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Issue 17 2009
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CONNECTING THE PEOPLE OF OXLEAS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
In this issue
ExchangeOxleasExchangeCONNECTING THE PEOPLE OF OXLEAS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
Diary date: Annual Members’ Meeting at the Indigo2 at the 02 in Greenwich on 30/09/09
page 3
Bracton Summer Fair
page 6
A woman of Kent
page 7
TOPS day out
page 3
Nurse of the year2009
pages 4-5
Health andwellbeing
Our interactive new website is livewww.oxleas.nhs.uk
Is this the one to beat?
Our competition to celebrate the new website (pictured above) bygrowing the tallest sunflower is hotting up. The whopper pictured rightis currently over 12 feet high and towers above Somerset Villa at Goldie
Leigh Hospital. The photograph was sent in by Andrew Chin, Ward Manager atSomerset Villa. To see how the other competitors are doing, visitwww.oxleas.nhs.uk/oxleas-members/sunflower-competitionIf you are growing sunflowers but have not yet registered for the competition
you can still take part. Just email [email protected] closing date is 23/09/09 and the prizes will be awarded at our Annual
Members’ Meeting on 30/09/09.
o
Welcome OxleasExchange
Page 2 Issue 20 2009 www.oxleas.nhs.uk [email protected]
Stephen Firn, Chief Executive Dave Mellish, Chair
Positive steps forhealth and wellbeing
Eimear Mallen, elected public governor for Greenwich
Issue 17
Two years into her term as an electedOxleas Governor, Eimear (pronouncedeema) Mallen, has lost none of the
passion that has driven a career spent inchildren’s services.Exchange caught up with Eimear at her
Blackheath home, where she described herpassionate desire to improve the lot ofchildren and young mothers in Bexley,Greenwich and Bromley boroughs.With a degree in social science and social
work plus a post graduate qualification inpsychiatric social work, Eimear, originallyfrom Dublin, has spent the last 40 years livingand working in the UK, most of that time inthe service of children. She spent many years working in Greenwich
for the old Inner London EducationAuthority (ILEA) with the Child GuidanceService, an education based service that wasa forerunner to child and adolescent mentalhealth services (CAMHS). From there Eimearworked as an inclusion worker and advocatefor children in care – a position she recentlyretired from. She said: “I thought that withmy experience I could make a contribution toimproving CAMHS services at the trust and
help to promote mental health andwellbeing in schools generally.“I want to try and involve young people
more in Oxleas, get them to becomemembers and make them more aware ofwhat it is we do and help reduce the stigmathat surrounds mental illness.” To this endEimear has been very much involved insupporting the Headliners project at PriorySchool in Orpington, where students havebeen trained by journalists to produce theirown magazine (see page 8).Another area that Eimear is working to
improve is the plight of women sufferingfrom postnatal depression and the knock-oneffect it can have on their children. She toldExchange: “I am very interested in increasingthe services available for mothers sufferingfrom postnatal depression across the threeboroughs. I believe it is crucial to providegood support and help to mothers that getdepressed after they have had their babies.Early diagnosis and support reduces thepossibility of young mothers feeling worse. Ifit is allowed to go on for any length of timeit can have a detrimental effect on theinfants.” She went on to praise Oxleas’
Orpington Postnatal Depression (PND)Group, which she said “is doing great workin this field.”However, Eimear continued: “In Greenwich
and Bexley this sort of service seems only tobe supported by volunteers. I would like tosee Oxleas get more involved in supportingmothers with PND in these boroughs.”
A life spent helping children
Eimear Mallen at her Blackheath home
Chief Executive, Stephen Firn, and Chair, Dave Mellish
The National Health Service issometimes criticised for being morelike a national sickness service. This is
because of a tendency to focus uponproviding the best possible care to peoplewho are unwell, whilst not doing enough tohelp people stay fit and well. Over the last few months we have been
trying to rectify this by having a particularfocus on promoting health and wellbeing.In the centre pages of this issue there is areport on the really successful Health andWellbeing Being Festival which we held inpartnership with Charlton AthleticCommunity Trust. The theme for the eventwas ‘Five a Day for Positive Mental Health.’Nearly everyone is familiar with the messagethat eating five portions of fruit andvegetables a day is an effective way ofpromoting your physical health. Less wellknown are the five activities which havebeen shown to improve mental wellbeing.
At the festival service users, local people andstaff had the opportunity to learn moreabout the mental health ‘five-a-day’ and putthese into practice in a programme ofactivities. Following the positive feedback from the
event we have decided to continue thehealth and wellbeing theme at our AnnualMembers’ Meeting which will take place atIndigo2 at the O2 in Greenwich on 30September. There will be a furtherprogramme of interactive activities basedaround health and wellbeing as well as anopportunity for staff, members andgovernors to come together to learn moreabout our services and plans for the future.In addition, we will be announcing thewinners of our 2009 Recognition Awards toacknowledge the most innovative andeffective practice across the trust. We havehad around 120 nominations includingmany from users and carers. This is always
an inspiring and uplifting event and wehope as many of you as possible will be ableto attend. All members will be receivingtheir invitations in the next few days.Information about health and wellbeing
also features in our new website which waslaunched in July. This includes up to dateinformation on all our services; advice andguidance on mental health and learningdisability treatments; descriptions ofdifferent conditions and illnesses; and whatother support is available. We have tried tomake the site simple to use and informationas clear and helpful as possible. As well asthe written information, we have added lotsof videos featuring the views andexperiences of service users and staff. Wehope you find this a very useful resourceand welcome your feedback andsuggestions to help us improve the site andensure it meets your needs.
Page 3
OxleasExchangeNews
News in brief
Oxleas Nurse of the Year for 2009 isJackie Waghorn, Assessment andHome Treatment Manager in
Greenwich.Jackie won the day at the sixth Annual
Nursing Conference, which this year was heldat Charlton Athletic’s stadium, The Valley,overlooking the immaculate pitch.Jackie told the conference about a pilot
project, devised to assess the impact ofhaving senior mental health nurses on duty inthe Emergency Department (ED) overnight ina bid to develop new ways of working whichmight improve the user/carer experience andpromote a positive view of mental healthissues amongst ED staff.The pilot project ran for nine weeks starting
in January this year until the end of March.And in true ‘can do’ style Jackie took the bullby the horns and worked the night shiftherself along with senior nurse colleague KimSuchit.After being presented with a £250 first prize
cheque, Jackie said: “I would not haveachieved this without the help and support ofKim and my boss, Acute, Crisis andAssessment Shared Care Team, ServiceManager, Francis Adzinku.”One of the main achievements outlined by
Jackie during her presentation was the factthat during the nine weeks of having seniornurses on nights, the out of hours admissionsrate reduced by almost 50 percent.Jackie again: “Senior nurses, working in new
ways and based in the ED out of hours, hasdemonstrable benefits: a more dignifiedapproach for people in crisis; improved
working relationships with ED; staff feel less stressed and more supported and there arereduced admissions and pressure on beds.”Since the end of the project admissions have
crept up again but Jackie said that plans toexpand the scheme are already underway.Jackie, and all the other shortlisted
candidates, received their prizes andcertificates from Ben Thomas, Mental Healthand Learning Development ‘Nurse Advisor’ atthe Department of Health, who said: “Jackieand everybody else who presented heretoday did so really well and veryprofessionally.”
The other shortlisted Nurse of the Year candidates were: Gaynor Quieros,Community Nurse and Ann Gordon,Community Nurse Manager, both at StuartHouse in Bexley, who were jointly nominated;Jemima Ampomah, staff nurse at the Crisisand Home Treatment Team, Bromley; EbenOfe-Boakye, Team Manager, GreenwichRecovery Team; Clive Stedman, Clinical TeamLeader at Health Clinic, Bracton Centre; andShelley Woodcock, Staff Nurse, at MillbrookWard, Woodlands. Each received a cheque for£100.
Night nurse project comes up trumps for JackieJackie Waghorn is Oxleas’ Nurse of the Year 2009
More news
At first glance it looked like theBracton Centre had acquired a newchef. Closer inspection however
revealed the chef to be none other than JohnEnser, Director of Forensic and Prison Servicesand Bexley Mental Health Services. John was heroically manning the Bracton’s
splendid new BBQ at their annual summerfair on 29 July. The BBQ was built as part of abricklaying project completed by service usersfrom the Bracton and Memorial Hospital inpartnership with Focal Point Training Services.People enjoyed a delicious range of healthy
foods and took part in activities includingsponge throwing, football penalty practice,tombola and guessing the weight of a cake.Patsy Fung, Head of Occuptional Therapy atthe Bracton, said: “I would like to thankeveryone who helped to make this fair asuccess. We raised over £640, our best ever!”The money will benefit the Friends of Henry
de Bracton charity.
Bracton Summer Fair Messin’ with our heads
Mental health charity Young Minds arelooking for support for their newcampaign.
Very Important Kids (VIK), their nationalpanel of young people with mental healthproblems, has launched a manifesto ‘Messin’With Our Heads’ and accompanying film tohighlight the changes they think need to bemade to improve young people’s mental health.Written in their words and including their
own stories it covers 11 areas where theybelieve things must change so that all youngpeople with mental health problems get thesupport they need.Jane, 14, from VIK says: “We need help and
support early on, not when it’s too late. I wasexcluded from the classroom for my disruptivebehaviour, I felt unworthy, unwanted and badwhen all I really wanted was for someone tonotice my distress and help me.”For more information, visit:
www.youngminds.org.uk
From left, Roy Turner and Chas Matkins (FocalPoint), Patsy Fung, John Enser, and Kim and JohnWeatherley, also of Focal Point
Jackie Waghorn, centre, with the other shortlisted candidates
Page 4 Issue 20 2009 www.oxleas.nhs.uk [email protected]
Health and Wellbeing Festival Charlton AIssue 17
Keeping mind and body in shaThe recent Health and Wellbeing Festival at
Football Club, was the result of a partnershiCommunity Trust, that it is hoped will benefService users, local people and Oxleas staff
mental and physical health themed activitievolleyball; health checks; a tea dance and a The theme for the event was “5-a-day for p
5-a-day programme of social and personal aas eating five portions of fruit or vegetablesapproach is proposed in the Mental Capital Government think tank, which aims to encobetter about themselves. Foresight’s researcconnect with others, be active, take notice oto their neighbours and communities.Health and wellbeing is also the theme for
on 30 September. Look out for your invitatio
The tea dance for older adults proved verypopular. Couples danced to live music and OxleasChair, Dave Mellish (pictured right), was seen totrip the light fantastic.
Pat Taylor (pictured centre, above left), was helping out on the busytombola run by Buddies, a group of volunteers aged over 50 from the charityAge Concern. Pat, who became a befriender after suffering from bereavementdepression, said: “Befriending has helped me get over depression andbecome more confident. It’s really worthwhile too, as lots of carers need help.”Patsy Fung, Head of Occupational Therapy at the Bracton Centre and Kim
Weatherly of Focal Point (pictured right) manned a stall that was busy all dayselling wares produced by service users including superb plants and beautifulhand made cards. Patsy said: “It’s so good for our service users to see thatpeople want to buy the plants they have grown and the things they havemade. It really helps to build their confidence and self esteem.” Other stalls offered healthy eating advice; education and employment
opportunities; health advice and information on giving up smoking. Wellbeing testing (below right) was very popular with around 80 people
enjoying consulations with wellbeing trained nurses from Oxleas andGreenwich TPCT.
The exciting final of the football tournCharlton pitch between the Bracton Lio(in red), with the Bracton Lions winninPresenting the trophy, Joint Head of N
the “fantastic competitive spirit that hassuccess.”
Be curious
Give
Page 5
OxleasExchangeAthletic 2009
ape for positive mental healtht The Valley, home of Charlton Athleticip between Oxleas and Charlton Athleticfit the local community for years to come. f came together to enjoy a wide variety ofs including drama; rowing; music making;football tournament.
positive mental health”. The idea is that a activities can improve mental wellbeing, justs per day enhances physical health. Thisand Wellbeing report by Foresight, the
ourage behaviour that will help people feelch concludes that people should try toof their surroundings, keep learning and give
our Annual Members’ Meeting at Indigo2on.
nament was played on the hallowedons (in blue) and Kent Early Interventionng 3-1. Nursing, Phil Garnham, paid tribute tos helped to make this tournament such a
For those who wanted to exercise theircreativity rather than their muscles, there werehat making, drama and music making classescourtesy of Blackheath based The Conservatoire. Pauline Cooper - Head Occupational Therapist
at the Woodlands unit, also ran a popularcreative writing session and art group Credosold beautiful ceramics made by service users.
ConnectDeveloping relationships with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours will enrich your life and bring you support.Be activeSports, hobbies like gardening or dancing, or even a daily stroll will make you feel good and maintain fitness.Be curiousNoting the beauty of everyday moments as well as the unusual and reflecting on them helps you to appreciate what matters to you.LearnFixing a bike, learning an instrument, cooking - the challenge and satisfaction brings fun and confidence.GiveHelping friends and strangers links your happiness to a wider community and is very rewarding.
Five-a-day for mental health
Learn
Connect
Be active
Source: Mental Capital and Wellbeingreport, www.foresight.gov.uk
Page 6 Issue 20 2009 www.oxleas.nhs.uk [email protected]
OxleasExchangeExchange storiesSandi Lowing, appointed governor
Issue 17 2009
You can take the woman out of Kentbut you can’t take Kent out of thewoman. At least that would appear
to be the case for Oxleas governor, SandiLowing.Sandi, 57, who also happens to be Chief
Executive of Bromley Mind, was raised inthe United States – in Kent County,Michigan. Now she works in Orpington, Kent.She has worked for Mind for 30 years and
been in Bromley for a decade. She said: “My passion at Mind has always been
about giving people the support and toolsthey need to help themselves.“As an appointed governor at Oxleas I
represent the voluntary sector. The maintheme of my work is to promote working inpartnership with other organisations. Mindhas a long standing, positive relationshipwith Oxleas. However, Oxleas sometimes stillhas work to do in the partnership area. Myrole is to remind Oxleas that it cannot doeverything alone and that it needs to workwith partner organisations.”Sandi is particularly proud of the fact that
Bromley Mind will soon be opening a fourthspecialist day care centre for dementiasufferers, in St. Paul’s Cray. Recently TV chat show star Trisha Goddard
presented Sandi with an award in
recognition of achieving the higheststandards in providing mental healthservices to the local community. BromleyMind was particularly commended for itsservices for people with dementia and foryoung mothers.Trisha Goddard, who as well as being a
renowned TV personality is also a mentalhealth expert, said: "Bromley Mind has beengiven this award in recognition of havingachieved the highest possible standard inhow it operates." Bromley Mind, which helps over 1,700
people each year at sites in Bromley,Beckenham and Orpington, was recentlyreviewed by national Mind as one of threelocal Mind organisations leading the way inproviding excellent mental health care. TheCharity Commission has also accreditedBromley Mind as a top level effectivecharitable organisation.Reviewers were particularly impressed with
MindCare, Bromley Mind's specialist servicefor people with dementia. MindCare provides round-the-clock support, includingday centres, care at home, and respite forcarers. In addition to older people's services,Bromley Mind also offers a full range of services helping people deal with common problems such as stress, anxiety and
depression, along with practical lifestylesupport such as benefits advice for people with enduring mental distress.Sandi said: "We were all delighted to hear
that Bromley Mind was awarded the toplevel award for Quality Management in Mind. Everyone in the organisation hasplayed a part - our service users by helpingus set priorities and standards that areimportant to them, staff and volunteers bybeing totally focused on and caringenormously about their work, and trusteesby taking the long view and making sureresources go where they make the mostdifference."To find out more about Bromley Mind, go
to www.bromleymind.org.uk
A woman of Kent
Sandi Lowing, left, is presented with an awardby TV personality Trisha Goddard
Former service users Thalita and Derek Allen tell Exchange their inspiring story
Love conquers all - according to theRoman poet Virgil - and that wascertainly the case for two former service
users who met on Shrewsbury ward at OxleasHouse, Greenwich.Now happily married and living in their
Abbey Wood home with a Yorkshire Terriercalled Elvis and two cockatoo birds - Specklesand Leo - Thalita and Derek Allen met whilethey were both suffering from depression aspatients on Shrewsbury ward in early 2006.Derek was playing Rummikub with other
patients one evening during January whenThalita asked if she could join in. Derekdeclared that he was the Rummikubchampion of Shrewsbury ward and thatThalita would not be able to beat him. In thefirst two rounds Derek won, but the thirdtime Thalita was victorious. This sparkednumerous gags, laughter and many hours ofconversation, the start of a long termrelationship and eventually marriage.Derek, aged 50, spent 27 years in the
building industry. A south London boy, he hasrecently taken to academia and later this year
is going to study theology at OxfordUniversity. As Derek said: “Isn’t thatawesome? Me, a former service user atOxleas will be studying at one of the greatuniversities in our country. I can’t wait.”But there have been tough times as well. A
few years ago he had given up on life. Hewas in massive debt and depressed. He said:“I was so bad I ended up living on the streets– at one stage my home was in a forest. NowI always try to stay away from negativethings. I always try and look for the positive.”Thalita, aged 35, is a social work team
manager, specialising in child protection atHackney Council. She said: “My husband andI are most thankful for the support and helpthat we have received from Oxleas over thepast few years. I have struggled withdepression since my early twenties and metDerek whilst in hospital as he was also aninpatient in the same ward. He was also veryill with depression and underwent ElectroConvulsive Therapy. “We both left the ward at about the same
time, continued our friendship and fell in
love. On my birthday in August 2006, Derekproposed. He just went down on one knee inthe middle of my living room, asking if Iwould be his wife. With total certainty in myheart I said yes.”
Amor vincit omnia - Love conquers allThalita and Derek Allen contacted Exchange to share their uplifting story. If you have a story to tell, please get in touch with us by email orin writing at the address at the bottom of page 8.
Thalita and Derek Allen
Page 7
OxleasExchangeLearning disabilities
TOPS, the day service for older peoplewith learning disabilities, recently tooka trip out to Eagle Heights bird of prey
centre in Eynsford, Kent. Despite it being one of the rainiest days of
the year, everyone enjoyed themselves.Barbara, who attends TOPS, said: “Eventhough it rained it did not stop us fromenjoying the animals and trip.” For Sandy,who has been attending the centre for threemonths, the highlight was the picnic: “It wasreally nice to be out with my new friends”she said.Vish Naick, who is Team Coordinator and
Occupational Therapist at TOPS, said: “All inall, everyone had a great time and other tripsare being planned.”
Bexley and Bromley Advocacy has launched a new website to support people withlearning disabilities (LD) in south east London to keep healthy. The Advocate 4 Health website has been developed with the help of people with LD
and funding from London councils. Bexley and Bromley Advocacy plans to run workshops with day centres and other service
providers to help people with a learning disability access the site and increase theirknowledge of health related issues. You can find the colourful and easy to use website at: www.advocate4health.org.ukFor more information, please contact project worker Naomi Rose at:
[email protected] or telephone 020 8300 9666.
New health website to support learning disabilities
TOPS day out
In one man’s opinion the unit he works inwould grind to a halt if it were not forthe hard work and dedication of the
“terrific” team of support workercolleagues.Vish Naick is Occupational Therapist
(OT)/Team Coordinator of The Older PersonsService or TOPS at Goldie Leigh, AbbeyWood in Greenwich. The unit provides dayservices between Monday and Friday for upto 20 people generally aged 65 or more,who have been assessed as having learningdisabilities (LD).After more than a year with the trust, Vish
can’t praise his co-workers too highly. Hesaid: “Our support workers have to beeverything all rolled in to one - and they areenthusiastic with it.”Vish, who decided to train as an OT after
spending the best part of a decade workingin the cut throat world of PR, said: “Itseemed such a rewarding career. I came to itlate but thoroughly enjoy the job. One ofthe things that is so important to LD serviceusers is a client centred approach whichgives people a choice. It is so important totreat clients as individuals.”Of course none of this would be possible
without thededication ofthree full-timesupport workers,one part-time, onebank worker andthe occasionalstudent. Theycook, drive busesto pick clients upand drop themback home. Onespecialises in roastdinners, one stew.The unit alwayscelebrates service users’ birthdays – at which time they get to choose lunch. Recent day trips have included an outing to
Herne Bay in Kent and a boat trip on theThames. The TOPS garden is having a bit of a
makeover with some colourful flower restocking and the installation of a greenhouse and vegetable growing area.And recently Vish has been working in the
neighbouring Tall Trees unit, which catersfor adults up to middle age with LD. He
said: “The client group can be challenging. However, the team handle each situationwith professionalism, respect, dignity andfairness. They have a wonderful rapportwith each of the service users.“I know LD is not always top of the list for
praise, but I think the Tall Trees teamdeserve it. We are very lucky to have peopleworking for Tall Trees and TOPS withexperience, knowledge and personalitieswhich result in a first rate service.”
From left to right, support workers Tina Jackaman, Sue Cannon, DeniseTomkins, Paul Salter and OT/Team Coordinator Vish Naick
Exchange visits TOPS
Support workers are TOPS
Sandy poses with eagle at Eagle Heights
In June, Director of CAMHS and LearningDisability Services, Stephen Whitmore, tookpart in a question and answer session for
the weekly Beat the Blues physical and mentalhealth promotion group at the GreenwichCommunity Learning Disability Team (CLDT),Civic House, Woolwich. He was well receivedby the gathering and explained about his rolewithin adult learning disabilities.Stephen also answered questions put to him
from the audience including how CLDT andOxleas support adults with learningdisabilities. Beat the Blues has been running for three
and a half years and always welcomes visitingspeakers. If you have experience you thinkwould be good to share with the group andare happy to come along to Beat the Blues totalk about it, contact Heidi McKay on 020 8921 4860.
Got something to say – say it to Beat the Blues
Stephen Whitmore, left, with Julian James
OxleasExchangeRound up
Please send us your letters and news stories. You can contact the Communications Team at: [email protected] or call 01322 625754 or write to us at Communications, Pinewood House, Pinewood Place, Dartford, Kent DA2 7WG.
If you prefer to receive Oxleas Exchange by email, please email us at: [email protected]
More news
Page 8 Issue 20 2009 www.oxleas.nhs.uk [email protected]
Printed using predominantly recycled paper and vegetable oil inks.
Issue 17 2009
Respect in Bexley is a self-advocacy group that since July2008 has been working with the University ofGreenwich on a project to improve healthcare for
people with learning disabilities in Bexley. This has includedgiving talks to primary care medical staff and presentations toOxleas and Bexley and Bromley Learning Disability PartnershipBoards. Later this year they will join tutors at the University ofGreenwich to take part in nurse training.For more information, please contact: Respect in Bexley,
Coach House, 37a Lesney Park Road, Erith DA8 3DQ. Tel:01322 336973 or email: [email protected]
The Greenwich Local Involvement Network (LINk) is anetwork of local people, organisations and groups fromacross Greenwich borough who want to make health
and social services better. If you would like to have a say in the planning and delivery
of health and social care services in Greenwich, you can findout more from Christine Manoharan on 07920 084 838 [email protected]
Respect in Bexley
Respect in Bexley - from left, Geoffrey Leer, Kenneth Thwaites,Blanche Holmes, Robin Brown and Nicki Fowler
A say in health and social careTransforming inpatient care
An Oxleas team recentlyattended a conference ontransforming inpatient care
held at West Ham Football Club.The conference – Mental Health
Acute Ward Transformation –organised by North East London NHSFoundation Trust, saw some 240delegates from around the countrygather to discuss advances in a serviceoften viewed as a grim outpost of lastresort. The Oxleas team – Dr Geraldine
Strathdee (Trust Clinical Director),Catherine Kirwan (Charge Nurse onGoddington Ward), and MarkMcManus (Team Manager BromleyAssertive Community TreatmentTeam) outlined their ‘themedapproach’ of ‘improving lives’.This spans the use of
audit/intelligent information asdescribed by Dr Strathdee to reducethe numbers on wards due to arelapse in a psychotic episode from89 percent to 49 percent in fiveyears, leading to a situation wherepatients can be managed in thecommunity. The same use of audit has
enabled Oxleas to become a leader inprescribing.But reducing the numbers needing
to be admitted in the first place isonly part of the prescription.The team went on to talk about
how patients’ lives could beimproved through structureddaytime activity and guidance onself-managing medication. They alsodescribed how integrating theassessments started on the ward witha range of social inclusionprogrammes could help people tolive safely and meaningfully in thecommunity.
From left, Dr Geraldine Strathdee, MarkMcManus and Catherine Kirwan
Apower cut which plungedmuch of Dartford intodarkness did not deter an
intrepid group of young reportersfrom giving a presentation to seniorOxleas staff and governors in July.The young Oxleas members – who
are sixth form students at the PriorySchool in Orpington – were reportingon their progress with ‘Escape’ amental health-themed magazine foryoung people.The magazine is being produced as
a collaboration between the trust,the school and the news agency,Headliners. Despite having no visual aids, the
students impressed their audience bydescribing their articles aimed atraising awareness of mental healthissues among young people. The magazine is due to be
published in the autumn and will bedistributed among local schools andcommunity organisations.For more information, please
contact the Communications Team on 01322 625754.
Headliners power up as Dartford goes off-line
Think you’ve got the flu?
Stay at home. Call your health centre and explain why you can’t come in.Reception staff will take your details and arrange for a mental health professional to call you.The health professional will carry out an assessment over the phone and arrange for appropriate treatment.If you arrive at your health centre and appear to have flu symptoms, staff will show you to a room where you will be assessed by a mental health professional and receive appropriate treatment.
For information on dealing with flu, call the swine fluinformation line 0800 1 513 513 or visit www nhs.uk orwww.direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu
If you use Oxleas’ community services and you think you mayhave flu, you can still get treatment. The following guidelinesexplain what will happen:
