MC Magazine - Summer 2022

YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY

LET’S TALK

Why we shouldn’t be anxious about therapy

SUMMER 2022

When Drugs Don’t Work

Mum’s the Wordle

It’s Festival Time

MC

INSIDE...

3 WELCOME

20

4 I THOUGHT THEY WERE MY FRIENDS 8 CULTURE CLUB

LET’S TALK What is anxiety?

Can therapy help?

We ask the experts.

10 FIGHTING TALK

10 08 FIGHTING TALK

13 PRESCRIBING HOPE

CULTURE CLUB

The musician striving to reach the hearts and minds of Liverpool’s Chinese community.

16 I’VE WAITED ALL MY LIFE TO BE A WOMAN 18 TALKING THERAPY 23 HERE COMES SUMMER

Meet the boxers who never draw blood and the ex pro who knows how they feel.

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I NEEDED TO BE A WOMAN

26 FESTIVAL FEVER

Berni has spent 73 years as a woman in a man’s body. Now things are about to change.

30 MUM’S THE WORDLE

MC magazine team: Managing Editor: Steve Murphy.

Editor: Jackie Rankin.

Contributors: Sophie Brown, Jo Henwood.

Editorial: Julie Crompton, Shae Fowlis.

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15 REAPING REWARDS

28 COOL PICNICS

Photography: Joel Goodman, Freepik.com, Vecteezy.com Design: Jo Hadfield.

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

32 WE’RE HIRING! 35 MEET YOUR GOVERNOR

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.

WELCOM T

The NHS was applauded through the pandemic and this issue shines a light on those with an unstinting passion for helping people live their lives to the full.

his is the first summer in two years with no restrictions on who or where we meet. We met some incredible people while putting together this issue.

They, like the rest of us, have needed resilience and inner strength to get through tough times.

A trip to a boxing club in St Helens introduced us to a group of men who connect with their minds rather than their fists (page 10). We met a victim of cuckooing – where criminals move into someone’s home and take over their life (page 4).

We discover that it’s never too late to change direction. We meet the district nurse who first put on her uniform at 52!

Find out why nurse Yohan thinks Mersey Care is ‘the place to be’. Page 35.

These and other stories are heart warming and show how with help it’s possible to come through the storm and into the sunshine.

We have needed resilience and inner strength to get through tough times.

Summer means al fresco living. Our guide to home festivals and cool picnics includes healthy recipes from dietitians so you can enjoy and not worry about the consequences!

Whatever your plans, enjoy summer,

The MC Magazine Team.

3

SPECIAL FEATURE

I THOUGHT THEY WERE

MY FRIENDS Criminal gangs are inflicting pain and suffering on vulnerable people by taking over their homes.

Jackie Rankin talks exclusively to the professionals working to break the chain, and a victim.

I

t’s known as cuckooing. Vulnerable people are preyed upon, with people gaining trust and then taking over the homes of victims. They are chosen because they are easy to manipulate and exploit and they have addresses that can be used by drug dealing businesses to accommodate drug runners.

They use what is coercive control and emotionally blackmail the victim, in effect controlling their life. When the victim asks them to leave they say, ‘how would you be able to manage without me?’

Social worker Emma McCall says cuckooing victims often have no other support network.

“Perpetrators see vulnerability as a weakness.

They will begin by doing errands and in some cases supplying drugs.

4

Perpetrators see vulnerability as a weakness. They will begin by doing errands and in some cases supplying drugs.

“It’s very coercive. They present as kind and caring and ‘befriend’ the person. They’ll say they’re giving up their home, but they’re often homeless.”

Emma is part of an integrated care team, made up of a range of different agencies from health, social care and voluntary services which seek to support people with multiple and complex needs.

Merseyside Police run sessions for professionals who work with vulnerable adults. It’s part of a wider police programme to reduce drug abuse and drug deaths – Operation ADDER.

cuckooing noun

The practice of taking over the home of a vulnerable person in order to establish a base for illegal drug dealing, typically as part of a county lines operation.

Inspector Susan Stribling says although cases can be harrowing, it’s not always easy to recognise.

She said: “The abuse that goes with cuckooing is awful. It’s physical, mental and sexual abuse of people who don’t know how to help themselves.

“Yet even professionals may struggle to see more subtle signs. We’ve had lightbulb moments during training sessions where someone will reflect and realise that what they saw happening was cuckooing.”

Katy Wafer, Mersey Care’s Integrated Care Team coordinator for central Liverpool says training is proving invaluable.

She explained: “As health professionals we have a privileged position going into people’s homes. District nurses, podiatrists, dieticians all visit clients regularly so they can ask questions if they see something that stirs their professional curiosity. The training explains what they may find if someone is being cuckooed; an increase in anti-social behaviour, a reluctance

If you have an inkling something is wrong you’re usually right. to engage or allow someone going into the house after many years of visits. Having that awareness helps them act if they suspect something is amiss.”

Inspector Stribling urges people to raise concerns about cuckooing – and promises they’ll be supported.

She said: “We know people are worried we’ll see them as a criminal because their home is being used for drug dealing but we’ll respect you as a victim and help you.

“You can report anonymously, and we will act on your information. If you have an inkling something’s wrong, you’re usually right. Give us the chance to look into it and maybe save someone from a traumatic experience.”

Convincing someone that they need to break ties with the perpetrators isn’t always easy.

Building relationships with the person is key, says Emma McCall.

She said: “They want things to be different but they’re scared. It would be lovely to go in and say, ‘this is what has to change’, but we’re strangers. We go on the person’s journey with them, all the time assessing their needs and empowering them to open up.

“The moment when someone says they want us to help them is amazing. It’s what we come to work to do. And it shows that a multi-agency approach works.”

That moment came with cuckooing victim Ken. He has since moved from his old home and is looking forward to ‘having a life at last.’ (Read Ken’s story on page 6).

How to spot the signs and report your concerns – page 7.

Inspector Susan Stribling says sharing concerns could help someone avoid a traumatic experience.

Katy Wafer says training is helping health professionals spot the signs of cuckooing.

5

REAL LIFE STORY

I DIDN’T THINK THERE WAS

A WAY OUT Criminals moved into Ken’s home and took over his life. he told his story to MC magazine’s Jackie Rankin.

Photo: Joel Goodman

W

“I didn’t know what it was. Back then it was cheap, and no one knew the dangers. I took it to stop the pain, but within a week I was hooked.“

Back in the 80s Ken was living a quiet life, with a job and his own home. He enjoyed an occasional pint, but he never touched drugs. His life changed when he was offered a substance to take away chronic pain from an injury. It was heroin.

“I wanted them to leave, but I was scared. I didn’t think there was a way out.”

hen Ken smiles his eyes twinkle. It happens when the gently spoken 64 year old talks of his future. The day we meet he’s had news of a new home. He turns to his social worker Emma and grins. “We’re going out to buy a TV aren’t we?”

6

Decades of drug use ravaged his mind and body.

Estranged from his family, Ken came to rely on ‘friends’ to get his drug supplies. Their motive was to use his home for criminal activities.

When Emma first tried to help, Ken turned her away. “I hadn’t trusted anyone for a long time,” he says. Turning to Emma he smiles. “But I opened up to you, didn’t I?”

I didn’t know what it was.

Back then it was cheap, and no one knew the dangers.

I took it to stop the pain, but within a week I was hooked.

LOOK FOR It’s been a long road but I’m pretty sure I’m going to be ok.

THE SIGNS If you think there may be dealing or drug activity happening at a property, it may be being cuckooed. Key things to look out for are:

As Ken began detoxification with Mersey Care’s drugs service, Merseyside Police County Lines team built a case against the perpetrators. They are currently serving prison sentences.

Ken has been completely drug free for almost a year and is now reunited with his family.

Emma praises the commitment of partners including police, domestic violence, health and fire services. “So many people worked hard to make things happen. It took a while, but that’s what was needed.”

She’s full of admiration for Ken. “He could barely walk to the door when all this began.

He’s done so well. We’re all proud of him.

Ken’s modest smile appears once more. “I’m a bit proud of myself,” he says. “It’s been a long road but I’m pretty sure I’m going to be ok.” His hopes for the future? “I hope other people will think ‘if he can do it I can’.”

DON’T CROSS THE LINE

Cuckooing is one of the methods used by county lines gangs and organised criminal networks involved in dealing illegal drugs, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of ‘deal line.’

Gangs will use children and vulnerable people to move drugs and money, by criminally exploiting them. Cuckooing is where they seek to establish a base in target locations, typically taking over the homes of local vulnerable adults by force or coercion.

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An increase in visitors and cars to a house or flat

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New faces appearing at the house or flat

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New and regularly changing residents (eg. different accents compared to local accent)

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Change in a resident’s mood and or demeanour (eg. secretive, withdrawn, aggressive, emotional)

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Substance misuse and/or drug paraphernalia

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Residents you know going missing, maybe for long periods of time

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Young people seen in different cars or taxis driven by unknown adults

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Young people seeming unfamiliar with your community or where they are

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Truancy, exclusion, disengagement from school

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An increase in antisocial behaviour in the community

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Unexplained injuries

•

Is the person who lives at the address vulnerable?

DO YOU HAVE

CONCERNS? You can report your concerns to the police:

People exploited in this way will quite often be exposed to physical, mental and sexual abuse, and in some instances will be trafficked to areas a long way from home as part of the network’s drug dealing business.

On your county police website Through the ‘You Know Who’ website youknowwho.info Call 101 or 999 Crimestoppers-uk.org

7

CULTURE

CLUB

8

Photo: Joel Goodman

SPECIAL FEATURE

Meet the musician tuning in to the needs of Liverpool’s Chinese community

A

s Xiaoxiao Hou and her mother watched dementia wrench her beloved grandmother from their lives there were moments when they were reunited through music.

We may have different cultures but we have the same emotions.

“She would respond to songs from her past that perhaps evoked memories”, says Xiaoxiao, who is herself an accomplished musician and PhD student at the University of Liverpool.

“They need to be more familiar with the music, culture, beliefs and challenges of these communities so they can adapt their practices. It could be simply that the elders aren’t familiar with technology. We need to highlight the barriers that prevent people seeking help and find ways to overcome them.

News of her grandmother’s death came during lockdown, so she couldn’t go home to China to comfort her family. “My mother had kept it from me so I wouldn’t worry, but then I worried for her, she’d devoted her life to caring for my grandmother and it had taken its toll on her.“

Xiaoxiao is keen to develop a communal ‘playlist for life’ that can be used to make connections with communities and she’s keen that the research will be used outside of academia.

Xiaoxiao is struck by the contrast in perceptions of health and social support between the UK and China. “In China and in Chinese communities here, people rarely ask for outside help; families see it as their responsibility alone to care for their families and it can be a struggle.”

Xiaoxiao Hou.

Her own experience sparked a desire to gather and share research and knowledge for agencies working together to support Chinese people with dementia in the North West and beyond. She drew on the subject that her grandmother loved and that she herself knows best – music.

“The links between music and dementia aren’t new, but the choice of music needs to connect with someone’s personal memories.

Even as a musician I don’t know any Chinese music from other generations.

There’s a huge lack of knowledge among practitioners and music therapists.

“We’ll work with Chinese wellbeing organisations to create materials they can use as bridges to help and support.

We may have different cultures, but we all share the same emotions.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION on Chinese community organisations visit: liverpoolchinatown.co.uk If you would like to be part of the research project, contact: xiaoxiao.hou@liverpool.ac.uk Chinese wellbeing: chinesewellbeing.co.uk Playlist for life: playlistforlife.org.uk

9

FIGHTING

TALK

10

A boxing club is the unlikely setting for a recovery programme that helps people with mental health issues.

Jo Henwood went to visit.

SPECIAL FEATURE

I was never a bad person, I just made poor life choices.

Martin Murray (back left) shows trainees the ropes.

Scott Adam is a dual diagnosis nurse.

F

ormer British and Commonwealth middleweight champion Martin Murray is pulling no punches when it comes to mental health.

The retired professional boxer, whose Think Fast Academy in St Helens helps hard to reach young people find social support, has now turned his skills to helping older adults living with mental illness.

Tommy (right) can still pack a punch when he whacks the boxing pads.

It all began quite by chance when Mersey Care dual diagnosis nurse Scott Adam (above right) enquired about boxing training for his own son.

With little personal experience of the traditionally working class sport Scott soon realised that the training might work for his clients who have dual needs such as enduring mental health conditions and substance abuse.

A group now meets every week at the Parr Sports and Community Centre on Derbyshire Hill Road to ‘whack pads’ with Martin and enjoy a cuppa together afterwards.

Scott says: “A lot of substances are very potent and people can perceive a brief improvement in mood which helps cope with distress but can often lead to feeling worse the following day – we have all experienced this with the short term anti-anxiety effects of alcohol.

“I wanted to help some of my clients find a healthier activity that would offer a natural high, a sense of achievement.”

Less than six months in and the new boxers are already reporting positive benefits including stopping smoking and weight loss and one even tells Scott ‘it keeps me off the wards.’ 70 year old Tommy, who has two replacement knees, can still pack a powerful punch.

A lot of the success is down to Martin’s natural rapport with the group and everyone has a mutual respect for each other.

He said: “I grew up in St Helens and I always boxed. When I was 18, I went off the rails and I went to prison four times.

“I was never a bad person, I just made poor life choices.”

In 2006 Martin met his wife Gemma, turned professional in 2007 and contested four world titles before retirement in 2017.

He is aware that Scott’s group are dealing with complex mental health issues, but he focuses on the physical release that can be achieved by punching a bag, hurling a ball or employing clever footwork to avoid an opponent’s jab.

“Good technique is great,” says Martin.

“But it is not the be all and end all. We aren’t trying to create the next world champion, but we want to make everyone as resilient as they can be.”

Battle ropes, cycling exercises, ball work and resistance training help build that resilience before everyone gets a chance to put on their boxing gloves and whack those pads.

Scott also takes part in the session which he says has a positive effect on the relationship between clinician and patient.

“We are all equal in that gym,” he says: “At the end people are more chatty, more expressive and more reactive.

“I really believe that this can help empower people and I can see everyone has a real sense of achievement.”

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REAL LIFE STORY

BOXING CLEVER PAUL’S STORY

Paul Boyd (above) wishes he had found boxing when he was 19 and his anxiety began. His life was turned upside down when his girlfriend left him with a small baby. By 25 he had a breakdown and five years ago he tried to take his own life.

N

ow 59, Paul admits that he wasn’t keen on the boxing idea when it was first suggested by his occupational therapist, but is now the keenest advocate for its benefits both physically and mentally.

“I was flat out on the floor after my first session.

I had never done anything like it in my life.”

“It’s not about going out and punching someone – it gives you focus,” says Paul who regularly practises meditation, EFT (emotional freedom technique using tapping) and gardening to improve his mental health.

After the strenuous session of footwork, bag punching and circuit training, Paul is out of breath.

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“Anxiety makes your breath too short and sometimes I have difficulty sleeping because I feel like I can’t breathe.

“Since I have been coming here I feel so much better, as I have to make myself take long, deep breaths. Martin teaches us to breath in through the nose and out through the mouth.”

Paul also recognises the physical benefits of the exercise.

“I spent all my life in the building trade. I am a bricklayer and I am right handed so I really notice how hard I have to work my left hand on the ropes,” he said.

Paul enjoys the meditation, a chance to be thankful for the session and to look forward to positive outcomes for the rest of the day.

When Scott asked Paul how he felt before the session, he ticked ‘Good’. When he finished, he ticked ‘Very Good’. That can’t be bad.

It’s not about punching someone – it gives you focus.

TRY IT YOURSELF Most boxing clubs welcome newcomers and usually offer a pay as you go option rather than having to commit to a membership. Many offer separate classes for children, young people and women so ask for further details.

To find out more about the Wild Card Boxing Club at the Parr Sports and Community Centre in St Helens, telephone 01744 753627 or email thepscc@outlook.com Follow Martin Murray on Twitter @MartinMurrayBox

DISPENSING

HOPE

A pioneering approach to reducing harm from drug abuse is changing lives. Jackie Rankin met the nurse prescribing much more than medication and the people who benefit.

Nurse prescriber John Gerrard.

S

hane is a resident at Liverpool’s YMCA hostel. He’s 35 and has been addicted to heroin since he was 18.

Desperate to be reunited with his young son in Ireland, he’s tried and failed to beat the drug. Now hope has arrived with a new programme that takes his treatment to him.

Previously residents would attend regular clinics, then travel up to half an hour each day to collect their medication from a pharmacy. Now Shane and 40 other residents are reviewed by their drug service at the hostel and receive their methadone on site.

The service was launched in 2017 when nurse prescriber John Gerrard (above) realised that clients were struggling to keep appointments and not taking their medication, with often dire consequences.

John explains: “Research recommends easy access to opiate substitute treatment (OST).

But if someone whose addiction consumes their every waking hour must attend regular clinics, then travel somewhere else every day to collect their medication, they can be overwhelmed, give up and revert to illicit drugs and more risky behaviour.

Being caught up in addiction and funding it is a 24 hour activity.

YMCA Housing Operational Lead Jason Thomas agrees. “Being caught up in addiction and having to fund it is a 24 hour activity.

You have every intention of going to your appointment, but your addiction gets in the way of your efforts to give up.”

Funding illicit drug use can cost upwards of £100 a day so people resort to borrowing, dealing, begging or criminal activity. They suffer physical health issues from Hepatitis C and HIV to infections and deep vein thrombosis and at worst accidental overdose and death.

The service faced resistance from those who felt having controlled drugs outside of pharmacies was high risk. But John and his team held strong the belief that removing barriers to treatment would reduce harm and save lives.

Within weeks of the launch numbers swelled from eight to 25. “People who had never been consistent were keeping appointments,” said John. There were obstacles – we were breaking with established practices. We had to bring GPs, managers, pharmacists onside to develop new procedures. But ultimately it was about the client and the local community.”

People who had never been consistent were keeping appointments.

The programme was working well, yet the team felt simply prescribing on site wasn’t enough. “People would still have to travel up to half an hour to a pharmacy every day to pick up their medication,” said John. “If you miss three consecutive days of methadone your tolerance levels drop and there’s a risk of overdosing, so pharmacists won’t dispense.

Consequently people dropped out of treatment.”

Continued on page 14.

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Continued from page 13.

Partnership working took on a new dimension.

A local mobile pharmacy agreed to deliver medication to clients, and hostel staff were trained to dispense. The programme adheres to protocols and is closely monitored. University of Liverpool research supports the team’s findings – residents were more likely to stay in treatment and their overall quality of life improved.

Hostels now alert John to new residents, so he can introduce them to the programme early and work towards detoxification when they’re ready.

He won’t rush a client. “The timing must be right. Someone may be able to deal with the physical aspects of a detox but living without the crutch of drugs brings its own anxieties. I’ve seen hardened criminals break down and cry talking about their past. People need help to deal with things that have been masked with drugs and alcohol.”

Fighting addiction can be exhausting.

When we met Shane had been stable for almost six months. He’s humble and seeks no sympathy, but when he talks it’s clear that fighting addiction is exhausting.

“I was in care when I was younger – I was pretty wild, I did petty crimes, but I only took heroin in prison. It takes you out of the place in your head, but it hooks you quickly. I suffer from depression and anxiety but even if I’m feeling really bad I still come down and get my medication.”

That same humility and regret is evident in 51 year old Glyn as he prepares for his final detoxification.

“I’ve wanted to stop for 20 years – the drugs don’t work. This is helping me feel now’s my time. If I can get clean and help people like me I’d be happy.”

Alison, once a solicitors’ secretary wants nothing more than to get off crack cocaine and back to work. “I don’t enjoy it, I really don’t. But it’s a vicious drug, I don’t want to go out where everyone around me is using and you get judged – that’s why this service is so brilliant.”

Jason Thomas (below) sees that renewed hope in his clients. “People are in survival mode; they don’t have time to think. This set up takes away that feeling of being judged for where you’re at. ‘It gives someone space to reflect on what life without substance use could look like, starting the journey towards stability and future recovery’.

For more information on Mersey Care’s drug and alcohol service visit: merseycare.nhs.uk

Many people have been given very little opportunity in life to thrive.

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If we reap what we sow the participants of an allotment project in Liverpool can look forward to a summer of fresh green beans, delicious corn on the cob, sautéed spinach with fresh coriander and a vase full of sunflowers on the table.

By Jo Henwood

BACK TO MY ROOTS

T

he Resettle initiative between Mersey Care and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service helps ex offenders, who have served long sentences behind bars, find their place again in society.

The allotment was waist height in weeds when police officer Caroline O’Brien, the brainchild behind the project, first took it on.

“It hadn’t been tended for some time but we first got it in lockdown so it was an ideal opportunity to get stuck in to clearing it and deciding what we wanted to grow.”

Martin spent 29 years in custody before leaving prison in 2020. When he was last a free man fewer than half of us had a mobile phone, Gmail was only just available to Google employees and no one was paying for their shopping with a watch.

He now has six months left on the two year Resettle project which has helped him find a flat, get his driving licence back, buy a car, set up a bank account and keep fit through cycling.

“I left prison during lockdown,” says Martin.

“Which was a godsend in a way because things were so quiet. I wasn’t used to the fast pace of life.”

to people who have offended. Many of the people we work with on the Resettle project have been given very little opportunity in life to thrive.”

It made some things more difficult though and Martin viewed a lot of properties before he was able to secure permanent accommodation which he is now proudly making ‘home’.

“When they leave custody, we have to support them in navigating how the world works and developing human skills like patience, tolerance and negotiating. Practically they need support in finding housing, claiming benefits, cooking food and using public transport.

“I have got my curtains up my television, but there is still a lot of work to do. The scenery out of my front window is beautiful.”

Martin’s delight at owning a ‘proper fridge’ is evident and he is looking forward to freezing the fruit and vegetables which he has tended so well on the allotment.

“I have made leek and potato soup, chicken and spinach curry and pies,” he says proudly before describing a recent vegetarian pasta creation with spring cabbage, hot chilli and virgin olive oil.

Mersey Care consultant psychologist Sue Ryan says: “The community isn’t very welcoming

“We offer them opportunities, like the allotment, to help discover and understand who they are so that they can shape their identity and find a future for themselves.”

Caroline, who is naturally nurturing and empathetic, added: “The allotment offers a safe place to have conversations while you are digging or planting.”

The success of the Resettle project can be measured in the low level of reoffending but Martin sums it up more succinctly. He said: “When you leave prison, you may no longer have family or friends. This is worth its weight in gold.”

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I’VE WAITED ALL MY LIFE TO BE A WOMAN

REAL LIFE STORY Berni Astley has lived for 73 years as a woman in a man’s body. As she prepares for gender surgery, the NHS activity coordinator talks exclusively to Jackie Rankin about heartache, stigma and enduring love.

B

erni was four when she discovered she wasn’t a girl. “My mum would bath me and my older sister together. I asked my sister ‘where’s your willy? She said ’girls don’t have willies’. I said ‘well ‘I’ve got one’ and she said, ‘that’s because you’re a boy’.

I was devastated – I thought I was a girl.”

The challenges mounted as Berni’s overbearing instinct to be who she was in her head and heart led to conflict and humiliation. She’d dress in her sister’s clothes and play in fields near her home just to have fleeting moments of truth.

Her mother, embarrassed, would drag her home, once lifting Berni’s skirt in public to prove she had male genitalia. At school she’d be bullied by boys and punished harshly for sneaking into the girls’ playground where she felt she belonged.

Berni’s dad was loving but unable to accept his son’s situation. “I knew he loved me, but he’d take me to football matches and encourage me to box, he wanted to make me a man.”

I was devastated – I thought I was a girl.

On her 16th birthday Berni decided to come out, “I wore a dress to my party. My mum screamed and called my dad home from work.

He told me to stop or leave home and be disowned. In that moment I decided to live a lie.”

Berni married a friend of her sister. “I loved her from the moment I met her, she accepted me for who I was, and we became best friends.”

They couple had four children. Berni continued to cross dress in private, but the pressure of secrecy was too much, and her mental health deteriorated. In 1996 she was admitted to hospital, only to face stigma from the people she thought would help her.”

“Doctors constantly told me I was gay, I needed to pull myself together and decide what I wanted. I said I wanted to live as a woman, but no one would help me.”

Twelve years later Berni confided in her beloved only daughter about transition treatment “She was fantastic, she understood and supported me to tell my wife and sons.”

She weeps as she recalls her family’s reaction. “My wife understood but said she couldn’t live with me as a woman. My youngest son said ‘you were the perfect dad to me – now you won’t be my dad’. I said “I’ll always be your dad.”

The pain deepened when Berni’s daughter died of cancer.

“I couldn’t visit her when her friends were there, I was heartbroken, but I knew going to her funeral would upset my family, so I went to a place where we’d go for picnics.”

Berni began hormone treatment and has lived as a woman since 2018. She suffered a major setback after her hormone treatment was halted when she became involved with mental health services. “They said I didn’t have mental capacity,” she said.

“I was struggling with stress caused by my daughter’s deteriorating health and years of battling for gender identity treatment. I was just angry and frustrated.”

On her last admission staff granted her request for a bed on a female ward. This and art therapy sessions played a major role in her recovery. She became a volunteer and is now ward activity coordinator. “They saw who I was and helped me. Art is my passion and I’m helping other patients have the same experience,” she says.

I’m so happy, I feel like a weight I’ve been carrying for 30 years has been lifted from my shoulders.

Berni is now in the care of CMAGIC, Mersey Care’s transgender service and will undergo transition surgery this summer. “I’m so happy” she says. “I feel like a weight I’ve been carrying for 30 years has been lifted from my shoulders,” She and her wife are as close as ever. “We go shopping and on holidays. After 48 years she’s still my best friend.”

CMAGIC is a gender dysphoria service provided by Mersey Care and Cheshire and Merseyside Adult Gender Collaborative offering tailored support options, assessment for and diagnosis of gender incongruence, hormone therapy referrals to voice therapy, hair removal, psychological therapy and referral to surgical providers. For more information visit: merseycare.nhs.uk

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SPECIAL FEATURE

TALKING

THERAP Celebrities are helping to shatter stigma by opening up about their own mental health and the benefits of therapy.

M

any of us find it difficult to speak about mental health issues – especially our own – but a growing list of celebrities are talking publicly about their struggles and the positive benefits that therapy can bring.

For example chart star Camila Cabello told E! News’ Daily Pop that she’d sought therapy following her break up with Shawn Mendes.

The 25 year old singer, whose third studio album Familia was released in April, has spoken about suffering from anxiety when she split from the Stitches hit maker last year. She’s reported as saying that her life had become ‘bad and painful’ prompting her to seek help from a therapist.

Camila Cabello

Anne-Marie has discovered the simple tools that mean she treats herself with the love and respect she needs.

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And Camila’s not the only one; British pop star Anne-Marie – whose hits include Rockabye, Ciao Adios and 2002 – has also spoken about learning to ‘love herself’ thanks to having therapy during a ‘horrific’ 2020.

The Brit Awards nominee, and mentor for BBC TV’s ‘The Voice’, now 30, has discussed her mental health – including her trials with anxiety and fear of judgement – with broadcasters, saying that it was ‘reopening the door’ to a teenage trauma during the

first lockdown that prompted her to seek help in therapy. She told Hits Radio that: “Since the pandemic I had time to realise I needed some help with my brain and I finally found the light.”

Perhaps it’s not surprising then that her second album, released last year, is entitled, ‘Therapy’.

“As well as music being my therapy, I’ve also been seeing a psychologist for about a year now, once every week and it has completely changed my life” she said to Hits Radio.

“This album represents that journey. It’s full of happy, sad, revenge, love and revelation and I hope you feel all of those things when you listen to it.”

As well as her therapy inspired album Anne-Marie has released a self help book, ‘You Deserve Better’. Her publisher says that Anne-Marie has “discovered the simple tools that mean she treats herself with the love and respect she needs and this, in turn, means she’s able to go out into the world and be as strong, confident and true to herself as she can be. And she wants you to be able to do the same.”

By Steve Murphy.

PY Anne-Marie

19

WHEN ANXIETY

OVERWHELMS Anxiety is a helpful and healthy human response to things that go on around us; it even keeps us from danger.

But when anxiety stops us from doing what we need to do every day, then it becomes a real problem.

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We couldn’t cross the road without anxiety - we need it to keep ourselves safe.” says acting consultant psychologist Donna Gardiner (right).

Recognising your personal triggers can be helpful says Donna. She suggests allowing a limited amount of ‘worry time’ to focus on the cause of your anxiety.

“In the same way we need the alarm to go off when the house is on fire. But if it goes off every time the toast burns, it could start to lower our mood. “If it’s going off every day, we could become overwhelmed. It is this prolonged anxiety and the worry associated with that which can have such a negative impact on our lives.”

If you’ve tried to help yourself but are still struggling, Talk Liverpool is a free service for anyone over 16 who is feeling depressed or anxious. You can refer yourself or ask your doctor or clinician to do so.

Anxious people may avoid doing the normal things in life because of the fear of the outcome, which itself can be debilitating.

HOW TO HELP YOURSELF Ali Purssell, (left) a senior psychological wellbeing practitioner says anxious people may avoid doing the normal things in life because of the fear of the outcome, which itself can be debilitating.

to over worry and over plan and CBT can help them be more mindful of the present rather than what happened in the past or what might happen in the future.”

“When we perceive threats where there are none, this can lead to us avoiding doing things. Becoming aware of our own vicious cycles can be empowering and help us manage our own anxiety.”

Once referred you will have an initial assessment and complete a questionnaire so you can be helped in the best way.

Most people will be offered guided self help Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), giving you tools to help you manage on a day to day basis.

“CBT underpins most of what we do and looks at the interaction between our thoughts, feelings and behaviours,” says Ali. “People with anxiety tend

ANXIETY

Note down anxious thoughts and try to distance yourself from them. You are not your anxiety

•

Try not to catastrophise or predict the future. If you always jump to the worst case scenario can you imagine the best one

•

Be kind to yourself. Think what a caring person might say to you in the same situation

•

Set boundaries. If you think worrying is helpful, allocate some time to it but don’t let it dominate

•

Control your body’s response. If your heart races or you get butterflies in your stomach, try relaxing breathing – breathe in for four counts and out for six

•

Look after yourself. Limit your alcohol and caffeine use, move regularly and have good sleep hygiene

•

Shift your focus. Listen to music or turn your hand to something creative to give your mind a rest from worrying.

Support for you

NEED SUPPORT? •

Help yourself – our self help guide on anxiety can be read online, downloaded or watched as a video.

For more information visit talkliverpool.nhs.uk or telephone 0151 228 2300.

Psychologist Donna Gardiner.

•

21

Feeling Anxious?

Talk to us

Need help with stress, anxiety or depression?

We can help.

THIS GIRL

You can refer yourself online by visiting talkliverpool.nhs.uk or calling 0151 228 2300, alternatively you can be referred by your GP or another health professional.

CAN

I

Therapy and exercise work together for Hope.

n a candid interview with OK! Magazine, ITV’s Good Morning Britain and Strictly Star, Vick Hope, has opened up about her own mental health and the positive side of therapy.

“I went (to therapy) when I was at university because I went through a very tough time. I lost three people very close to me in quick succession.

I was young and going through all the things that you go through at that age anyway, so it put me in a bad place and I didn’t really want to get up in the morning”.

The award winning 32 year old presenter says that since her student days she’s continued to turn to therapy for help: “I still have therapy now because I think we should look after and exercise our minds like we do our bodies.

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Vick Hope

“My mind goes at 100 miles an hour. So I have therapy to help with that because I’m not immune to having darker days”.

Along with therapy Vick tells OK! That she also sees physical exercise as being important to maintaining good mental health: “I like to run and go to classes and I know that I need that to stay mentally well. It was at university that I first realised the importance of exercise for my mind.

“I started playing football and I got really into it, but then I broke my leg and was out of action for eight weeks. During that time, my mood just plummeted. I didn’t realise how much I’d been relying on physical activity to feel good.”

Vick is now championing a national scheme to get teenagers more active and involved in sport at school. For more details go to: studio-you.co.uk

IT’S SUMMER! Summer’s here and the time is right for al fresco living.

Read our guide to fabulous festivals and perfect picnics.

23

COURGETTE SLICE

OAT AND HONEY

SERVES: 15 to 20 PREP: 5 mins COOK: 25 mins

FLAPJACKS

Community dietitian Lucy Haworth’s courgette slice and cookie combo is ideal for a picnic or home festival.

“They’re simple to make, they’ll feed a crowd, and they travel well if you’re going on a picnic,” she says. “They also keep well so can be made the day before. If you prefer vegetarian courgette slice leave out the bacon.”

INGREDIENTS 375g courgette grated 1 large onion chopped 3 rashers of bacon chopped (optional) 225g self raising flour 140ml olive oil 5 eggs 225g grated cheddar cheese 1 large carrot grated Salt and pepper

METHOD •

Combine onion, cheese, bacon (if using) courgette, carrot and flour. Add oil and lightly beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper.

Pour into a lightly greased deep baking tin 18cm to 24cm. Bake at 180o C for 25mins or until set.

This will slice into 15 to 20 pieces to serve with your favourite savouries and salads.

INGREDIENTS 120g unsalted butter, softened 140g light brown muscovado sugar 2 tablespoons well flavoured honey 1 medium egg 100g plain wholemeal flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 200g porridge oats 100g dried fruit and nuts

(add whatever dried fruit you like – raisins, cranberries, sour cherries, sultanas or chopped dates plus whole or chopped macadamias, hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts or even chunks of chocolate).

MAKES: 24 PREP: 10 mins COOK: 12 mins

METHOD •

Put soft butter, sugar and honey in a bowel and beat with a wooden spoon till fluffy and slightly lighter in colour

•

Beat in the egg, then add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, oats fruit and nuts and mix well

•

Using a rounded tablespoon of mixture, place well-spaced on baking trays to make 24 cookies. Gently press out with the back of the spoon to about 1.25cm thick – no need to make neat and tidy!

•

Bake for about 12 minutes till golden brown, left to cool a little before transferring to rack to cool further.

Courtesy of The Great British Bake Off Big Book of Baking book.

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STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

Alan Haddy.

FAJITAS

CHICKEN OR VEGETABLE SERVES: 4 PREP: 10 mins COOK: 10 mins

METHOD •

Fry chicken strips in a hot pan using 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, a griddle pan for colour can also be used

•

To check the chicken is cooked find the thickest part and tear in half, continue cooking if raw

•

Take the chicken out the pan and fry the peppers, onions (and garlic if using) with a little more oil and colour slightly

•

Stir in the fajita seasoning or sauce (just enough to coat the ingredients) with the chicken or beans and heat through for a few minutes (if using fajita powder a tablespoon of water might be needed)

•

You can add the lime juice at this stage if using

•

Heat oven 180o C gas mark 4 and wrap the tortillas in foil and leave for 10mins to warm up (can be heated in a pan for a few seconds either side or on a barbecue, or microwave for a few seconds instead)

•

Spread sour cream or mayonnaise on the warm tortilla, add filling and also any tomato salsa, avacado and small amount of lettuce if using and roll the tortilla before eating

•

(For vegetarian option rinse cooked beans well and add to the cooked peppers and onions and heat well, some grated cheese can also be added at the end).

Community dietitian Alan Haddy describes his fajitas as “lovely fresh and satisfying dish for any occasion.

They can be made in batches for small parties or groups and a great way to get some of our five a day fruits and vegetables.“

INGREDIENTS 6 to 8 tortillas Either 2 to 3 chicken breasts sliced or 500g chicken strips or 500g cooked red kidney beans, or black beans 1 large red pepper 1 large orange pepper 1 red onion 1 packet of Fajita seasoning 30g or jar of sauce 500g Cooking oil Tomato salsa OPTIONAL 2 garlic cloves chopped or 1 teaspoon garlic paste or powder 1 to 2 avocados sliced Sour cream or mayonnaise (1 tablespoon per tortilla) Sliced green lettuce or mixed lettuce 1 lime squeezed

25

FESTIVAL FEVER

By Sophie Brown

Festival season is here. For many it’s time to dig out the bucket hats and wellies and set off for a weekend of fun in a field to eat global food and watch your favourite bands.

SETTING THE SCENE – A trip to your local bargain store is great for picking up novelty paper plates, cups, straws (eco-friendly of course), and even bunting.

As small as they may seem, all of these features will help you to start bringing the day to life. The bunting will transform your garden and will be star of the show.

I

f you love the music but the thought of camping fills you with dread, fear not. There’s no need to miss out on festival fun. We have it covered.

Stay at home festivals can be just as entertaining and they’re definitely more intimate. The perfect set up can create all the festival vibes you need so you’re ready for a fun filled day with friends.

NOT SURE WHERE TO START? Take a look at our budget friendly ideas...

Reporter Sophie soaks up the festival vibe.

DRESS TO IMPRESS – Hunt out your nearest charity or vintage shop to pick up some groovy clothes. Everything from tie-dye flares to pink sunglasses is prime festival wear. Don’t hold back, go all out! Top it all off with some face glitter and you’re all set.

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STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

FOR THE FOODIES – Provide tasty snacks using our recipes, or if time is short head to your local supermarket or ask friends to bring a plate.

PERSONALISE IT – Unsure what to call your festival?

Make a game of it. Ask your guests to submit their suggestions a few weeks before and pick your favourite or draw names out of a hat. Find a cool font online and print out the letters to make a festival sign big enough for your garden.

…. OH AND DON’T FORGET to whip out your camping chairs and if you don’t have enough, ask guests to bring their own.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC – What’s a festival without music? Create your own playlist using current artists from this year’s festivals and create your own headliners. Ask your guests for their personal anthems beforehand and add these to the very end of your playlist to end the night on a high.

27

COOL SPOTS FOR A

PICNIC The cool bags are packed and the deckchairs ready – check out perfect places to picnic in and around the North West.

RED ROCKS, WIRRAL

FORMBY BEACH

Entrance via Stanley Road, Hoylake which is less than a mile from the train station and there is also parking nearby. Looking out towards Hilbre Island, there’s a small sandy beach and there are sand dunes, reedbeds and marsh for the bird lovers.

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A train to Freshfield Station and a 20 minute walk takes you to woodland, sandy beach and picnic benches galore at this National Trust coastal spot. Spot a red squirrel if you are lucky.

FESTIVAL GARDENS

SEFTON PARK

PARK LIFE

This is a taste of the orient on the Liverpool waterfront with pagodas, lakes, waterways and waterfalls. After your picnic enjoy a stroll along the Otterspool promenade and take in the views across the Mersey to the Wirral and North Wales before jumping back on the train at Aigburth station.

With Green Flag and Green Heritage gongs and a Grade 1 listing, the park boasts caves, waterfalls, boating lake and playground.

The magnificent Palm House is home to events from tea dances to concerts.

If you don’t like sand in your sandwiches, head to a beautiful greenspace like Calderstones Park.

Nearest station is St Michael’s, about a mile away, and there are plenty of buses.

Plenty of buses pass by and there’s good parking. Visit the Japanese garden and the 1,000 year old oak tree.

STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

COOL PICNICS

Picnics are back – but not as we know it. A cool picnic will be a mix of food, accessories and edible eye candy.

If you want to make your picnic trendy (and a bit posh) here are a few ideas.

STAY COOL

NO PLASTIC PLEASE

READ THE RULES

Stick a couple of ice blocks in the freezer so they’re ready to make your picnic cool in every sense.

Use compostable plates, cups, and napkins for an eco friendly experience.

Some outdoor events allow picnics but are quite strict on what can and can’t be included.

Some allow drinks but only in cans or plastic bottles and some don’t let you take metal cutlery. Check on websites before you go to avoid disappointment or confiscation of your picnic set.

COLOUR COORDINATED Include something red, yellow, orange, green and blue. Fruit is the obvious choice but also include chopped peppers, raw vegetables like carrot and cauliflower and nuts and seeds.

KEEP HANDY Pack sanitiser to keep fresh during and after your picnic. Let the kids build up an appetite in the fresh air but make sure they sanitise before eating.

DRINK STATION

Cut large items into manageable portions before you leave so you’re not grappling with a blunt knife on an uneven surface.

Who wants warm drinks in a cool picnic? A basic cool bag is cheap to buy. Don’t forget the ice packs! Take plenty of fluids to avoid getting dehydrated. If you’ve room pack a vacuum flask for hot drinks later.

SIMPLE STORAGE

STAY WARM

Take a small bottle or vase to hold utensils, napkins, and straws.

Summer days can turn cool when the sun goes down. Pack a fleece or a blanket to keep you warm and relaxed. At this point you’ll be glad you brought the vacuum flask!

PORTION CONTROL

WHAT’S IN… AND WHAT’S NOT What’s in a cool picnic? Apparently not sausage rolls, egg sandwiches or chicken drumsticks according to a survey of 2000 people by Metro news. Among newcomers to the list are hummus, vegetable crisps and sushi. PS we love all the above so go with what you like.

Source: metro.co.uk

29

MUM’S THE

WORDLE

By Jo Henwood

Trial and error – two five letter words that sum up this year’s word game craze, Wordle.

C

reated by Welsh software engineer Josh Wardle for his partner – an avid wordsmith and game player – the daily challenge has gripped the English speaking world and made the creator a seven figure pay cheque when it was bought out by the New York Times at the end of January.

A web-based challenge, the simple aim is to guess a five letter word in six goes. The answer is the same for everyone and there is only one chance to play every day. There are hints and tips all over the internet about the optimum words to start with but if the answer is nymph you are unlikely to get it in the first go unless it is a fluke.

Wordle brings us all together and allows us to share some intellectual challenges.

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When you guess your first word, the letters will turn green, yellow or grey. Green means the letter is in the word and in the right place, yellow – it is in the word but in the wrong place and grey – that letter is not in the word.

Plurals aren’t really used nor past tenses but beyond that it’s simple. You can share your success with friends on social media using emoji blocks without giving away the answer but beware that those who don’t play, often vent their anger at this.

Mersey Care clinical psychologist Katie Powell says Wordle is ‘an itch that needs to be scratched’.

“Our brains enjoy puzzles like Wordle, Sudoku and crosswords, because of the challenge they present. When we are successful we get a dopamine hit so we feel a sense of reward or pleasure, which leads us to try again the next day.

“The frustration we experience when we don’t win can also bring us back for more; we crave the sense of completion and satisfaction that winning can bring.”

Wordle’s clever share option means it can be a social activity, with friends and family competing on chat groups.

Katie adds: “Social media also feeds in to our reward system. When we post something and get ‘likes’ or engagement, it gives us a sense

of belonging and represents the acceptance of others. Not only is this rewarding in itself, but it is good for survival in an evolutionary sense. The fact that we post our scores gets people talking and more and more people join the craze, keeping the wave of Wordle going.”

Success gives us a sense of reward or pleasure.

The lexical divisions across the Pond continue unabated with Wordle. Despite his Welsh roots Wardle lives in the US and sticks with American spellings. You may say tomato (tomayto) and I say tomato (tomahto) but the fury on social media when the answer is favor or humor is palpable. The day this article was written the Wordle answer was TRASH. Oh yes it was.

Find out MORE AT: The original free Wordle game can be found at nytimes.com/games/wordle

STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

IS ALL AS

IT SEEMS? Wordle brings out the best in us – teamsmanship, camaraderie.

But is there a flip slide? asks MC magazine’s Sophie Brown.

I admit it – I’m hooked. My morning routine now combines breakfast with trying to figure out the latest Wordle with my family – and the rest of the universe!

Our group chat pings away with notifications from family members sharing their scores. And it goes on through the day.

Wordle is very communal. There’s a sense that the whole world is trying to figure out the exact same thing at the same time as you. I don’t feel alone as I turn to Twitter and Google in frustration after a word ruins my streak, not even knowing what it means!

For me, it’s a bit of fun, a little competition. But psychologists at Cambridge University think otherwise. Professor of Psychology Bence Nanay suggests Wordle is less about sharing intellectual experiences and more about trying to feel superior.

“Whether we do worse or better than average, both outcomes encourage us to go on playing. Wordle’s appeal is not that it brings us all closer together. Rather, it manipulates our deepest insecurities.”

I can’t deny it – I get great pleasure from sharing my scores and doing better than everyone else in my group chat. But I also love being cheered on, and I get comfort from sharing the torment when we’re all scratching our heads to figure it out.

Above all Wordle connects us. We share the struggles. We share the joy of getting it right. And doing that each morning not only ticks boxes (literally) – it gives us a boost as we face the day.”

Source: psychologytoday.com

*

BECOME A WORDLE WIZZ...

The New York Times Wordlebot tool has its own list of the best Wordle start words. Ready?

1. CRANE

6. LANCE

2. SLATE

7. CARTE

3. CRATE

8. LEAST

4. SLANT

9. TRICE

5. TRACE

10. ROAST nytimes.com

31

RECRUITMENT

TEA AND

THANK YOU Amy McDonald, interim operational manager, unscheduled and intermediate care.

Amy MacDonald knows the value of teamwork. She talks to MC magazine about how everyone’s role is equally important and the opportunities for anyone joining them.

I

I started out as a junior occupational therapist and worked my way up – now I manage a great team of therapists, nurses, therapy and nursing assistants, who are in turn supported by our administration services. Making life better for our patients always comes first – but they’re also there for each other.

We love it when someone brings fresh ideas.

No matter what your role, every bit of experience is valuable – you can influence how our services are run.

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Our team is made up of small teams – like the care home liaison team and community physiotherapy – and their administrators who hold it all together, booking appointments, taking messages and liaising with patients and professionals.

We offer a rotation programme that gives therapists a chance to move around the different services within Mersey Care. It gives people a chance to work with staff from different disciplines and build skills. For a junior therapist on our preceptorship programme this experience can be invaluable.

We love the Trust’s reward and recognise scheme. If you’ve helped a patient or a colleague there’s nothing nicer than coming in to find a mug with some speciality teas sitting on your desk to say thank you!

Find out MORE

AT:

merseycare.nhs.uk/current-vacancies

WE’RE HIRING! BUILD YOUR FUTURE AT MERSEY CARE

I’M IN THE

RIGHT PLACE Yohan Johnson is a charge nurse at Rowan View medium secure hospital in Maghull, Merseyside. He tells why he came from London to work for Mersey Care.

I chose Mersey Care.

When I looked at the website and saw the new building (Rowan View Hospital) I thought ‘that looks great – let me join and then I’ll progress my career when I’m in Mersey Care.’

The environment is quite brilliant, in fact with the new building you just enjoy your work.

You can be what you want, the support here is quite amazing.

When I joined I got a lot of support – it gave me motivation.

Join our Mersey Care family and make a positive impact on people’s lives.

We’ve a strong belief in ‘growing our own’. From our apprentices, those new to care, and our recognised preceptorship scheme, we’ll provide support and help you develop throughout your career.

WE CAN OFFER:

I’m in the right place, there are lots of opportunities. If you’re looking for a trust that’s massive, ambitious, going places, Mersey Care is the place to be.

•

Opportunities at 200 sites across the North West

•

State of the art therapeutic buildings

•

Flexible working (condensed hours, weekend/late working)

View Yohan’s video and see our new medium secure hospital, Rowan View. Search ‘Meet Yohan’ on our YouTube channel.

•

Relocation expenses and recruitment and retention premia for posts in secure and specialist learning disability services (£1,200 to £4,033)

•

Rotation schemes

•

Nurse consultants, advanced clinical practitioners, psychological advanced practitioners, nurse led care pathways.

JOIN US NOW If you have ambition and share our aim to deliver perfect care to those we serve, visit our vacancies page at merseycare.nhs.uk/current-vacancies

Rowan View

33

RECRUITMENT

IT’S NEVER

TOO LATE

34

Trish Conlan’s road into nursing was long and winding. She tells why it’s never too late to change direction.

Instead I got caught up in getting a wage and going out with the girls. 27 years later I was married with two children. I’d worked my way up to assistant branch manager and diverted into financial advice. But I was in a rut.

I always wanted to be a nurse. I got a place at nursing school, had my medical and was measured for my uniform. But my mum had passed away during my A levels.

I had a massive wobble and felt I needed time out. Three weeks into an economics degree course I came home.

My son knew I was unhappy. He said “why don’t you go back to uni?” A month later I was in a lecture theatre with a class of 18 year olds and on the same campus as my daughter! My son was also at university studying medicine – we had three graduations in as many years!

It was 1980 there was a recession and no jobs. I was on the dole for a while, then two job offers came, one as a cashier with Halifax Building Society. My mum had always said ‘work in banking or the Civil Service’ so I took the job intending to stay a year to save for nursing school.

I got my first job three days after I graduated, as a community staff nurse, and in 2018 started my Specialist Qualification in District Nursing at Masters level. I’m now a District Nurse Team Leader.

I love what I do. If I hadn’t made the move I’d have had big regrets. I’m glad I was older, both

District nurse Trish Conlan.

for studying and doing my job, you have so much more life experience. It’s not about age it’s what you can bring to the role. I’d say just do it!”

FIND OUT MORE about how to develop your career at Mersey Care visit: merseycare.nhs.uk/current-vacancies

GOVERNOR PROFILE

NICOLA

GELLING Community matron and staff governor

I’ve been a nurse for 22 years and I can honestly say I learn something new every day. I love my job and I enjoy taking care of my patients. It’s so nice that we get to know their families and carers – it’s an honour to support them.

I

didn’t tell anyone I’d put in a governor nomination – I wasn’t sure I’d even get a vote! I was surprised to hear I’d been selected. It’s amazing to see what goes on behind the scenes and humbling to hear the experiences of service users. It puts things in perspective. The other governors could not be more supportive. I wasn’t sure what to expect from being a governor, but it’s been brilliant. I hadn’t realised how much we’d be listened to. Every concern is acted upon.

COME AND

Why did I do it? I wanted to give a voice to Sefton and to nurses, I wanted to show how hard they’re working for patients. I want us to be able to recruit the right people for the future.

Recruiting the best people is important to me. I’m a real advocate of nurturing our own, that’s why I enjoy my role as a mentor. I feel that I learn from students and colleagues as much as they learn from me. I like to be asked questions and I like to feel that I am

JOIN US

helping them develop in their roles. Having students with me reminds me of why I do what I do and how much fulfilment I get from doing my Job.

I wanted to give a voice to nurses.

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

Following our most recent Governor election period, you can view the statement of voting and information on the successful candidates, along with the rest of your Governors, on our website. Visit: merseycare.nhs.uk and go to the Governor election pages

Find out more about our membership and governors at: merseycare.nhs.uk. Tel: 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

35

WE’RE HIRING!

HELP BUILD MERSEY CARE’S FUTURE JOIN US NOW With hundreds of positions in all areas across the North West and relocation expenses up to £15,000 in secure and specialist learning disability services. Visit our vacancies page at merseycare.nhs.uk/current-vacancies and help build a better future for you and Mersey Care. merseycare.nhs.uk/current-vacancies

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

Contact us at the following address.

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

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.