The National Service User Awards are designed to celebrate service user led initiatives in inpatient mental health services across the country and service users involved in the shortlisted projects are invited to a black tie gala awards ceremony, where the winners will be announced.
Three projects from Cygnet Hospital Bury have been shortlisted:
Community Living Skills Project – Nominated in the Raising Mental Health Awareness category
Service users on Upper East ward have created, planned and facilitated weekly therapy groups collaboratively with Occupational Therapy & Psychology to tackle anxieties/stigma around community reintegration and improve living skills that encourage independent living. The groups also provide a safe environment to discuss mental health and provide peer support regarding mutual mental health issues/coping strategies.
Mental Health In The Community – Social Inclusion – Nominated in the Community and Education Projects category.
Service users from Upper East, East Hampton, Columbus and Madison wards have worked together to develop links with Kemple View hospital, Burnley FC, Manchester City FC, Chesterfield FC & Blackburn Rovers FC in the community to promote social inclusion using football to improve mental health.
Patient Led Social Involvement Events – Music Themed – Nominated in the Recovery and the Arts category.
Service users have created, planned and facilitated monthly music themed events in a shared space within the hospital. This has allowed the multiple wards of the hospital to come together as a community once a month to build relationships and support each other’s mental health journeys.
Cygnet Hospital Derby has four projects in the final:
Community Partnership Development Manager – Nominated in the Raising Mental Health Awareness category
As part of the expansion of the Recovery and Wellbeing Academy Derby the post of Community Partnership Development Manager was created to help create new partnerships and opportunities for students.
Recovery Academy does Pride – Nominated in the Recovery and the Arts category
Service users were aware of the stigma that they can experience as a result of their mental health but also recognised this can apply to other groups as well. They wanted to raise awareness and reduce stigma in the hospital so chose to celebrate PRIDE.
All Things Co-Pro – Preceptorship Nurse Continuing Professional Development Day – Nominated in the Health and Wellbeing category
The team at the Recovery and Wellbeing Academy Derby wanted to participate in newly qualified nurse education and therefore designed and delivered a continuing professional development training day titled “All Things Co-Pro”.
Run 4 Recovery & Sylvia’s Boot Camp – From Couch to 5K – Nominated in the Health and Wellbeing category
The team at the Recovery and Wellbeing Academy Derby wanted to support students to improve their health and wellbeing whilst having a goal to work towards. They decided to aim big and go couch to 5K.
Finally Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke has one project in the final:
Recovery College – Learn to play the ukulele – Nominated in the Recovery and the Arts category
This initiative was proposed by and driven forward by a service user. It was then fully co-produced to deliver a 4 week course for staff and service users, in which they learnt to tune, care for and play the ukulele. The group chose and learnt songs to play and sing, culminating in a performance at the Christmas carol concert.
The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive.
Congratulations to all the service users nominated for the above projects, we wish them every success for the final! The awards ceremony is to be held at Colwick Hall, Nottingham on Wednesday 1st May 2019.