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Nursing
We employ over 1,200 nurses at Oxleas who work with within adult, mental health, children and learning disabilities services, working with patients in their own homes, at clinics, as inpatients, within schools and prisons.
As the largest of our professional workforce, our nurses are committed to improving lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families.
Infection control
We are committed to protecting patients, staff and visitors from the risk of health care associated infections.
Everyone has a role in reducing the spread of infection. It is important that patients, staff and visitors work together to reduce the risk of infections and to maintain a clean and safe hospital environment.
As a patient you can help by:
- Washing your hands carefully with soap and water after using the toilet and before meals (staff should also wash their hands before having direct contact with you)
- Only bringing essential items of property when coming into hospital
- Keeping your room / bed-space tidy and uncluttered so that domestic staff can clean more easily
- Making sure personal toiletries are for your use only, and are stored in your room avoid using bars of soap - use the provided liquid soap instead
- Expecting your room to be cleaned daily
- Telling the nurse in charge if you are concerned about cleanliness
- Letting staff know immediately if you have diarrhoea or vomiting
As a visitor you can help by:
- Washing your hands before and after visiting use alcohol hand-gel where available
- Avoiding visiting if you are unwell, try to keep your visits to a minimum if there is an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting on the ward you are visiting - the Ward staff will advise you
- Not bringing food into the ward without arranging this with the nurse in charge
- Telling the nurse in charge if you are concerned about cleanliness
It's ok to ask!
We encourage patients and visitors to help us prevent infection by asking our staff if they have washed their hands.
If you have any questions about infections, hygiene or cleanliness please ask the ward staff or manager, or you can contact our Trust Infection Control Nurse, Helen Nicholls on 01322 625700 or email h.nicholls@nhs.net.
Care Planning
Care plans are about outlining the care we have agreed with the service user as important to improve their health and wellbeing. They should include information about who will provide the care and what difference it should make when appropriately delivered.
This is important because evidence shows that patients are more likely to achieve their goals when they are involved in developing their care plans and they are written in a way they understand.
Personalised care planning empowers individuals, promotes independence and helps people to be more involved in decisions about their care.
Our Guide to Care Planning can be viewed here:
View more of our strategies in our Oxleas Strategies Library: https://www.oxleasstrategies.com/
MH Legislation
The Mental Health Act (1983) is the main piece of legislation that covers the assessment, treatment and rights of people with a mental health disorder. If you are very unwell, you might be, detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act; following this you may then be discharged from hospital under a community treatment order.
You have the right to free and confidential support from an independent mental health advocate (IMHA) if you are under section.
The nearest relative of someone under section also has particular powers under the act.
Ask a member of staff if you have any Mental Health Act concerns and complaints. If you disagree with your section or want it to end, you can appeal.
Voluntary patients have chosen to be in hospital. They are also known as informal patients.
Mental Capacity Act
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) provides a framework to protect vulnerable people over the age of 16 who are not able to make their own decisions.
It makes it clear who can make decisions for people who are unable to themselves and in what situations decisions can be made.
It also allows people to plan ahead in case of a time where they may lose capacity.
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
These safeguards are part of the Mental Capacity Act, to protect adults who lack the capacity to make decisions about their care. They give health professionals the power to detain patients for their own safety.
To better understand these safeguards and what your rights are, please see our leaflet:
Non-violent Resistance (NVR)
Non-violent resistance (NVR) addresses violent, destructive and harmful behaviours in children and adolescents. It is an approach that draws inspiration from those who have sought to bring about changes in society in a non-violent manner. Famous examples include Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.
These methods and ideas are used in community and family settings to help parents and carers with their parenting. It can help parents and carers overcome feelings of helplessness and develop a support network that will stop violent and destructive behaviours both in and out of the home.
Oxleas pioneered the NVR group programme in the UK in 2006. The course offers a series of tools and techniques to support parents and carers of children / young people who display challenging attitudes and behaviours. Oxleas offer NVR courses and interventions in the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich for parents / carers of children who are open to CAMHS. NVR courses may also be available for families under social care.
Further information on this is available from Pete Brown, our Greenwich Parenting Lead, Greenwich CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service)
E-mail: pete.brown2@nhs.net
Tel: 0203 260 5211
Highpoint House
Memorial Hospital
Shooters Hill
London SE18 3RZ
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