This blog is now archived
This blog is now archived
This blog is no longer being updated.
A demystifying experience for all
From the outset, our aim at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust was to provide genuine, real life experiences of our mental health services to staff from the Department of Health (DH). So far, we have had the pleasure …
Connecting with children and young people with mental health problems
The fact that people with depression die up to 10 years earlier than the average life expectancy, and people with schizophrenia up to 15 years earlier, is shocking. But the reality of life for people suffering with severe mental health …
Place2Be: A provider's perspective
It was great to be involved with DH’s Connecting programme, helping civil servants gain experience in a school-based early intervention mental health service like ours. We have always supported the recommendations of the Francis Inquiry to improve quality of care …
Looking back and looking forward...
Looking back at 2013, I can't quite believe that this time last year the Connecting programme did not exist. Of course, people in DH had always gone out into the health and care system. The difference though now is that …
A passion of staff at all levels to deliver quality
A passion of staff at all levels to deliver quality I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect on this particular connecting visit, having already done two connecting visits before in acute settings. A group of us recently visited Central London …
P.R.O.U.D to make a difference
I have just returned from a week at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. I wanted to witness first-hand “what good care looks like” locally having read some really encouraging patient feedback on the quality of care provided by the …
Super powers and super heroes in the fightback on dementia
I recently started a new role in the Department – and it doesn’t come more exciting or indeed more challenging than preparing for a G8 Summit meeting. On 11 December the UK will host a Dementia Summit. Dementia is a …
First hand learning is extremely powerful
Returning from my second week out connecting has provided me with a point on which to reflect on my experiences to date, and consider how they are changing the way that I am doing my job. From ward to ward …
Going above and beyond
Noelle breathes and blinks like you and me…but she is made of rubber and costs £40,000. Noelle is a state of the art training aid for staff at Kingston Hospital and I had a chance to watch the team using …
Connecting reminds me why I come to work each day
I have now had two week-long connecting experiences - both offered a wealth of fascinating learning. North Essex Partnership University NHS Trust My time connecting at North Essex was spent in a low-secure residential unit, with the criminal justice team …