Learning

For teams or individuals introducing new ideas by improving the way they work, such as by improving information, communicating more clearly or promoting new ways of social inclusion.

Winner: Bromley Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team Experts by Experience

This team won the award for their innovative practice of supporting service users to share their experiences of recovery from complex long-term conditions with staff at induction.

Service user ‘experts by experience’ Paul Williams, Natalie Attwood and Sergey Shapovalov tell staff their stories of hope and recovery and explain what support service users need from staff. New staff members have described their presentations as “energising” and “motivating” and “a fantastic addition to the trust induction.”

They have also recorded films to inspire other service users and help staff understand their conditions. Paul has presented at a large national conference with his consultant psychiatrist and is currently working with Bromley Advocacy Project to become a teacher and trainer.

Runner up: Greenwich Market Stall

This team was nominated for their innovative promotion of work opportunities and social inclusion for service users within our Forensic and Prison services.

The project provides service users with a practical opportunity to set up and run a monthly market stall selling hand made cards, crafts, jewellery, plants and picture frames in Greenwich Market. Service users run the stall and produce all items for sale. The stall helps them to gain valuable work experience, build their confidence and sense of self worth, and develop their social skills.

A service user said “it gives me the opportunity to meet members of the public, develop my communication skills and learn how to run a market stall.”

Commended: Shan Palanisamy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, Memorial Hospital

Shan was nominated several times for his dedication and outstanding contribution to the trust’s psychological services over the last 19 years. He pioneered the development of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) services in the trust in Greenwich and has consistently provided a high standard of care to his clients.

Commended: Francis Thompson, Practice Development Nurse, Banbury House

Francis was nominated for setting up and delivering a training programme at Green Parks House for health care assistants (HCAs). The programme has helped HCAs to better engage with service users and make beneficial changes to their practice. Feedback from participants has been excellent and Francis has used the learning to develop supervision training for staff at Green Parks House.

Commended: Open Page Magazine Team

This team was nominated for the way staff and service users work together to produce the Open Page magazine which is distributed across Greenwich to a consistently high standard. Service users make contributions that are within their own reach but are actively supported to develop their confidence and skills. The magazine’s membership has recently expanded to include service users from the recovery teams and this has encouraged peer development.

Commended: Qaisra Khan, Spiritual and Cultural Care Coordinator

Qaisra has been a driving force behind the development of the spiritual and cultural care service and her concentration on taking service users’ perspectives into account has been very helpful in their recovery. She has trained staff and set up and run a number of focus groups and workshops across the trust.