Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Thinking about the people, not the process, helped CREST, the Trust’s Community Rehabilitation Enhanced Support Team, get shortlisted in the Nursing Times ‘Best recruitment experience’ category of its Workforce 2024 awards. And now we’re looking forward to the finals to be held in November!

Our entry outlined how we want to recruit high quality, motivated staff who demonstrate values that align with those of the Trust, and how we thought through our recruitment and retention process from start to finish.

“The summer fair helps to bring staff and service users together to have some fun, social interaction, and boost morale.”

Kwesi is an Occupational Therapist Assistant at Becklin. He organises events throughout the year with help from his colleagues, including this year’s summer fair, where servicers and staff came together to play games and enjoy some baked goods!

Great work, team, and a great example of improving care for their service users! 💙

It’s hard to know who to talk to if you’re in a mental health crisis. You can now call 111 and select the mental health option to get help 24/7 from a mental health professional in Leeds or York.

This week we welcomed Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care) Karin Smyth MP to our Children and Young People's Mental Health Services unit Red Kite View.

Commenting on her visit, she said:

“I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the innovative, modern mental health care facilities provided in Leeds. These facilities were designed in collaboration with young people to ensure they receive excellent and expert care tailored to their needs, close to home. Without continued investment in mental health services like this, we risk more people having to receive care far from their loved ones, which can hinder their recovery. I’ve met the passionate and hard-working team and learned about the NHS Trust’s commitment to reducing employment inequality in the area by leveraging local talent.”

It's Gold for our Gregg Stevenson!

Gregg is the Lived Experience Lead at OpCourage North and was formerly a Mental Health Practitioner and VLSO in the High Intensity Service.

Gregg and Lauren, who only started rowing together in January last year, took gold in the mixed double sculls as Great Britain won four rowing medals early on day four in Paris.

Amanda Naylor is Service Manager for Veterans Mental Health & Wellbeing Service (North of England) & Addictions Plus (Forward Leeds), "We are incredibly proud of his achievement!" said Amanda.

Photo Courtesy of Burnley Express

CALLING ALL RETIRED NURSES

At Stamford Bridge Care Home the nursing profession is very close to our hearts - we would like to provide a space where retired nurses can come together to share stories and experiences. We would love to see old pictures and mementoes.

There will be refreshments on offer.

Please RSVP by the 21st of October.

York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Who’s looking forward to the bank holiday weekend?

If you need urgent medical help but it’s not an emergency, use 111 online first. You’ll be directed to the right care for your needs. ➡️ https://orlo.uk/111_Online_uWGtO

Our Chief Exec Dr Sara Munro has penned a special leadership blog focusing on some of the key developments for NHS trusts like us following the general election in early July. You’ll also find:
Key updates from care services – including how we’re reducing our out of area placements, unannounced inspections, forensics services improvements and latest on our community transformation programme in Leeds,
How we're closing our financial gap,
And her regular reasons to be proud.

On our website at
https://www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/news/blogs/leadership-blog-election-special-august-2024/

We’re proud to present our Annual Review 2023/24 - a comprehensive snapshot of our organisation's accomplishments and progress. Within these pages, you'll find an account of our services' developments throughout the year, showcasing our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional care. The Annual Review also includes highlights from staff and service users, including reasons to be proud, staff and service celebrations, achievements, awards and accreditations from the past year.

https://orlo.uk/Annual_Review_cvYir

Our Annual Review is available to read online, and we will also share printed copies at our Trust HQ, St Mary’s House, Leeds.

One of the panels today is about our Creative Group Projects in Older People's Services. The transformative power of these projects, as evidenced in the work of Rebecca Wharton, Annie Johnston, and Aimee Greene, who commissioned Artlink West Yorkshire to work on a 10-week project with staff and patients on the Older Peoples Inpatient Wards at the Mount, is truly inspiring. The resulting art piece, titled "We All Make a Difference", is a testament to the resilience and creativity inspired by the impact of the Covid 10 pandemic on patients and staff.

Today, we are hosting our Annual General Meeting and Improving Health and Lives Together: a celebration of our partnership work event. Our Chair, Merran McRae, Chief Executive Sara Munro, lead Governor Les France, and Chief Financial Officer Dawn Hanwell will lead attendees through the highlights and key moments of 2023/2024. We will have exciting presentations from our service user groups and trust teams, where we will share what makes us an outstanding and inclusive trust. There will be an opportunity for those attending to field questions, and we have some exciting entertainment lined up.

Keep following us for updates from our AGM. We will post live on X and Instagram throughout the day!

We must remain committed to ensuring the people we care for are given fair and equal access to participate in society which means being supported to vote.

Sadly, significant numbers of mental health service users are unable to exercise their right to vote during an election which is why we’re encouraging our colleagues to discuss this with our service users and ensure that we provide the appropriate support.

Read more in CEO Sara Munro's latest blog.
https://orlo.uk/K48LY

Tomorrow, Sunday, June 30, we will be at Leeds Armed Forces Day 2024. The annual Leeds city centre event is always popular and attracts many people. The festivities will take place in Briggate. The Trust will have a stall at the event. Drop by and say hi!

The day will include a parade, stalls, stands and exhibitions. The army, navy and air force will all be present. Civic buildings will be lit up red, white and blue on Leeds Armed Forces Day.

Here's a great event you might want to get to this weekend.

From 27 June to 2 July, some services will be affected due to strike action. Please continue to come forward for NHS care. If you need medical help use 111 online, and in emergencies, please call 999. https://orlo.uk/NHS_111_oRspd

As a Trust, we faced a number of challenges in 2023 and 2024. Despite this, our hard working teams and services managed the complexity, risk, and decision-making incredibly well and we are proud to celebrate how we came together and everything we have achieved.

The Quality Account looks back over the year (April 2023 - March 2024) to show how we have improved the quality of our services, looking forward to our plans for the coming year, and explains who we are.

Read the Quality Account https://orlo.uk/Quality_and_Performance_sCKfY

📢 Our Chief Executive, Dr. Sara Munro, has posted her leadership blog for June 2024. Read for...

🗣️ What we're hearing from service users and partners

Positive feedback from NHS England colleagues visiting the Newsam Centre in Leeds, who were particularly impressed by the person-centred care we provide.

🤝 Showcasing our partnership work

The citywide approach we are taking with the Synergi-Leeds Partnership to tackle ethnic inequalities in mental health in Leeds.

🛠️ Tackling challenges in our care services

Recruitment and retention, unprecedented demand for inpatient mental health services, and industrial action preparation.

🌟 And as always, her reasons to be proud

Success at the Positive Practice in Mental Health Awards, and some outstanding feedback from service users.

👉 https://orlo.uk/PrlNv

If you’re going out in the hot weather:
-Walk in the shade
-Apply sunscreen
-Keep hydrated and drink plenty of fluids
-limit strenuous physical activity
-Wear a hat, sunglasses and light, loose-fitting, light-colored clothes
#

“Helping people who are going through a difficult time and being able to guide and support them gets me up in the morning.”

Clare is a Veteran Liaison Support Officer for Op Courage as part of the charity, Walking with the Wounded. Clare works directly with individuals in the armed forces community to support them while they receive specialist mental health support and treatment.

“I was born into the army as my father was in the Royal Artillery and then I joined the Army myself at the age of 18 serving for 11 years. After leaving the army to raise my son, I found myself in many challenging situations.

I was living with a fellow army veteran, who had complex needs and supporting and advocating for them through multiple services. I struggled to look after my own needs alongside working and supporting them, mentally I was drained.

I was a victim of domestic abuse and was made homeless in 2022 needing the help of charities for support. I was helped by several charities to get back on my feet with housing, finances, and mental health support, and I wanted to help others going through similar situations.

I am really proud to use my own experiences to help other veterans. Being part of NHS Op Courage is a real honour.

The team are fantastic, and they value my input. I love making great connections in the veteran support world with charities, councils and communities and being able to use my experience and networking connections has led to some great outcomes.

What I love the most is being able to speak to veteran clients. When they tell me they look forward to my call or visit, when I see them attending a drop-in for the first time and getting the benefits and adaptations, when I see them smiling and feeling positive, I’m reminded about why I do this job.”

Clare thank you for sharing your story. You are truly inspiring. Clare will be speaking at the Employability Webinar on Monday 10 June as part of the Leeds Armed Forces Festival. Don’t miss your chance to hear more from Clare and learn how members of the Armed Forces Community can be supported to find a career in the NHS. https://orlo.uk/Leeds_Armed_Forces_Festival_k3Ccr

As we celebrate , we’re highlighting the incredible contributions of our volunteers.

Service users in our Forensic Services at the Newsam Centre in Leeds have been enjoying taking part in sports sessions in collaboration with The Edge at Leeds University. This fantastic Sports Volunteering initiative, now in its fourth year, is bringing student volunteers together with our service users for fun-filled weekly sports sessions on both our male and female wards. Every week, service users can get involved in sports such as basketball, football, interactive board games, table football, hover football, and even a cardio wall!

It’s a great opportunity for volunteers to spend time with service users, building trust and forging connections that make a lasting impact.

As one of our volunteers puts it, "Engaging in the sports is part of it, but the real reward is making the participants happy. Going around the unit and encouraging them to join in, having conversations with them—it's all about building trust. One service user felt comfortable enough to open up to me, and it's incredibly fulfilling to know you're making a positive impact and gaining their trust."

This project is a shining example of how volunteers can enrich our services, providing meaningful engagement for service users and professional growth for volunteers.

Thank you to our amazing volunteers

This Volunteers' Week Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is celebrating the amazing contributions volunteers make to our NHS Trust.

LYPFT currently has over 150 volunteers who work closely with our staff in various roles, contributing to over 24,000 hours a year.

The Trust gains the valuable skills and knowledge of people giving their time to work alongside our staff, helping us lead the way in mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity care.

Read Chief Exeuctive Dr Sara Munro's thank you message to volunteers
https://www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/news/articles/thank-you-to-our-amazing-volunteers/

Our May Board meeting will take place on Thursday, 30 May, at Horizon in Leeds.

The Board will discuss quality and performance reports and hear from our Perinatal Service, which will discuss the importance of supporting and involving dads.

Members of staff, governors and members of the public are welcome to attend. If you would like to ask a question, these should be submitted in advance to [email protected]

Visit https://orlo.uk/lkF9P for the agenda and papers.

DHSC consultation on the NHS Constitution

DHSC has published its consultation on the NHS Constitution. The NHS Constitution, last updated in 2015, has to be updated at least every 10 years by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

The consultation will run for 8 weeks. This is a DHSC consultation, patients, public and staff, stakeholders and partners can respond via the formal DHSC consultation process. The consultation period will close at 11:59pm on 25 June 2024.

The consultation can be found on the DHSC website