Partnership

For teams or individuals working in partnership with other professionals or external agencies. This could be to ensure that our service users get help with occupation, leisure, welfare, housing and physical health needs.

Winner: Greenwich CAMHS Arsenal Team

The team has won this award for consistently delivering excellent child and adolescent mental health (CAMHS) services to children living in the most socially deprived parts of Greenwich. They have achieved this through multi-disciplinary team work and by fostering an ethos of respect and creativity.

The weekly team meeting has provided invaluable peer support which has minimised the effects of stress and anxiety on staff and avoided staff ‘burn out’. The team has worked hard to implement a philosophy of ‘joined up working’ with the other agencies that the service users and their families may be involved with. An example is the consultation appointments offered to social workers which provide an opportunity for all parties to consider the needs of families before a treatment plan is offered. Similarly, the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) clinic run in collaboration between Oxleas and Greenwich TPCT has brought a number of care pathways together into a coherent whole.

The work of the Wednesday family therapy clinic is currently being filmed for a BBC documentary which it is hoped will serve as an excellent example of child centred practice and help to reduce the stigma attached to accessing CAMHS services.

Runner up: New website/Communications Team

Each member of the Communications Team made a huge contribution the trust’s innovative new website which launched in July. They went beyond the call of duty to ensure that the project was a success, overcoming several obstacles on the way. They worked in partnership with staff from across the trust, service users and carers to ensure it contains a huge amount of useful information.

One of the key features of the site is the multimedia film and audio clips. Andrew Mayor received particular praise for his contribution to the creation of over 30 information videos that appear on the new site. Under pressure he quickly learnt a new skill set to write scripts, arrange shoots and liaise with staff and service users to get everyone needed for filming at the right place at the same time. Though the work was often time consuming and frustrating, he carried it out in good spirit while at the same time keeping on top of his many other duties. The films are excellent quality and feedback from staff, governors and service users who have seen them is very positive. Andrew also chairs the trust Editorial Group made up of service users and carers who, over the last 12 months, have quality assured a vast range of information leaflets that are available on the website.

Commended: Time Clinic

This team, which includes staff from several Oxleas teams and other organisations, was nominated for their enthusiasm and dedication in supporting pregnant women assessed as being at risk of developing mental illness during or after pregnancy. They offer a preventative service that supports women who might otherwise find themselves in secondary mental health services with the risk of separation from their child. They have achieved a doubling of the service provision since the clinic was established in 2006 and the feedback from the women has been overwhelmingly positive.

Commended: Karen Bull, Community Bridge Builder, Recovery Team Greenwich

Karen was nominated for single handedly implementing Sports4all, a programme of physical exercise, across the Greenwich recovery services. She set up a football team for service users which is registered with the London County FA and plays in the Positive Mental Attitude London League. The Sports4all programme has promoted social inclusion by helping service users to overcome barriers to mainstream community services. It has also helped their recovery by improving their mental and physical health.

Commended: Liese Dallarda, Community Psychiatric Nurse, Bexley

Liese was nominated for “her outstanding work in providing support to the carer of a Bexley Assertive Outreach Team client.” Liese provided practical support including writing letters to external agencies and acted as an advocate at meetings where the carer had previously felt isolated. The carer now receives services she waited years for and has time to enjoy herself and develop her own interests. She now feels very positive about Oxleas and her son describes her as “a new woman.”