MHM December 2012 - West London Mental Health NHS Trust

Mental Health
Matters www.wlmht.nhs.uk
December 2012
Gender identity
– my story
Rev Tutu
visits the Trust
Quality Awards 2012
– the winners!

Chief Executive’s
message
Steve Shrubb, Chief Executive.
Welcome to the
December edition of
Mental Health Matters.
I’ve really enjoyed my
first few months as
Chief Executive and look
forward to working with
you all in 2013.
When I joined the Trust
earlier this year I was very
pleased to hear about the
Editorial team
Quality Awards which give
us a great opportunity
to celebrate some of
the outstanding teams
and individuals we have
providing care to our
patients and delivering
services.
I’d like to congratulate all
who were nominated for
an award, and you can find
out who won on pages
6-11 of the magazine.
As an organisation we’re
committed to becoming
a foundation trust and to
that end we’re now going
through a series of detailed
assessments. You can read
more about our plans to
become a foundation trust
and to establish our council
of governors later in the
magazine.
I’d like to wish you all a
happy and healthy
Christmas and New Year.
Steve Shrubb
Chief Executive
chief-executive@wlmht.nhs.uk.
Change at the top
In recent months there have been some
changes in the Trust’s senior leadership
team. Here’s a summary.
Barbara Byrne has been appointed
as Deputy Chief Executive. This is
in addition to her current role and
responsibilities as Director of Finance
and Information.
Rachael Moench joins the Trust this
month as Director of Workforce and
Organisational Development. She was
previously HR Director at Hounslow &
Richmond Community Healthcare
NHS Trust.
Steve Trenchard is leaving the Trust
after three years as Director of Nursing
and Patient Experience, to take up the
role of Chief Executive of Derbyshire
Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Anne Aiyegbusi, who has been a
senior nurse at the Trust for a number
of years has been appointed to the
interim position of Director of Nursing
and Patient Experience.
Helene Feger has joined the Trust
as Director of Communications. Her
previous role was Associate Director of
Communications and Engagement at
NHS South of England.
Trust News
Darzi Fellow
Dr Leigh Poyser, who
is in training to be a
consultant in general
adult psychiatry at
the Trust, is one of
30 doctors from
across London who
has been appointed
as a Darzi Fellow.
The Darzi Fellowship
in Clinical Leadership
is an initiative
developed by
Lord Darzi, to
give clinicians
the opportunity
to develop their
organisational and
leadership skills
for future roles as
clinical leaders.
Leigh says: “I applied for the post
because I see strong leadership
skills as important for senior
doctors to support the ongoing
development of their service.
Dr Leigh Poyser.
“I’m very much enjoying the
Fellowship, have learnt an
incredible amount and really
hope to achieve something
useful for our staff and service
users, in the next year.”
Nominate a member of staff for
an Employee of the Month award
Black History
Month
Reverend Tutu.
We were thrilled to welcome
Reverend Mpho Tutu, the
daughter of Archbishop Desmond
Tutu to the Trust as part of our
Black History Month celebrations.
She spoke to staff, patients and
carers about her life and work.
Steve Trenchard, Director of
Nursing and Patient Experience
said: “Hearing Reverend
Tutu speak reminded me of
the importance of integrity,
of paying attention to our
day-to-day relationships
and of the need for respect
and compassion. The event
reminded us of the need, to
actively value the diversity we
have in our relationships with
one another across the Trust.”
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Mental Health Matters is written by
the Communications Team for staff
of West London Mental Health Trust
and our service users, carers and
members. Please get in touch with
your news and views.
We welcome back from maternity
leave, Tara Ferguson Jones, Head
of Communications, to the
editorial team.
Mental Health Matters
Tara Ferguson-Jones (right)
tara.ferguson-jones@wlmht.nhs.uk
020 8483 2034
Candy Day
candy.day@wlmht.nhs.uk
020 8354 8737
Find us on facebook and twitter
www.facebook.com/supportopenminds
www.twitter.com/openminds1
On the cover:
Dee gives an
inspiring account
of her journey
with the Gender
Identity Clinic.
We’re grateful to our people for
the excellent work they do. Every
month we present someone
who works for us with an
Employee of the Month award.
If you would like to nominate
someone for an Employee
of the Month award, all you
need to do is send us an email
telling us about the person
and how they demonstrate
our organisational values of
togetherness, responsibility,
excellence and caring.
Send your email to
chief-executive@wlmht.nhs.
uk. Or you can write to us at
Communications, West London
Mental Health NHS Trust,
Uxbridge Road, Southall,
UB1 3EU.
Sandra Bailey, Senior Nurse Manager in Ealing,
was November’s Employee of the Month. She is
pictured with the Chief Executive, Steve Shrubb.
Mental Health Matters 3

World Mental Health Day
On October 9, staff and service users came together to celebrate World Mental Health Day.
Events held included a performance from a barbershop quartet in the John Conolly Wing, a
public art exhibition in Walpole Park and Zumba classes for all to enjoy. As you’ll see from
the photos, we celebrated in style! Below are a few highlights from this year’s events.
Service user inspired mural
for Benjamin Zephaniah ward
Contact Centre
Lakeside
Staff in the
Contact Centre
were treated to
free massages
as part of their
World Mental
Health Day
celebrations.
Senior Analyst,
Imoukhuede
Ogoh, is
pictured with
Sarah Whelan.
The Orchard
John Conolly Wing
Activity
Coordinators,
David Milligan
and Barbara
Otim got into
the party spirit
in The Orchard.
Patients on Benjamin Zephaniah (BZ)
ward, in Ealing, have been enjoying
a new look garden, thanks to a mural
designed by artist Luke Dane.
The idea for the mural came about during a patient
forum and the project was facilitated by staff from
the ward, with the support of ACAVA (Association
for Cultural Advancement through Visual Art). They
worked with patients to explore different art forms
and create ideas for the final mural.
The group came up with the concept of ‘stages
of the day’ – from dawn throughout the day until
the evening. The design travels through abstract
colours, nature, oceans, cityscapes and deserts.
Service users on the ward have told us that
having the artwork out in the open is going a
long way to supporting their recovery and
enhancing their experience at the Trust.
New locations for Ealing work rehab
Service users on Glyn ward created clay
handprints with positive words symbolising
their journey to recovery.
Tony Hillis Wing
Physical Activity Advisors, Mark Dowarris, Lewis White
and Permjit Sahota gave strength and lung capacity
tests to service users in the Tony Hillis Wing.
Occupational Therapists, Beulah Malayappan,
Danielle Maule and Anna Ridewood made cup
cakes with service users from John Conolly Wing.
Sage Community Arts
Sage Community Arts held a public exhibition
of service user art at the Pitzhanger Manor
Gallery, Walpole Park.
We have been successful in
finding new locations for our
Work Rehabilitation services and
the Recovery Hub, all of which
are currently located on the
St Bernard’s site in Ealing. This
includes the print shop, picture
framing and horticulture.
John Belli, Deputy Service Manager
at Work Rehabilitation services
says: “We wanted to find more
commercial locations so service
users who work in them gain
experience of real work, dealing
directly with the general public as
customers. With the redevelopment
of the St Bernard’s site we had
an added incentive to make this
change sooner rather than later.”
We have secured a lease on a large
retail unit in the Broadway, West
Ealing. For those of you who know
the area, it used to be an Iceland
store. This will house the Recovery
Hub, picture framing service and a
second community shop (the first
Accession community shop has
been operating in Hanwell since
March 2012). Also in West Ealing,
on the ground floor of St James’s
House (Catalyst Housing), we are
leasing a second shop, which will
become the Accession print shop.
Our horticulture service will be
moving to Horsenden Hill in Perivale
in spring 2013. Ealing Council has
granted Accession a 25-year lease
to develop accessible horticulture
services, a café, workshops, a
market place and other commercial
ventures. This will provide
more training and employment
opportunities for service users,
trainees and volunteers.
These ventures are being run in
partnership with Accession Social
Enterprise, who have expertise
in setting up social enterprise
businesses and making them work.
John Belli adds: “By moving out of
St Bernard’s into a busy shopping
area within our local community;
where we can continue to provide
support and direction, our work
rehab services will offer greater
opportunity to more of our service
users in their pathway to recovery.”
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Celebrating success
Quality Awards 2012
On Thursday 8 November, 250 members of
staff from across the Trust – joined by some
service users and carers – put on their glad
rags and headed to Twickenham Stadium
for the 2012 Quality Awards.
The Quality Awards is our annual recognition
ceremony in honour of our staff who work
together showing excellence, caring and
responsibility in all they do. Nominated by
colleagues, service users and carers, the entries
are put through a rigorous panel of 16 judges
who have the tough job of picking our shortlist.
This year, we had an overwhelming response
and the judges were put through their paces
selecting the winners from a very high standard
of entries.
Guests were treated to a three course dinner;
enjoyed a hilarious talk from comedienne and
service user, Kate Hull Rodgers, celebrated the
outstanding contributions of colleagues and
danced the night away to the band, Undercover.
We would like to congratulate everyone who
was nominated for an award this year.
And the winners are...
Responsibility – Non Clinical
For an individual in a
non-clinical role, whose
work makes a real
difference to the Trust.
Winner
Catherina Clarke, Data
Quality Manager,
Local Services
“She’s truly an amazing
staff member, whose work
ethic is second to none.
“Despite demands, Catherina carries out her
work diligently and is always happy to help
others. She’s dedicated and a true professional.
She’s caring, responsible, performs all her work
to an excellent standard, and epitomises the
word togetherness.”
Runners-up
Theresa Keane, Interim Office Manager,
Hammersmith & Fulham Child, Adolescent
and Family Service
Yolanda McMillen, Team Secretary,
Ealing Inpatients, Local Services
Togetherness
For a team that works effectively
together, achieves their
objectives and demonstrates
mutual respect in all they do.
Winner
The Gardening Team –
Broadmoor Hospital
“They always work well as a team,
supporting each other and others
across the hospital, and as a team
they are always a joy to work with.
“Last winter we had a severe layer of snow across
the Hospital estate and the gardening team worked
all night and most of the following day to clear
main roads and car parks so everyone had safe
access to and from the hospital – they went above
and beyond. They worked as a team using heavy
machinery and grit spreaders and by hand when
and where required.”
Runners-up
The Local Services Psychiatric Intensive
Care Unit
The Patient & Public Involvement Team,
Hammersmith & Fulham Child, Adolescent
and Family Service
Excellence in innovation
An award for innovation,
whether big or small, which
has improved the experience
of service users and others.
Winner
Chris McKay, Dual Diagnosis
Lead, Local Services
“Chris’ ‘Meaningful Quotes’
project has led to a measured
improvement in the quality of
clinical documentation and the
way that staff interact with
patients during one-to-one sessions. Chris has
worked tirelessly to train staff in improving care
planning through this innovative project.
“By including actual quotes from patients,
the documentation reflects a much clearer
picture of their progress towards recovery. Chris
should be awarded for this excellent initiative to
improve care to patients.“
Runners-up
Ealing Crisis Resolution Home
Treatment Team
Ian Summers, Staff Nurse,
Broadmoor Hospital
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Excellence through learning
For an individual or team which
has put learning through training
or audit into action, leading to a
demonstrable improvement.
Winner
Learning Disability &
Neurodevelopment Team,
H&F Child, Adolescent and
Family Service.
“This team has established rich
partnerships in the community. For
example they have built relationships
with all specialist and mainstream
schools in the borough by offering
teacher training and consultation.
“They have also established several strands of
teaching and training for professionals from
multi-agency services and also for the parents
of service users.”
Excellence in leadership
Runners-up
Kathleen Saxe, NVQ Assessor,
Broadmoor Hospital
Paul Knowles, Practice Development Nurse,
Broadmoor Hospital
Caring
Nominated by a service user or
carer, this award is for a member
of staff or team that shows caring
through compassion for others, a
can-do attitude, and a commitment to
providing the highest quality of care.
Winner
Iffy Middleton, Clinical Nurse
Specialist, Gender Identity Clinic
“Iffy is extremely professional in all she does
and always willing to go above and beyond
the call of duty. She always gets back to
us with information, quickly when we are
worried about something. Nothing is too
much trouble for Iffy. What is more refreshing
is she doesn’t realise how amazing she is.
“Iffy genuinely cares, is reliable, friendly and always
helpful. She’s a shining star in the clinic and I can’t
think of anyone more hard working or deserving
of this award. She is a true asset to West London
Mental Health.”
Runners-up
Barbara Sowa, Physical Activities
Co-ordinator, the Wells Unit
Claire Colborne, Clinical Nurse Manager,
Broadmoor Hospital
A leader who displays
our values in everything
they do. This person is an
inspiration to others.
Winner
Lilian Hove, Ward Manager,
The Orchard
Excellence through involvement
This award is for a service
user or carer who has made
a significant contribution to
the work of the Trust.
Winner
“Lilian’s dedication to her staff
is unrelenting, as she regularly
goes beyond the call of duty.
She consistently drives a high
standard of care delivery,
through modelling good
practice and supervising staff
in a way that enables them to
grow professionally.
“Lilian models high quality care delivery for
all to aspire to, constructively challenging
practice as appropriate and praising where
good practice is shown.”
Runners-up
Maggie Gairdner, Head of Community
Care, Local Services
Raymond Langshaw, Acting Clinical Nurse
Manager, Broadmoor Hospital
Kim Corroll, Team Worker,
Café on the Hill
“Kim is a valuable member
of the Café on the Hill team.
This is one of our work
rehabilitation services. She has
great qualities as a person, is
always dependable and takes on
whatever responsibilities given
with great confidence.
“She gives other teamworkers encouragement
with insight so that they too can take on
responsibility.”
Runners-up
Jenny Missen, carer and volunteer for
Hounslow CAMHS
Julia Blazdell, Expert by Experience,
the Cassel
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Mental Health Matters 9

Excellence in change management
An award for a team or
individual who has managed
change in a consultative way,
resulting in positive outcomes
for service users or staff.
Winner
Sakina Ramzan, Ward Manager,
John Conolly Wing
“Sakina moved to the older
people’s service in Ealing during
a very challenging time. A review
of the service had identified
areas of practice which needed
improvement.
“Sakina very quickly began to put in place
structures to address the issues of concern and
has worked tirelessly, with the team, to achieve
better standards.”
Responsibility – clinical
This award is for an individual,
in a clinical role, whose work
makes a real difference to the
lives of service users.
Winner
Barbara Sowa, Physical
Activities Co-ordinator in
the Wells Unit
“What is really inspiring is Barbara’s
commitment to the young people
she works with on the Wells Unit
and her passion for helping each of
them discover what sport can do
for them in their lives.
“She’s like one of those teachers remembered
from your school days – who really inspires you to
go on and achieve something with your life.”
Runners-up
Safeguarding Children Champions,
Lakeside Mental Health Unit
Raymond Langshaw, Acting Clinical
Nurse Manager, Broadmoor Hospital
Runners-up
Dr Alice Parshall, Senior Clinical Lead,
Local Services
Kamran Yousaf, Healthcare Assistant,
John Conolly Wing
My working life
Kamran won this year’s Chairman’s award, given to a member of staff for their hard work and long term contribution at
the Trust. It is presented to an individual who has been shortlisted for a Quality Award by colleagues, patients or carers.
Kamran Yousaf is a Healthcare Assistant
(HCA) in Ealing. He has worked at the Trust
for 15 years, and spoke to MHM about his
desire to make a difference, his admiration
of good leaders and his recent surprise at
winning a Quality Award!
“Having my name and working life
being spoken of by the Chairman at the
Quality Awards was a truly humbling and
overwhelming experience. It’s a moment I felt
could only have been made better by having
my family there to share it with me.”
Colleagues who nominated Kamran for an
award described him as: “Someone who thinks
nothing of going far beyond the call of duty
to meet the needs of patients. He is always
cheerful, optimistic, energetic and supportive -
nothing is ever too much trouble.”
Looking back over Kamran’s working life he
explained: “My father worked at St Bernard’s
and introduced me to this line of work. After
a few weeks in my new role I realised that I
had found my calling. I can honestly say I have
never looked back.
“What I love is that from the moment I
arrive on the ward, until I leave, I am actively
involved in helping patients get through their
day and working with
them towards their
personal recovery.
Every day brings a
new challenge
which makes the
job satisfying.”
When asked to describe himself in four words
Kamran spoke of being, “caring, passionate,
committed and non-judgemental.” He attributes
much of his good work to a strong foundation
within the team. He says: “We’re a multicultural
team which helps us to meet the varied
needs of patients. Everyone in the team shares
the vision to make what can be a difficult time
in patients’ lives more manageable, and as much
as possible, enjoyable.”
Kamran also identified leaders who have
inspired and in turn motivated him within his
role. He spoke of the fantastic nurses he has
worked with over the years. “I’m very lucky
at the moment to have strong managers who
embrace the challenges we face positively with
a sense of individual respect. Overall, I hope
to inspire others in the way I myself have been
fortunate enough to be inspired.”
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Re-developing our
St Bernard’s site
Broadmoor Hospital’s
wildlife goes on the move
We’ve been carrying out a variety of projects
all aimed at keeping you up-to-date on
the Trust’s progress with our new Medium
Secure Unit (MSU) and engaged with the
project as the Full Business Case (FBC) is
submitted to NHS London.
The new MSU scale model.
Service Lead, discussed project timescales, explained the
Trust’s rationale for the new building and answered all
questions put forward by attendees. During the session,
Andy also emphasised the benefits of rebuilding the
MSU, outlining how it will enhance the patients’
environment and their services.
Since the Department of Health agreed the
Broadmoor Hospital redevelopment Outline
Business Case (OBC), the redevelopment
team and Trust consultants, Ecology
Research & Planning Ltd. (EPR) have been
working hard to ensure all wildlife living
on the estate has a new home.
The Trust has a responsibility to protect a diverse
array of species inhabiting the site. In July 2012,
the team started a comprehensive enabling
works programme. In advance of this, surveys
were carried out across the site and an ecology
mitigation plan was developed with a range
of stakeholders and finally approved as part of
the project planning application. These surveys
identified that bats, reptiles and badgers make
up the majority of the estate’s wildlife residents.
Common lizards, slow worms, grass snakes
and adders were the reptiles residing around
the Hospital grounds. Snakes previously living
by the new haul road were relocated and now
live at various locations around the site, made
more inhabitable by EPR. Reptile fencing has
also been erected along the road, preventing
them from re-entering.
Under European Law, bats and their roosts are
protected, so the Trust had to obtain a special
licence from Natural England, before tackling
roosts in Silver Birches, Oxford House and
Lancashire House. Once granted, bat boxes
were hung in near by trees, tempting them out
of their existing homes and into new premises.
A bat bridge will be installed across the new
road to maintain existing foraging routes.
In November, we held mock bedroom drop-in
sessions. These took place over a five day period and
gave stakeholders the opportunity to come and have
a look at the future of MSU accommodation for
themselves and let the redevelopment team know
what improvements they felt could be made. These
comments have been passed to the design team,
who will include any necessary modifications in the
bedroom’s final version.
For those looking for an overview of the site, the
unveiling of the MSU scale model earlier this month
showed exactly what the site will look like by 2015,
once the new building is up and running. As well as a
sneak preview of the new MSU, Andy Jacques,
Andy said: “This is a huge project for the Trust and we
want to make sure everyone is involved, not just those
that will be living and working in the new buildings.
Over the coming years, the majority of this site will
undergo some form of redevelopment, so it’s essential
that all stakeholders are a part of what’s happening and
that we work closely with them to design the best site
and buildings possible.”
Over the coming months the redevelopment team will
be holding a number of forums aimed at staff, patients
and the public. Attendees of these events will not only
discover more about the new MSU, but they’ll also
have an opportunity to hear what other stakeholders
think of the Trust’s proposals and give their own views.
Badgers are
nocturnal
creatures, so
ecologists found
out about their
existence through
the discovery of
setts, throughout
the grounds.
To guarantee minimum badger disruption, their
‘corridors’ have been maintained by a fence
and a tunnel, dug underneath the new haul
road. This will also strengthen badger safety, by
encouraging the animals to travel underneath
the road, instead of across it.
David Phillips, Redevelopment Programme
Manager, said: “It’s essential the Trust ensures
all wildlife and ecological issues are dealt
with in accordance to relevant legislation and
guidelines. This will help the project remain
on target, so that patients, services and staff
can move into a brand new Hospital at the
beginning of 2017.”
In addition to the required enabling works,
part of the overall ecology strategy includes
for provision of new lodgings for estate birds
and hedgehogs.
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Artist’s
impression
Film, camera, action
A new painting of the famous
Broadmoor Hospital gate
house has been donated to the
Hospital for display. The artwork
was created by Sarah Moncrieff
who specialises in painting urban
scenes and institutions. Sarah
said: “I’d like staff and patients
at Broadmoor to be able to see
a structure that they’re very
familiar with presented to them
in a dramatic new light.”
Leeanne McGee, Executive Director of High
Secure Services, said: “The painting is the artist’s
impression of the original entrance to the hospital
which was used daily until the late 1980’s when
the new reception complex was built. The old
gatehouse is now a listed building.”
Sarah Moncrieff with her painting.
“
I’d like staff and patients
at Broadmoor to be able
to see a structure that
they’re very familiar
with presented to them
in a dramatic new light.
“
Jane McGrath, a service
user at the Trust, has been
awarded a Winston Churchill
Travelling Fellowship
(www.wcmt.org.uk) to visit
India and learn about mental
health recovery from an
ayurvedic and traditional
perspective.
Ayurveda is an ancient form
of medicine from India. It is a
complete health care system
encompassing diet, lifestyle,
herbal medicine, meditation
and yoga. It emphasizes good
health with prevention and
treatment of illness through
lifestyle choices.
Jane, who has a background
in film says: “This is going to
be a wonderful opportunity
for me to make a documentary
to disseminate knowledge
about recovering from anxiety
and depression to the mental
health community and other
complementary therapists.
When I’m in India in January
I will be writing a blog which
will be featured on the College
of Medicine website
www.collegeofmedicine.org.uk”
“My recovery DVD for anxiety
and depression will be available
next year and I’ll be sharing it
with the Trust and others in the
hope that any new knowledge
will spread among therapists and
other health professionals.”
Jane McGrath.
Living My Life
Record attendance at
dementia conference
More than 150 carers and service users attended
the annual Ealing dementia conference in October.
The conference was an opportunity to share ideas
and experiences and boasted expert speakers,
including Professor Alastair Burns, the National
Clinical Director for Dementia.
– a celebration of
the trans community
A photographic exhibition celebrating the lives
of trans people was hosted at the Trust’s Gender
Identity Clinic in Hammersmith last month.
A trans person is someone who feels that their
gender identity does not correspond to the one
they were given at birth.
Barbara told her story about caring for her husband.
Professor Alastair Burns.
Linda Stradins, Service Manager at the Clinic,
successfully bid for the exhibition and told us:
“We were really excited to host Living My Life.
The photos of people from the trans community
are very positive and inspiring and have created a
real talking point for those who attend the clinic.”
You can download a copy of the Living My Life
brochure which accompanies the exhibition
from http://www.sexualhealthsheffield.nhs.uk/
wp-content/uploads/2011/05/CHIV-Living-My-
Life-Booklet.pdf.
Living My Life was created to positively
reflect the lives of trans people by
the Centre for HIV and Sexual Health,
TransBareAll and Diva Creative with
support from the Department of
Health’s Pacesetters programme.
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Dee’s story
“Born in the
wrong body”
“
I
have always been a woman.
Being transgender was my past
but it’s not my future. I’m just
getting on with normal life.
“
At junior school, I was asked to be a
shepherd for the school nativity, but
I wanted to be an angel. That’s my
earliest memory of knowing that I had
been born in the wrong body.
As an adult I moved to Brighton and lived ‘out’
for five years. To live as a woman I’d made some
changes to my appearance, but ultimately it
wasn’t enough for me. Ten years ago, I made
a decision that would change my life forever. I
arranged to see my GP and I told him this is who
I am and this is how I want to move forward.
I was the first transgender patient for my GP, but
with a little time and research, he came back
with a referral to a psychiatrist to ensure I was a
candidate for the Gender Identity Clinic (GIC).
When the day of my first session arrived, I was
terrified and had no idea what to expect. I’m
not really one to research so I put my faith in
the hands of the professionals and brought a
friend to hold my hand.
Before that point, my life had started to spiral
out of control. I was drinking more than I
should and I had put on a lot of weight. I was
20 stone, and in a negative place. The staff at
the GIC told me if I was serious about gender
reassignment, I needed to sort a few things
out. Since that day, I haven’t touched a drop of
alcohol and I lost seven stone in eight months.
“I was getting support and realised I wasn’t alone.”
Being in the system inspired me and I knew I
had to fulfil my end of the bargain for the GIC
to fulfil theirs.
Making the decision to seek help was a load
off my shoulders. I was getting support and
realised that I wasn’t alone, I was one of many
people starting on the same journey. I knew it
was going to be a long journey - nine years as
it happens!
Having proved my commitment, the next step
was hormone therapy which gives you a second
puberty. I remember the first time that I bought a
bra without padding, it was so exciting! I took to
the medication really well and the GIC monitored
me with regular appointments for two years. I’m
fortunate that I have always been very feminine
in appearance so luckily, the hormones were
enough and when the time came for surgery, I
didn’t need any facial feminisation.
The team at the GIC gave me
options at every step of my
journey. From the beginning
I was told that I could have
the gender reassignment
surgery or I could continue
living as a woman with the
support of medication. I
wondered for a while if I
could keep living as I was
but as time went by, the
natural decision was for me
to undertake the surgery. I
couldn’t see any other way.
My journey with the GIC
is now coming to an end
although I’m still receiving
some speech therapy.
“Being in the system inspired me.”
At the start of this journey my
mum was shocked and really
concerned for me. She had
a lot of questions but told
me that she would support
me. My dad, on the other
hand, acted as if I’d died. It
was extremely hard for him
and took him a long time to
come around. I sympathised
with him though, as it’s a very
unusual situation. Things are
much better between us now.
A few friends fell by the way,
but not many. My real friends
were supportive, and as for
the ones that I lost, I guess
they were never really friends
in the first place.
Undertaking this journey
with the GIC has allowed me
to live my life how I should
have been all along. I wasn’t
trapped, I had something
wrong with my body. This
process was about putting
right a chromosome that
went wrong at birth.
I no longer see myself as
transgender. I was, but I’m
not now. I have always been
a woman. Being transgender
was my past but it’s not my
future. I’m just getting on
with normal life.
The surgery was the last
piece of my puzzle. Three
months after, I met my
partner and she’s amazing.
She’s known about
everything from the very
beginning and has supported
me ever since.
My advice to anyone in the
early stages of their journey
is to take the plunge and
seek professional help.
They’ll make sure they get
the best for you. My life has
been turned around. Go
and visit your GP and most
importantly, follow doctors’
orders!
16
Mental Health Matters
Mental Health Matters 17

The Universal Lyricist
By Best Igbinyemi
Health is better than wealth
‘cause without health you can’t save yourself.
You’ve entered the mental
Like a black hole.
You’ve travelled through to mind.
I’ve affected your soul.
I’m a person who’s been through stress and strain.
I’m bipolar.
Mental illness is inside my brain.
I take medication everyday and night
To control my mind: It’s a spiritual fight.
I go from one extreme and then to another
So I can be the happiest depressed Brother.
When I was locked in hospital
It was no joke.
I was suicidal.
I had no hope
But the god in me was too damn strong
That’s why I write these words and I sing this song.
Health is better than wealth
‘cause without health you can’t save yourself.
New book shares
stories of hope
A booklet of recovery stories and artwork by service
users will be launched at a special event next month.
The Road to Recovery is a collection of personal
accounts, poetry and artwork created by service users
in West London Forensic Services, which explores
what recovery means to them through the people
and events that have helped them on their journey.
Margaret Rioga, Recovery Facilitator, who has
compiled the book, said: “Personal narrative is a
powerful tool which can help people who have just
arrived on a ward to see that they are not alone
and that there is hope for the future. As staff,
these stories and creative works help us to better
understand the people we care for, especially at
times when an individual is experiencing distress.”
The book will be officially launched at a
recovery conference, entitled ‘Everybody
has a story to tell’, on 28 January in
Ealing Town Hall. For more information,
contact Margaret on 020 8483 2114.
This rhyme was submitted by
Best, who is a service user in
Hammersmith & Fulham. Best
began rhyming at the age of 9 and
has continued to rhyme his way
through a childhood and youth,
heavy with loss and adversity and
through intense and sometimes
sudden transformations of mood
and perception. He says: “I’ve been
able to rhyme in every condition
except when my depression was at
its darkest. This is an expression of
my self, what I am experiencing. It’s
a connection with my spirituality.”
Best’s album, “Enter the Mental”
will be on the web in 2013.
*Did not attend
Surprise!
The celebrations for Barbara Sowa (see page 10)
didn’t stop at the Quality Awards! Her colleagues
and adolescents from the Wells Unit, arranged a
surprise party to celebrate her success.
Caroline Tewkesbury, Head of Learning told us:
“Barbara is so popular with everyone here, staff love
working with her and the boys always look forward
to their sessions. She often goes above and beyond
to make sure the boys are keeping on top of their
health and fitness and recently, she arranged for a
friend to bring in the Olympic torch. It was a really
positive experience for the boys to be involved with
and they each got to hold it.”
One of the adolescents from the unit told us, “She’s
always really nice to us, she motivates us and makes us
work as a team. We’re really happy that she has won.”
Trust’s new recovery champions
meet for first training workshop
By Jane McGrath, service user.
Barbara and colleagues.
It was still dark as staff from across the Trust met
before dawn to pick up the coach taking them
to Broadmoor Hospital. Every seat on the coach
was taken as the Trust’s new recovery champions
chattered excitedly about the day ahead.
Our aim is for every team at the Trust to have at
least one recovery champion whose role it is to
raise the profile of recovery and play a part in
embedding it into the work we do.
The one-day workshop facilitated by Director of
Nursing, Steve Trenchard, and Nottingham’s Dr Julie
Repper helped clarify the role of recovery champions
and helped us to identify what additional support
we might need.
A welcome to west London
Staff in West London Forensic Services shared their
expertise with four groups of multidisciplinary
healthcare professionals from Japan in November.
The group is being shown the Regional Secure
Unit in Ealing by the Trust’s Dr David Reiss,
Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist and David Shelton,
Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
Pictured from the left is: Hideyuki Makinol, David
Shelton, Motonobu Nakamura, Yoshimi Egashira,
Hiroki Niwshimura, Atsumi Tonai and Dr David Reiss.
Teams already working with the recovery focused
START project presented inspirational results and
the day closed with a series of themed workshops
that opened braver conversations around the
theme of recovery.
A more detailed report about the
workshop can found on the Trust’s
website www.wlmht.nhs.uk.
If you are a member of staff, a service
user or a carer and you’re interested in
becoming a recovery champion please
contact: Anne Aiyegbusi on 020 8354 8055
or by email, anne.aiyegbusi@wlmht.nhs.uk.
18 Mental Health Matters
Mental Health Matters 19

Why is membership important?
What is the Council of Governors?
What is a
foundation trust?
Foundation trusts (FTs) are NHS organisations that
are free from central government control, manage
their own finances and are able to shape the
services they provide to better reflect local needs
and priorities.
All trusts are now required to become foundation
trusts, which involves a rigorous assessment
process. If a trust does not meet the FT standard,
it will be merged with another trust that does.
At West London Mental Health Trust we’re
committed to becoming a foundation trust and
we are about half way through this process.
Foundation trusts remain part of the NHS and
will still need to meet nationally set targets and
objectives. But their increased independence
allows foundation trusts to be more responsive
to the needs and wishes of their local community
and the people they provide care for.
Foundation trusts are also more accountable
to patients, carers and local people, who can
become members and elect governors to speak
on their behalf.
Laurence Whittle, Membership Manager, Johnny Pigott, FT
Programme Manager and Charlotte Langford, FT Project Officer.
What are the benefits of
becoming a foundation trust?
Becoming a foundation trust will give us new
freedoms to drive forward improvements in
quality for our patients and in working lives for
our staff. The benefits of FT status include:
• Freedom to develop and provide services that
meet the needs of our service users, carers, staff
and community partners.
• Greater financial independence and the ability
to keep hold of any money left over at the end
of each financial year and spend it on local
services as we see fit.
• The ability to make long term plans rather than
working from year to year, whilst also being able
to respond more quickly to changing needs.
• Greater local ownership and accountability
through our members - service users, carers, staff,
stakeholders and people from the local community.
• Stakeholders and members will have more say
about how we run services, and how they are
designed and delivered.
• A council of governors, elected from our
membership to represent the interests of the local
community and the people who use our services.
Before we can become an FT, we need to build
a membership that reflects our local community.
Becoming a member of the Trust means that
people can have a say about how our Trust is
governed and get more involved. All Trust staff
are automatically members unless they choose to
opt out. The benefits of being a member include:
• Being able to contribute to our future
development.
• Receiving relevant information and being
consulted about changes to services.
• The opportunity to run for the Council of
Governors, which will work alongside our
Trust Board, to make decisions and shape the
running of the Trust.
• Volunteering to support our anti-discrimination
campaign, Open Minds, and to recruit other
members at sporting and community events,
university open days, shopping centres and
other places of interest.
What happens next?
The Council of Governors will provide advice
and assistance to the Trust Board, making sure
that members’ voices are heard and that critical
decisions about the future of service provision
are made with the input of people who these
decisions will affect. The Council will also be able
to hold the Chairman and non-executive directors
to account, both individually and collectively.
The Council will be largely made up of people
who are elected from the Trust’s membership,
but there will also be some governors who are
appointed by partner organisations.
There will be 32 governors, split into the
following groups or constituencies:
Public Governors – 17
Staff Governors – 4
Partner Governors – 11
Over the coming months we will be:
• Hosting focus groups to gather feedback from our stakeholders.
• Gathering together the evidence necessary to demonstrate our capabilities to operate
as a foundation trust.
• Making improvements as we go through the process.
How can I find out more?
If you have any questions or would like more information about our foundation trust
application, contact the FT Team on telephone: 020 8354 2001.
20
Mental Health Matters
Mental Health Matters 21

22
Interested in
becoming a Governor?
In 2013 we will be holding our Governor Elections. With this in mind
we asked Yvonne Waterhouse, who is a governor at North East
London NHS Foundation Trust, to share her experiences with us.
“I have been a public governor at North East
London NHS Foundation Trust for just over a year
and really enjoy it. I became a governor because
I felt very passionate about my local NHS and
wanted to influence changes to ensure that they
represented the needs of local residents.
“The time commitment suits me as we meet once
a month at a Governors Information Forum with
the Chief Executive and Chair. We also meet
quarterly at a full Council of Governors meeting.
At the Information Forum, the Chief Executive
provides an update of changes that have occurred
in the Trust and provides an opportunity for
Governors to provide feedback and ask questions.
I also link up with the membership team and on
occasions have gone out with them to encourage
people to become members of the Trust.
“The staff we talk to in these meetings and
outside in the community are very helpful
and explain any areas that we are not familiar
with (especially abbreviations). There are also
study days, provided by the Foundation Trusts
Governors Association to support us in the role.
The study days allow us to meet with fellow
governors and exchange ideas.
“I find my role as a governor very rewarding and
satisfying. I have learnt so much and really feel
that I am making a difference.”
Mental Health Matters
Yvonne Waterhouse, Public Governor at North East
London NHS Foundation Trust.
If you have any questions about the elections, foundation trusts or membership
please contact Laurence Whittle, Membership Manager, on telephone 020 8354 8325
or by email to Laurence.whittle@wlmht.nhs.uk.
MHM is produced by the Trust’s Communications Team. Call us on 020 8354 8737.
Mental Health Matters is printed on recycled paper
Sign up a member
win a prize!
We are well on our way to becoming a foundation trust, and a key factor in achieving this is
recruiting members to work with us in developing our mental health services.
Membership is made up of staff, patients, carers and members of the public and it’s free to join.
Members will have a say in the work we do, are invited to events and will have the opportunity
to participate in our governor elections.
We would like you to help us recruit members
All you have to do is use this form to sign someone up as a member and return it by Friday
1 March 2013. Both you and the person you recruit will be entered into our prize draw.
If you’re not a member you can also use this form to sign yourself up. You’ll be entered into
our prize draw to win:
One of five £50 high street vouchers
There are two simple rules:
1. You can’t use this form to sign someone up who has already joined West London Mental Health Trust’s
membership (our staff are already members).
2. The person you recruit has to be over the age of 14.
Recruit a member – their details
Name: ...............................................................
Address: ............................................................
..........................................................................
Postcode: .........................................................
Email: ................................................................
Tel: ....................................................................
Date of birth: / /
Gender: Male
Female
Your details
Name: ...............................................................
Address: ............................................................
..........................................................................
Postcode: .........................................................
Email: ................................................................
Tel: ....................................................................
Tick box if you are a member of WLMHT
Tick box if you’re not a member but
would like to join
Tick box if you work for WLMHT
The data you supply will be stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act. You can cancel your
membership at any time.
If you have any questions about this competition, call us on telephone: 020 8354 8325 or email us at
member@wlmht.nhs.uk.

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