The Enabling Environments Award is a quality mark given to those who can demonstrate they are achieving an outstanding level of best practice in creating and sustaining a positive and effective social environment. The CCQI’s definition of Enabling Environments are:
- Places where positive relationships promote well-being for all participants
- Places where people experience a sense of belonging
- Places where all people involved contribute to the growth and well-being of others
- Places where people can learn new ways of relating
- Places that recognise and respect the contributions of all parties in helping relationships
“Alvaston Ward prides itself on working in an open and transparent way, creating a nurturing and safe space where the women are full partners in their care and treatment, and they can take the time and space they need to recover. It is wonderful to have this philosophy and ethos externally validated with this award.”Dr Elizabeth Gethins, Consultant Psychiatrist and clinical lead on Alvaston Ward
To achieve the award Alvaston Ward had to meet and exceed ten core standards based on; Belonging, Boundaries, Communication, Development, Involvement, Safety, Structure, Empowerment, Leadership and Openness. A portfolio of evidence was put together in partnership with current service users, service users who have successfully moved on, and all disciplines within the MDT. An assessor from the Royal College of Psychiatrists then spent a day on the ward speaking with staff and service users and gathering further evidence. All of the evidence was then presented to a panel at the Royal College of Psychiatrists who made the final decision to give the award to Alvaston Ward.
“As the ward manager I am very proud to be part of a service and an organisation that puts the service users and staff at the heart of what we do. It is a pleasure to see service users progress through their care pathway and reach their own recovery, and to see the staff within the organisation realise their potential in all disciplines. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the service users on Alvaston Ward for supporting and being a big part of this award.”Paul Tennant, Alvaston Ward Manager