Establishing new mindset on mental health issues
Lucy Ross-Millar looks at how Addenbrooke’s is working to remove the stigma associated with mental illness.
Mental health illnesses such as anxiety or depression can creep up slowly when least expected – anyone can be affected.
One in four people experience them in their lifetime and patients with long- term physical illnesses are often likely to suffer.
A recent report by the Department of Health, No Health Without Mental Health, shows that if you have a long term physical problem you are likely to develop a mental health issue as a result.
Despite the common nature of these illnesses, it is still a taboo subject, poorly understood and surrounded by confusion.
Nurses and psychiatrists at Addenbrooke’s are trying to eradicate the stigma that has been attached to mental illness for centuries.
Since 2009, more than 250 staff at the hospital have completed the internationally recognised Mental Health First Aid training to enable them to provide immediate assistance to anyone suffering from mental health issues.
Joy Bray, 60, is a mental health specialist nurse and works with liaison psychiatry at Addenbrooke’s. She is employed to work directly with patients on the wards. She says funding has been secured to continue the staff training until the end of the year and hopes the programme will continue.
She said: “The idea is that we teach people to deal with mental health problems properly. We are looking at working with patients psychologically as well as physically – it is more of a holistic approach.
“Specialist liaison psychiatrists work on site so both in-patients and out-patients have immediate recourse to highly qualified psychiatrists.
“Therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy and analytical therapy are used.
“We want to get people thinking about what they can do to improve their mental health.”
Cambridge University Hospitals is also trying to help staff who may be suffering from long-term mental health problems such as stress and depression with initiatives such as Care First, a counselling service.
Helen Chittock, 29, a research and development directorate financial analyst at Addenbrooke’s, helped to set up a group for staff to discuss their problems.
After having time off work for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), she wanted to help others to tackle their problems and to help staff stay in work.
With colleague Jo Morris, who works for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, she set up the group It’s Not Just You, which now offers services at lunchtime.
Around 10 members of staff meet monthly and Helen is hopeful that many more will join in the future.
She said: “I suffer from OCD and when I came back to work Jo and I realised that there was no forum within the trust where staff could talk openly without fear of discrimination.
“We set up the group last year and with a lot of help from Joy and Monica Jacot from HR we now hold regular sessions and chat about ways to deal with various problems.
“Vicarious learning is very positive in terms of realising that you are not alone.
“We encourage people to stay in work and try to get people to address their lifestyle factors – it’s a very pro-active group.
“We also have speakers who come in and members of the group suggest topics they would like to cover.”
Helen returned to work in January and says that setting up the group voluntarily, outside working hours, has made her a stronger person.
She said: “Working with other people who suffer from mental health problems is very beneficial and this group is a unique initiative in that it’s run by staff for staff.
“I am passionate about tackling the stigma surrounding mental health and am currently planning to complete a psychology degree with the Open University.
“I feel there is so much more that can be done.”
From today, staff and patients at Addenbrooke’s are celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week to publicise the It’s Not Just You group.
It is now the second year the event has run and Helen and Joy hope the week will be even more successful than last year in terms of helping to tackle the stigma attached to mental health problems.
Staff are invited to attend a number of talks, including a Wellness Recovery Action Plan talk by Joy tomorrow, as well as a mindful employer talk on Thursday and a Tai Chi workshop on Friday.
Helen added: “We will have a stand in the concourse to chat with staff and encourage them to find help for any issues they may suffer from.
“The sooner they talk to us about their issues the sooner they can benefit from the professional support available.”
Mental Health Awareness Week is being held as a lead-in to World Mental Health Day on October 10.
Cambridge University Hospitals Trust was one of the first major trusts in the country to sign up to the national Time to Change pledge, which addresses many of the issues that both Helen and Joy are concerned about.
For more information visit www.time-to-change.org.uk.
lucy.ross-millar@cambridge-news.co.uk
Helen Chittock, left, and Joy Bray
One in four people experience them in their lifetime and patients with long- term physical illnesses are often likely to suffer.
A recent report by the Department of Health, No Health Without Mental Health, shows that if you have a long term physical problem you are likely to develop a mental health issue as a result.
Despite the common nature of these illnesses, it is still a taboo subject, poorly understood and surrounded by confusion.
Nurses and psychiatrists at Addenbrooke’s are trying to eradicate the stigma that has been attached to mental illness for centuries.
Since 2009, more than 250 staff at the hospital have completed the internationally recognised Mental Health First Aid training to enable them to provide immediate assistance to anyone suffering from mental health issues.
Joy Bray, 60, is a mental health specialist nurse and works with liaison psychiatry at Addenbrooke’s. She is employed to work directly with patients on the wards. She says funding has been secured to continue the staff training until the end of the year and hopes the programme will continue.
She said: “The idea is that we teach people to deal with mental health problems properly. We are looking at working with patients psychologically as well as physically – it is more of a holistic approach.
“Specialist liaison psychiatrists work on site so both in-patients and out-patients have immediate recourse to highly qualified psychiatrists.
“Therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy and analytical therapy are used.
“We want to get people thinking about what they can do to improve their mental health.”
Cambridge University Hospitals is also trying to help staff who may be suffering from long-term mental health problems such as stress and depression with initiatives such as Care First, a counselling service.
Helen Chittock, 29, a research and development directorate financial analyst at Addenbrooke’s, helped to set up a group for staff to discuss their problems.
After having time off work for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), she wanted to help others to tackle their problems and to help staff stay in work.
With colleague Jo Morris, who works for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, she set up the group It’s Not Just You, which now offers services at lunchtime.
Around 10 members of staff meet monthly and Helen is hopeful that many more will join in the future.
She said: “I suffer from OCD and when I came back to work Jo and I realised that there was no forum within the trust where staff could talk openly without fear of discrimination.
“We set up the group last year and with a lot of help from Joy and Monica Jacot from HR we now hold regular sessions and chat about ways to deal with various problems.
“Vicarious learning is very positive in terms of realising that you are not alone.
“We encourage people to stay in work and try to get people to address their lifestyle factors – it’s a very pro-active group.
“We also have speakers who come in and members of the group suggest topics they would like to cover.”
Helen returned to work in January and says that setting up the group voluntarily, outside working hours, has made her a stronger person.
She said: “Working with other people who suffer from mental health problems is very beneficial and this group is a unique initiative in that it’s run by staff for staff.
“I am passionate about tackling the stigma surrounding mental health and am currently planning to complete a psychology degree with the Open University.
“I feel there is so much more that can be done.”
From today, staff and patients at Addenbrooke’s are celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week to publicise the It’s Not Just You group.
It is now the second year the event has run and Helen and Joy hope the week will be even more successful than last year in terms of helping to tackle the stigma attached to mental health problems.
Staff are invited to attend a number of talks, including a Wellness Recovery Action Plan talk by Joy tomorrow, as well as a mindful employer talk on Thursday and a Tai Chi workshop on Friday.
Helen added: “We will have a stand in the concourse to chat with staff and encourage them to find help for any issues they may suffer from.
“The sooner they talk to us about their issues the sooner they can benefit from the professional support available.”
Mental Health Awareness Week is being held as a lead-in to World Mental Health Day on October 10.
Cambridge University Hospitals Trust was one of the first major trusts in the country to sign up to the national Time to Change pledge, which addresses many of the issues that both Helen and Joy are concerned about.
For more information visit www.time-to-change.org.uk.
lucy.ross-millar@cambridge-news.co.uk
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