Cold snap Baby talk And the winner is... It’s time for winter readiness. We’ve earned Unicef’s There’s still time to make Are you prepared? (p2-3) approval for our infant Staff Awards nominations care (p7) (p17) January/February 2019 www.thepulse.scot.nhs.uk thepulse GOLD STANDARDS FROM OUR TEAMS! Our innovations win two major accolades at Scottish Health Awards (p12-13) 10 MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS 11 Partnership events Picture: L-R Dorothy Carbray, Pledging to remove Lynn Hammond, Liam Rankin, to help strategy Frank O’Donnell, Dr Debra O’Neill mental health stigmas development The staff and pupils at Airdrie Academy have launched its new collaborative A new Lanarkshire Mental Health positive mental health campaign Strategy is currently being drafted. ‘Heads Up’. It aims to raise awareness It’s to support the Scottish about mental health problems, Government’s 10-year National including suicide, and to empower Mental Health Strategy which was young people to start having positive published in 2017 which will look conversations about mental health to at: stamp out stigma. • Prevention and early As part of the initiative, the school detection is partnering with Stigma Free • Access to treatment and Lanarkshire (SFL), a Lanarkshire-wide joined-up accessible services movement that is bringing people together to influence change and • Physical well-being of people challenge mental health stigma and with mental health problems discrimination. “We are inspired by the school’s staff • Rights, information use and The staff and pupils of Airdrie and pupils and the work that they planning Academy have signed the SFL pledge are doing now and will do through • children and young people’s and are committed to being active their pledge. This voice of support mental health and playing a meaningful part in the can change minds, behaviours, and • Data and measurement. movement. This means creating an ultimately, lives.” As part of the Lanarkshire understanding through awareness, The school is also working in strategy, a series of development opening conversations and having partnership with Airdrieonians who events with wide partnership support available when a staff member are embarking on several projects, involvement have been arranged or pupil does want to talk to someone including suicide prevention. As to map out existing services and about mental health worries or issues. suicide is the main cause of young to scope out future developments Jenny Hutton, interim public mental deaths in Scotland, the club recognise and priorities. health and well-being development the importance of teaming up with manager, NHS Lanarkshire and chair Suicide Prevention North Lanarkshire of Lanarkshire Recovery Network said: to raise awareness. “We are delighted to be involved with For more on Stigma Free Lanarkshire, Airdrie Academy in working together visit: www.elament.org.uk/ to tackle mental health stigma in lanarkshire-recovery-network/ or Lanarkshire. telephone 01698 265232. Helping our staff cope One year of helping LIAM GIVES BACK AFTER with work’s challenges those in distress A new ‘Mindfulness’ initiative has been cognitive therapy. introduced at Carluke Community The practice of Mindfulness involves In November, partners in the Health Centre to boost the well-being becoming more attuned to the present Health and Social Care North SUPPORT HE’S RECEIVED and reduce stress for mental health moment – including body, thoughts Lanarkshire distress brief administrative staff. and feelings – which can alter our intervention (DBI) programme Fifty-year-old Liam Rankin has had his Through the support provided by clinical now part of a pilot project launched by NHS This group of staff are the frontline relationship to stress and distress. celebrated one full year of life turned around thanks to the support psychologist Dr Debra O’Neill and the CMHT, Education for Scotland (NES) which will see of care and often face challenging connected, compassionate support. provided by the community mental health Liam has been supported and encouraged to him provide ‘Psychosocial Interventions for The first group sessions were positively team (CMHT) at East Kilbride’s Hunter Health become a community champion for See Me Psychosis’ training across Lanarkshire for situations when speaking to people in received by staff who attended and Morag Dendy, interim head of Centre. - Scotland’s programme to end mental health mental health staff who have a keyworker role distress. To address this issue, senior plans are under way to continue them. planning performance and quality stigma and discrimination – and regularly and work with people who have experience of charge nurse Nicola McLean from the assurance at Health and Social Since 2010, Liam has been supported by It is hoped that Mindfulness practice holds events to raise awareness of the stigma psychosis. Clydesdale psychological therapies Care North Lanarkshire, said: “We a multi-disciplinary team - involving a will assist staff with improving well- around mental health issues in the workplace team (PTT), arranged Mindfulness wanted to recognise all the hard community psychiatric nurse, specialist Dr O’Neill said: “Liam has been an active being and responses to distress at work and across the community. sessions for staff. work that all the partners have put occupational therapist, clinical psychologist participant through the support offered by – and indeed at home. in over this first year to implement and clinical support worker in partnership Through this role, Liam has also become a the team. He has used this positively and, with Administrators across mental health Comments from staff who took part DBI. with social work services - for those with media volunteer for the See Me ‘Time to Talk’ the psychosocial interventions training, he services in Clydesdale were afforded included: “Valuable, helpful skill to complex mental health needs. initiative, appearing in national press and on is now providing training to mental health access to a series of Mindfulness “It’s their efforts which are helping relieve stress at work, at home, in radio. professionals across NHS Lanarkshire to help sessions in September which ran for to support people and enable them Liam said: “The support I’ve had has been family relationships and friendships” them better understand the issues around four weeks for groups of four to five. to manage their current distress fantastic. Everyone has been so nice – they Through his experience, Liam now plans to and “I thoroughly enjoyed the sessions mental ill-health.” and make them more confident have gone above and beyond. They’re always set up a choir involving community mental Run by the Mindfulness Trainers and I would look forward to them each about managing any future there if I need them – I wouldn’t be where I health staff and See Me volunteers which For more on the See Me programme, visit: Network in NHS Lanarkshire, the week. Nicola, along with the other distress.” am today without them.” will tour across Scotland. In addition, he is www.seemescotland.org sessions followed the evidence-based lovely ladies that were in the group model of Mindfulness-based stress brought some well needed peace and reduction and Mindfulness-based calm to my life”. 18 STAFF BENEFITS RETIRALS 19 SO LONG & ENJOY YOUR GET BACK TO NATURE (IN STYLE) WELL-DESERVED RETIREMENT We have teamed up with NHS Staff essence of Scotland. Some cabins have discount code. Friends, family and colleagues gathered Benefits and Forest Holidays to offer one enchanting views of Loch Lubnaig while To enter, answer the following question: to pay a special goodbye to health records lucky reader a £250 gift voucher to be others occupy a grassy forest glade. manager Anne Baker who retired from NHS Lanarkshire in September. used at any time of the year. At Ardgartan Argyll, the loch-side setting In which two Scottish locations can Anne, who was based at University Hospital A Forest Holiday is whatever you choose of the cabins will take your breath away. Forest Holidays be found? Monklands, is one of the original members it to be - from activities led by its forest From the comfort of your cabin (or of the health records department, having rangers, to exploring the forest on foot the tranquility of your hot tub), enjoy amassed a remarkable 39 years’ service or by bike, to spending the evening magnificent views across the tranquil Please send your competition answer during her career. underneath a canopy of trees, gazing Loch Long to the snow-capped mountains including your name, location and contact at the stars from your own private hot beyond. number to: Colleagues gathered to pay a special tub. Bring the dog for walks along the farewell to Catherine (Cathy) Courtney Whether your cabin of choice is a Alison McCutcheon, Communications forest trails, invite the whole family for Department, NHS Lanarkshire who retired in September after an Anne Baker Janis Oldcorn Katrina Taylor a long-awaited get-together or make it sumptuous Silver Birch, a romantic Headquarters, Kirklands, Fallside Road, exceptional 40 years’ service. a romantic break in Scotland - a Forest Golden Oak hideaway or a luxurious Bothwell G71 8BB Cathy, who was a team leader for nursing Holiday is anything but ordinary. Golden Oak treehouse, NHS Staff can staff with the sexual health service at Coathill save five per cent off at Forest Holidays or email alison.mccutcheon@ Forest Holidays have two stunning Hospital, trained and qualified as a nurse at lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk with locations in Scotland - Strathyre and all year round. St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin. ‘Forest Holidays’ in the subject line. Ardgartan Argyll. At the gateway to the To access the offer, log on to your account In 1979, Cathy moved to Paisley where she trained in midwifery before moving to Highlands and surrounded by forest, at www.nhsstaffbenefits.co.uk and search Bellshill maternity in 1981 as a labour ward Linda Christie loch and mountain, Strathyre is the very for ‘Forest Holidays’ to find the exclusive The deadline is Friday 11 January.