At The Centre

In this #ShinyShares blog I would like to share with you some of the work that our trust is undertaking to ensure that the care we provide keeps our clients at the heart of all that we do, mental health provides it’s own set of challenges for those who live with the wide range of conditions that fall into this category of care in the same way that those supporting them face a different set of challenges whilst providing that support.

Our Practice Development have recently received recognition for work they have undertaken ensuring that we as a ward team remain person-centred in some of the most difficult situations we encounter on the wards, just under a month ago they received the Mental Health Practice Award at the RCNi Nursing Awards . The team are responsible for providing up to date training in the use of restraint along with guidance in managing violent and aggressive situations, since returning to the ward I am glad to say that a decline in the use of restraint has been noted by myself and other staff alike. The team developed a tool to assist us in getting to know each patient better and also support us offering person-centred care at times of intense crisis or distress, and it was a #Proud moment when one member of the team quoted my No Such Thing As Idle Chatter blog during a training session as we explored the benefits of appropriate communication with the people we support.

But it’s not these facts that I’d like to share with you, what I would like to share with you are two articles that members of the team have written and had published that show how they focus on the person at the centre whether that be a member of staff or a person we are supporting through a time of intense distress.

Both articles have been published by RCNi in their monthly journal Mental Health Practice and the authors of each article have kindly given me permission to share them here with you.

The first article was written by @Burnssue a little while ago and it focussed on the therapeutic use of touch (Click Here for the article) and the things that should be considered when utilising touch with those who are feeling distressed. There are many times when we are touched in our lives, many of them inadvertent or unintentional but being touched by another can sometimes evoke harrowing memories that could trigger feelings of intense anger or fear so as mental health professionals we have to be aware as best we can be of each person’s journey and this is why the award winning work is so important as a tool to support us in providing Positive and Proactive Care. During every training session the team explore why people may be in distress and how we can support them during times when reassurances may not be enough. The tool they have developed allows us to explore with each person what distress looks and feels like for them, it also provides us with the opportunity to develop care plans with each person that identifies how we can best support them through these difficult times. I have found the use of touch in many situations can be of benefit when supporting people through difficult situations, like holding the hand of a person whilst blood samples are taken as you’re aware of their fear of needles or simply being present during a time of extreme frustration or anger offering nothing but space and time to breathe with an ear that truly hears all that is spoken.

Being a Caremaker what would a blog be if it didn’t feature the #6Cs somewhere within, which brings us nicely to the second article that I would like to share with you that was written by @GodwillTsvamuno in which he uses the #6Cs to explore the thought processes involved in the management of aggression in a mental health setting (Click Here for the article). It’s always a pleasure when attending training sessions the team provide as they always do their best to make sessions informative, engaging and relevant to our areas of practice and we are always given the opportunity to explore our own experiences and reflect how we might handle things differently. The #6Cs are at the core of everything that we do @BCPFT and this article is a testament to that and the way that the team as a whole have adopted them when delivering training around the management of violence and aggression fills me with pride to be an ambassador for those same #6Cs within our trust and the wider NHS. The use of the #6Cs helps to focus us on the care that needs to be taken, when communication is of the upmost importance to show our commitment to support people with compassion and courage; allowing each person to travel along their journey with people at their side who embody kindness and competence to ensure that distress is minimised whilst keeping each person at the centre and guiding their care.

I accept that we still have much to learn but i feel reassured that we have teams like the one I speak of here who will ensure we are equipped to look to the future with confidence; with them at the helm we can be sure that as a trust wide team we will be able to provide care to the people of our community that is person centred and delivered with kindness as the compassionate practice of all of our staff shines the light guiding our way ahead.