Georgina and her team debunk is that restricting fluid intake stops the urge.

“That’s untrue. When urine gathers and sits, the bladder sends an urgent message to your brain, which is what makes you have to suddenly dash. We need one and a half to two litres of fluid a day to help flush out the toxins in our body.”

Unfortunately not, says Georgina. “Caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee, fizzy drinks, alcohol.

They’re all diuretics, which strengthens your urge to go. Try to stick to decaffeinated drinks, or better still, water.”

Many incontinence issues are lifestyle related and easily resolved yet people are worried about discussing them.

All this may sound stern, but for many patients simple steps make a big difference.

Most incontinence issues are lifestyle related and easily resolved yet people are scared.

“They worry about a smell, whether others can tell if they’ve had an accident, or if examinations will be painful, which isn’t the case. This may be the first time they’ve spoken about these issues, with hidden emotions coming to the fore.

R

etired practice nurse Margaret had enjoyed a full active social life until her bladder problem got in the way. “I’d spend half the night excusing myself, they’d say ‘you’ve only just been’ – it became so embarrassing I started declining invitations."

Overnight visits to friends stopped too, as Margaret found herself unable to make it from the bed to the toilet in time.

Buying – and wearing – incontinence pads, felt distinctly embarrassing and uncomfortable.

The bladder is in the pelvic area so pelvic floor exercises really help – starting early in life will pay dividends later.

"Constipation can push the bowel against the bladder and cause a sudden urge to pee. A good balanced diet can help prevent constipation and reduce this urge. Eating more fibre is a good way to reduce constipation.

Georgina Cole leads the Bladder and Bowel service team for adults.

Great news for those who need two large mugs of strong coffee before even contemplating breakfast?

"The bladder is in the pelvic area so pelvic floor exercises really help – starting early in life will pay dividends later."

And when you do get the urge and there’s not a loo in sight? Says Georgina “Squeeze and lift your pelvic muscles up to your tummy, it might work for a while!”

MY HUSBAND CALLS THEM MY BILLY CONNOLLY PANTS! It was when she was referred to a neurologist for what was diagnosed as a spinal cord lesion that Margaret learned her bladder problem was related.

“When I came to the Bladder and Bowel service the nurse told me my bladder wasn’t emptying, which was why I felt I needed to go so often. She ordered a supply of knickers – my husband jokingly calls them my Billy Connolly pants! They’ve made a huge difference.

“I wish I’d gone to them earlier. The nurses make you feel normal. There’s no embarrassment, I’d tell anyone to go and get help.”

TO LEARN MORE about the Bladder and Bowel service go to merseycare.nhs.uk Reduced services may be running Mersey Care's website has full details.

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TAKING AWAY THE FEAR FOR CHILDREN

Nurse Nicola Worthington supports children and families.

Play clay and balloons are part of Nicola Worthington’s tool bag to help children overcome their fears of going to the toilet.

"Children and parents can both be quite anxious. We offer lots of reassurance that they’re not on their own– and we will sort out the problem."

Jake is nine and regularly wets his underwear. His mum says he won’t have friends to stay, go on cub camps, or even sleep at his grandma’s house.

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It’s a familiar story says Nicola, who leads the children’s bladder and bowel team. “Older children are often so embarrassed they hide their underwear from parents or carers. It’s still a taboo subject; parents don’t talk about it in the playground.”

Nicola has worked with hundreds of children under 19. She uses experience to listen to the voice of the child as well as the parent and help both understand the issues. Balloons grab the child’s attention to demonstrate how the bladder works. She recommends play clay as a distraction for children with fear of the toilet.

She works closely with school nurses and other referral services and says parents are grateful of the difference it can make to family life.

“I’d say to any family, don’t wait to get help. It may take time but we will make things better.”

• To learn more about the Bladder and Bowel service go to merseycare.nhs.uk (The service may be reduced during the pandemic)

Other sources of support • ERIC – The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity: eric.org.uk • Bladder and Bowel Community supports people in the UK who are living with conditions that affect their bladder or bowel: bladderandbowel.org • Poo nurses UK – supports children with constipation and soiling: thepoonurses.uk

SPOTLIGHT ON...

LIVING ON THE

FRONT LINE A hidden army is waging war against COVID-19. Armed with mops, buckets and cleaning fluids they’re well and truly on the front line. We look at the vital role of cleaning in the battle to beat the virus.

Daniel Purcell, facilities management assistant at Clock View Hospital.

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SPOTLIGHT ON...

THE RESILIENCE OF THIS TEAM IS PHENOMENAL An army of more than 400 staff and volunteers has joined the front line in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

M

ichele McGee, Associate Director Facilities Management, is clear – cleaning plays a key part in preventing the spread of the virus. And her team has risen to an almighty challenge.

“You can’t overestimate how important they are. They control how clean and safe our environments are which, in turn, controls the spread of the virus. They are our front line in keeping our spaces safe.”

They've stepped up because they understand the vital role cleaning plays.

She admires how staff have responded to what could be an overwhelming situation.

“They’re scared like us, yet they’ve stepped up because they understand the vital role cleaning plays in getting us out of this safely. If they hadn’t the situation could be much worse.”

A dedicated Rapid Response team supports the regular teams when things get especially tough. When a patient comes out of isolation they go in and do a thorough deep clean from top to bottom.

Michele McGee

“The new strains of the virus have added pressure to an already difficult situation, with more infections and a heavier workload. We’d normally call on agency staff to help out, but other trusts are in the same situation, so gaining extra help is difficult.”

She recognises the demands being placed on staff.

“It’s a big ask” says Michele. “There’s no nice stuff. You’re sending people into areas where there is infection. It is a physically draining job and some staff are working 12 hour days, seven days a week. No-one is taking time off.

“A lot of people wouldn’t cope but that hasn’t happened here. The resilience of the entire Estates and Facilities team is phenomenal.”

ONE VOLUNTEER...

Joe Murray

Health and safety advisor Joe Murray finishes his day job and goes back to work as a volunteer. He’s part of a team that responded to a call for help.

“I think if you can step up right now, you should. I’m enjoying the experience.

I fitted staff for PPE masks at the beginning, so this is something new. You’re welcomed wherever you go, there’s a feeling that you’re part of something bigger.”

Cleanliness has always been an important part of what we do, but now it’s potentially life-saving. It’s been a real privilege to see how this team has come together, helping people, teams and services.

Their dedication and professionalism has been second to none and the gratitude and respect that has come from the whole Trust for the work that they do will last long beyond the pandemic.

Elaine Darbyshire, executive director with responsibility for estate and facilities.

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Rebecca Clark, facilities management assistant, Clock View Hospital, Liverpool.

KELLIE’S HEROES Team Manager Kellie Jamieson

When Linda Norton watched from her Walton home as Clock View hospital was built, she couldn’t have imagined she’d be playing a central role in keeping its patients safe during a global pandemic.

T

he 53 year old (top right) is part of a facilities management team making sure every nook and cranny of every area in the hospital is thoroughly cleaned. They don’t stop, it’s continual, and it includes going into high risk areas.

Linda, who once polished wax dummies at Madame Tussauds in London says the biggest reward from her role is watching the change in someone as they are treated and recover from a mental health crisis.

“When they’re well again and they leave hospital, you’re proud to think you’ve played a part.”

Team manager Kellie Jamieson (above) oozes pride at the way her staff have responded to increased demands.

”My team is like a big family. They’ll go above and beyond. We’re all passionate about providing the best for our service users and staff.”

During the pandemic Kellie’s team, like many others across the Trust, has trebled its workload. On top of the daily ward cleaning there’s regular ‘touch point’ cleaning – taps, door handles and other points regularly touched.

tough camaraderie keeps the team going.

“We get through by all helping each other.

When agency staff come in they say they want to work here!”

Then there are deep cleans – where ‘absolutely everything’ in a room is cleaned. If a patient tests positive the team, in protective equipment, will move in to clean the space. It’s physically demanding.

Brenda Miller (right) has raised funds for ward activities by making felt angels and bracelets. She says when the going gets

Brenda Miller is part of the facilities management team at Clock View Hospital.

CLEANING AT

HOME TIPS s of germ Get rid mites t and dus with a ts e p r a c in y. ff’ polic ‘shoes o an with Deep cle asher w t a carpe ee to r h t y ever nths o m r u fo

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be ou’d by h amaze bac ow mu d teri ch on y a lives our co key mpute b a sm oard. r Us al of r l amou e u b alco bing nt lint hol on -fre e cl a oth

COULD VINEGAR BE THE SOLUTION? Want to be environmentally friendly at home? Buy a bottle of vinegar. It’s a degreaser, has antibacterial properties and cleans mould and mildew.

Queen of Clean, Lynsey Crombie from Channel 4’s Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners says it can be used in every room in the house. @lynsey_queenofclean

For research links go to washingstuff.com

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STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

WHEN HOME

WORK

GETS HARD Working from home? Feeling adrift? You’re not alone. Or maybe you are and that’s the problem.

T

he commute may be a doddle, the hours are more flexible and you can get more done. But factor in kids, poor working space and a lack of connection and it may not be all that.

We might be struggling to reconcile ourselves to the fact that our workplaces are not only empty but no longer exist, (employers use the word hibernation but like the family tortoise in the airing cupboard, the term doesn’t always result in a good outcome).

But it’s more than that. An experiment by Stanford Professor of Economics Nicholas Bloom’s, in which half the staff of China’s largest travel agent spent nine months based at home, and the other half in the office, saw 13 percent higher productivity among home workers. Yet at the end of the experiment, half chose to return to the office, lacking opportunities to collaborate,

32

missing social company and feeling lonely and depressed at home.

If it stifles innovation, it seems enforced working from home doesn’t bode well long term for wellbeing either. A survey of 500 home workers in lockdown by the Institute for Employment revealed physical strain from hunching over laptops on kitchen tables, while a fifth said they felt lonely and isolated.

Laura is a counsellor and mum of three children between 11 and 18. Working from home meant no more leaving work two minutes later than would get her to school on time.

But now she’s yearning for the camaraderie of being in a room with colleagues. “It’s most evident after an intensive session with a client. Normally we’d come together with a colleague to debrief and allow time to reflect. It can feel very strange.”

The NHS website offer tips on working from home. One is to be kind to yourself – remember, this is an unusual situation and things will not feel normal.

Nicholas Bloom’s personal experience as a working from home dad says it’s all fine two or three days a week, in a dedicated room with proper equipment, broadband and no kids around. An army of homeworkers already know that…

Normally we’d come together with a colleague to debrief and allow time to reflect. It can feel very strange.

TIPS • Tips to help you work from home are available on the NHS website.

They include setting and sticking to routine, taking breaks, making a dedicated workspace and staying in touch with colleagues. nhs.uk: search '7 simple tips to tackle working from home'

YOUR LIFE

Chris Bisson

Nigel Owens

MATTERS Rugby referee Nigel Owens and Emmerdale star Chris Bisson are among stars sharing their lives with you on Life Matters, a new podcast tackling the taboo issue of sucide.

L

ife Matters has been launched by the charity Zero Suicide Alliance to help people talk more openly about suicide and its impact.

The first episodes look at a variety of high risk groups including young people, middle aged men, black and asian people and LGBTQI+ people.

Jay Emme

Cellist Jay Emme opens up about how being a black woman throws up specific issues, while journalist and author Nichi Hodgson talks about the unique and hidden pressures on bisexual people. And there’s a fascinating insight on how metal music and dogs with personality can help break the ice around talking about suicide.

Stars hosting the show, and bringing their own individual stories are broadcaster and anthropologist Professor Alice Roberts and Talk Radio presenter and columnist Darryl Morrisale.

Producer Ashley Byrne said: “These strange times are putting pressure on everyone. Our stories tell it as it is. They’re candid accounts which don’t shy away from feelings and the failings of society in managing to recognise and help people sensitively and effectively who are living with the issue of suicide”.

The series can be downloaded from the Zero Suicide Alliance website (Zerosuicidealliance.com) and from all podcast platforms.

Darryl Morrisale

COULD YOU

SAVE A LIFE?

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SPOTLIGHT ON...

SERENDIPITY

SAVED MY LIFE When Dave Hughes lost part of his fingers in an industrial accident he thought his life as a craftsman was over.

Dave’s neighbour, a community mental health nurse, knew Dave needed help and asked him to DJ at his retirement party. He reluctantly agreed and was introduced to another guest, Julie. They became a couple and Julie set about helping Dave regain his confidence.

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“My self doubt went through the roof but when I went round the wards as part of my interview everything fell into place. I chatted to patients, I felt we had things in common; they were living with mental health issues as I was. I had so many ideas. It was as if it was meant to be. I felt excitement for the first time in years.”

Dave now supports 32 men on two wards.

“I absolutely love my job. When I work with a patient we’re in it together, just me and him. We’re both there, in the moment. It’s a release from the wards, they feel good about themselves and they trust me. We laugh and make each other feel better.

I never want to retire – ever.”

Fo

I’d get up; watch out the window until everyone had gone to work before I went out. I’d walk around the park endlessly to occupy my mind, and then I’d go home, eat and do the same again in the evening. I didn’t want anyone to see me the way I was.”

“Julie wouldn’t give up on me. She helped me sort out problems with finances from being out of work, and then she found a vacancy with the occupational therapy team at Rathbone Hospital.

are ey C st Merusndation Tru

“I’d worked from leaving school in the building trade and had just qualified as a joiner, then my plans were shattered.

That and what happened next saved his life, says Dave.

NHS

D

ave spent two years in rehabilitation, his hand started working again but his mind was stuck. He sunk

into depression and anxiety, embarrassed by his physical appearance and unable to contemplate work.

YOUR R

OLE

Find your

PERFECT FIT at Mersey Care

We’re recruiting now across a range of physical, mental health and learning disability services caring for adults and children.

Find out more at jobs.merseycare.nhs.uk

GOVERNOR PROFILE

MARK CHANDLEY Staff governor and senior mental heath nurse

As a nurse I talk to people, it’s how you get a collective response on an issue, which is important if we’re to make a difference to people’s lives. I’ll do that as a governor too.

I

’m naturally drawn towards the little dog, the people on low pay, who don’t always have a voice. For me it’s about not just seeing things from above. There’s a Buddhist parable which says things look very different from the top of a mountain than from the bottom, but they’re both real. It’s the view from below that I want to represent.

I’m passionate about research that involves the people it affects. I’ll use my influence to create a role for patients in research, to bring research funding closer to home so that we can influence the future of high secure care.

COME AND

I’ve been a nurse for 39 years and been part of the evolution of health care in a high secure hospital. I’ve no desire to retire as long as I feel I’m contributing to the future.

My particular passion is patients in seclusion, and how it should become a thing of the past. Five years ago I had stem cell therapy for lymphatic cancer. I had to isolate so I was in a sort of seclusion. When the time came for me to go out again I didn’t want to go. I can understand why people who are segregated for long periods withdraw and resist change. Those who care for people in segregation can and should alter their future; we need to be better. But there’s a really positive attitude among staff here and that has a big impact.

There’s a saying by Johann van Goethe which I’ve recited many times. If you treat an individual as he is, he will always remain how he is.

But if you treat him as he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and what he could be.

By treating a difficult patient with respect, you’ll usually get a more respectful man.

Mersey Care is a really well led organisation, I hope to feel assured by what I hear as a governor. I believe I’m accountable so I’ll ask questions and I’ll stand up to scrutiny. Social inequalities remain, but I feel Mersey Care can play a central role in addressing this.

To learn more about our Council of Governors, go to merseycare.nhs.uk

JOIN US

You can contact our governors anytime by Email: MerseycareCoG@merseycare.nhs.uk Find out more about our membership and governors at: Website: merseycare.nhs.uk. Phone: 0151 471 2303 or 0151 473 2778 Email: membership@merseycare.nhs.uk Write to: Alison Bacon, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Liverpool L34 1PJ

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HAVE YOUR SAY Please tell us about your experience of Mersey Care services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your feedback will help us improve our services for the future.

Complete our online survey bit.ly/mcsurvey21. See QR code.

If you can’t access online please call our PALS team on 0151 471 2377 and they will help you complete the survey over the phone.

Contact details Got some news you’d like to share?

Contact us at the following address.

MerseyCareNHSFoundationTrust

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Merseyside L34 1PJ Telephone: 0151 473 0303 Email: communications@merseycare.nhs.uk

@MerseyCareNHSFT

MC MAGAZINE is published by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and produced by the communications team, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Merseyside L34 1PJ T: 0151 473 0303 E: communications@merseycare.nhs.uk W: merseycare.nhs.uk. MC MAGAZINE is available in other formats on request.