The six-day training course was developed by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH), thanks to a three-month partnership project with a group of 16 people, who have first-hand experience of mental health problems.

RDaSH Options Team leader Carol Fish said: “A peer support worker is someone who has experience of accessing mental health services and is recruited because of their lived experience and their passion to support others on their recovery journey.

“There is evidence that peer support provided on an individual, or group basis, can improve the overall experience of mental health services for service users. Therefore, it’s essential that we provide these people with excellent training to give them the right knowledge and skills to provide support.”

A special event was held by RDaSH at Sandfield House in say a well-deserved thank you to those involved in the project for their contribution, and RDaSH transformation director Ian Jerams presented everyone with a certificate of achievement.

Carol added: “This project was all about collaboration, where equal importance was put on professional expertise and lived experience.

“The result is a unique training programme, which will provide peer support workers with the highest quality information in their work to help people recover from mental health problems across North Lincolnshire.”

RDaSH Options Team leader Carol Fish (seated centre right) and transformation director Ian Jerams (standing right) with RDaSH staff and project members.

Members of the Rotary Club of Rotherham decided to buy their plants from The Walled Garden at St Catherine’s, Balby, to help them put some colour in the hospice’s garden.

Mike Smith, a non-executive director for Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) who run The Walled Garden, is also chairman of the Rotherham Rotary Club’s environmental committee. He said: “We always buy plants for the Rotherham Hospice garden and members are volunteer gardeners every Thursday night during summer.

“When we were discussing where to buy our plants from everyone thought that getting them from The Walled Garden was a great idea,” added Mike. “It’s a great project to support and I’m sure these plants will bring joy to the hospice’s patients and visitors.”

Hospice fundraiser Anne Giblin added: “We are very grateful to both Rotherham Rotary and The Walled Garden for helping to make our gardens extra special.  Our patients and their families and friends spend a lot of time in the tranquillity of the hospice gardens, and so it is important to keep them looking their best.”

• The Walled Garden and café at Balby is open to the public on weekdays: Mondays between 10am and 4pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 9am to 4pm; Fridays between 9am and 3pm and on Sundays between 11am and 4pm.

Caption: Pictured from the left is Mike Rysak, project manager at The Walled Garden; Mike Smith, of the Rotherham Rotary Club; together with volunteers and staff Kevin Thompson, Tony Richardson and Kathy Wilson.

Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH), Doncaster Council and Doncaster’s Clinical Commissioning Group have joined together to support the Personalisation Forum Group (PFG), who have established the Wellness Centre in Intake that houses Intake Food Bank.

The PFG is run entirely by volunteers, providing support to each other and to provide services to the community, such as the food bank.

The food bank puts surplus food to use to benefit the community, promotes healthier eating and fights food poverty.

The PFG applied for funding to the RDaSH Charitable Funds Committee, which agreed to make a contribution to support the running costs and RDASH staff are making donations to the food bank.  The council has provided a £10,000 contribution to Food Aware to help develop three pilot food banks and the Clinical Commissioning Group is donating £5,000.

Sean Gibbons, managing director of Food Aware, who works with the PFG to run the food bank, said: “This is great partnership working for Doncaster at a time when people really need essential support. It is a vital service that the PFG are providing to the community and I want to thank everyone who is supporting this valuable project.”

Lawson Pater, chair of RDaSH’s Charitable Funds Committee, said: “The PFG will benefit a number of RDaSH service users, and the committee is grateful to all those whose donations and fundraising have made this contribution to the running costs of this worthy project possible’.

Cllr Pat Knight, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “The council is delighted to be supporting Food Aware in their efforts to look after some of the most vulnerable people in our local communities. This is a true partnership effort and the food banks will help local residents in need.”

Wayne Goddard, from NHS Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Supporting this initiative in partnership is just one example of how Doncaster is working together to support and assist the most vulnerable people in our society.” 

Caption: Pictured at the Wellness Centre, Intake, that houses the Intake Food Bank, are, from the left: Cllr Pat Knight; Wayne Goddard, of NHS Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group; (5^th from left) Melanie Birk, of Food Aware, next to Ian Jerams of RDaSH, together with other supporters and volunteers of the project.

Dementia Awareness Week runs this year from 19 to 25 May. Staff in Older People’s Mental Health Services in Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) are joining together with colleagues from other local organisations to raise awareness of living well with dementia.

Rotherham Young Onset Dementia Service (YODS) staff hosted a party at Howarth House on Brinsworth Lane. Around 60 service users and carers enjoyed a buffet and entertainment provided by Music in Hospitals. The dementia awareness message was iced on cakes and buns baked by service users and their carers.

RDaSH staff in Rotherham YODS produced a poster and accompanying flyer about the definition of dementia, their vision of positivity and proactive enablement and a clear message that ‘We are in this together’. These are being distributed to every GP surgery throughout the borough.

Ends

PHOTO

Pictured from the left are Peter Cant, volunteer; Andrea, service user; Trevor Hempsall, RDaSH community support worker; Peter, service user; Hazel, carer and Nicola Wymer, community psychiatric nurse

The town centre shop is run by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) at 63 Hall Gate, and offers drop-in advice and support to people on a wide range of mental health issues.

Councillor Chris Mills was inspired to find out more about the Talking Shop after being guest of honour at the street party launch of the Trust’s ‘Let’s get everyone talking’ campaign, which aims to get people in Doncaster talking about their mental health and psychological therapies.

Acting team manager for RDaSH psychological therapies Joanne Goulding said: “We really appreciate this support from Councillor Mills. It was a real pleasure to show her around the Talking Shop.

“She was able to see at first-hand just how easy it is to browse information on mental health issues, access self-help, and access a full range of treatments – all on one site.”

Doncaster Civic Mayor Cllr Chris Mills (centre) with Joanne Goulding (left) and Jim MacDonald (right) of RDaSH.

 “We fully apologised to service users and their families at the time of the incidents and we apologise again today for the actions of the individuals that have been found guilty.

“The Trust took immediate action as soon as we were made aware of the situation in 2007 and worked with South Yorkshire Police in their investigation into this matter.

“The Trust has implemented improvements to the learning disability service at this centre to minimise the risks of such incidents happening again.

“We will not tolerate staff mistreating service users and have reinforced our channels of communication to ensure that staff, service users and carers report suspected abuse so that we can take action.”

“The jury has cleared two individuals of the allegations made against them but for legal reasons we cannot comment any further about them.”

“We have a number of ongoing civil claims, which are confidential, and so the Trust is not making any further comments.”

Notes to editor

RDaSH runs the Solar Centre.

As a Foundation Trust member have you ever thought of becoming more involved as a Governor? 

 You may have asked yourself the following questions:

•  Will I need specific qualifications?
•  Will I need to have a professional background?
•  Will I need to know lots about the Trust?

The simple answer is ‘no’.  All we ask is that you are passionate about making a real difference in how the Trust develops and improves its services.  Your personal experience, knowledge of the local area or even your involvement in local community groups is invaluable.

We are about to start our latest round of elections and we have a number of opportunities if you think this is something for you.  We are looking for the following to stand for election:

• Community services patient – 2 seats
•  Community services carer – 2 seats
•  Mental health service user – 1 seat
•  Mental health carer – 2 seats
•  North East Lincolnshire public – 1 seat
•  Doncaster public – 3 seats
•  Social care staff – 1 seat
•  Non clinical staff – 1 seat

The elections are being run on behalf of the Trust by the Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) and to stand for election you must first complete a nomination form.  Nomination forms will be available from 29 May 2013 by:

Contacting the Returning Office on (01462) 617125 or downloading a copy from the AEA website (www.aea-ballot-services.co.uk)

Completed nomination forms must be returned by no later than noon on Friday, 14 June 2013 to be valid for these elections.

Further information is available by contacting the Foundation Trust Office on Freephone 0800 015 0370 or email ftmembership@rdash.nhs.uk

 Further information will also be available at our election information drop-in sessions:

• Monday, 3 June 2013 – 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm – Room 24, St Catherine’s House, Balby, Doncaster
•  Tuesday, 4 June 2013 – 11.00 am to 1.00 pm – Swallownest Court, Rotherham
•  Tuesday, 11 June 2013 – 11.00 am to 1.00 pm – Central Library, Grimsby

If you are not already a member but would like to take part in the elections why not join FREE today

The Talking Shop, which provides drop-in advice and support to Doncaster people on a wide range of health issues, is run by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH), and is located at 63 Hall Gate.

Acting team manager for RDaSH psychological therapies Joanne Goulding said: “Mental Health Awareness Week is all about raising public awareness of mental health.

“The theme for this year is physical activity and exercise, highlighting the impact they have on mental health and wellbeing, so we’ve teamed up with sports tutors at Doncaster Deaf Trust and Doncaster Rovers Community Sports and Education Foundation to put together a programme of activities that we hope everyone will be able to try.

“We’re also offering a free NHS health check for people aged between 40 and 74, and our therapists will be available throughout the day to give advice on the services and therapies we offer.”

Everyone who attends will be able to sample a free smoothie, as well as taking part in the physical activities, which include table tennis, mini-circuit training and a ‘Keepy Uppy’ football challenge.

 For more information, please ring the Talking Shop on (01302) 565650.

 For a full list of all the events being planned by RDaSH to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, please follow this link

The Fitness Flex Gym on High Fishergate is holding the drop-in event in partnership with Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH), during Mental Health Awareness Week, which is themed ‘Let’s get physical’ in 2013.

The aim of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is to change the way we view physical activity in the UK: to shift physical activity from a behaviour which we do because we ‘have to’, ‘should do’ or ‘ought to do’ for our health, to something which we do because we personally value its positive benefits to our wellbeing.

RDaSH health and wellbeing practitioner Emma Willits said: “This open day is all about motivating people to take that first step towards becoming more physically active, and unlocking the potential to be more fit, healthy and happy.”

The gym facilities will open to the general public on 16 May and will be free to use between 10am and 4pm. For more information please ring Fitness Flex on (01302) 344476.

Other events open to the public include a gym taster session at the Opal Centre gym on Monday 13 May between 2pm and 4pm (contact ruth.laughton@rdash.nhs.uk) and the weekly Health Walk  in partnership with Active Doncaster on Wednesday 15 May setting off from Town Fields Pavilion at 4.30pm (contact Dan Wiffen on 01302 735403).

Dementia Awareness Week runs this year from 19 to 25 May. Staff in Older People’s Mental Health Services in Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) will join together with colleagues from other local organisations to raise awareness of living well with dementia.

The events throughout the week include:

Monday 20 May

Rotherham

This year’s campaign kicks off on Monday 20 May with the opening of the new Alzheimer’s café at the Wesley Centre, Blyth Road, Maltby from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.

Rotherham Young Onset Dementia Service (YODS) staff will host a party at Howarth House from 10am to 1pm. Around 60 service users and carers will enjoy a buffet and entertainment provided by Music in Hospitals. The dementia awareness message will be iced on cakes and buns baked by service users and their carers.

RDaSH staff in Rotherham YODS have produced a poster and accompanying flyer about the definition of dementia, their vision of positivity and proactive enablement and a clear message that ‘We are in this together’. These will be distributed to every GP surgery throughout the borough.

Doncaster

Another Alzheimer’s café will open on the same day between 1pm and 3pm in Doncaster at The Old School, Top Road, Barnby Dunn.

Tuesday 21 May

Rotherham/ Doncaster

From 10.30am to 2.30pm the campaign moves to Riverside House, the new council building in Rotherham. Staff from RDaSH will join the Rotherham/ Doncaster branch of the Alzheimer’s Society to support the drive to increase public awareness and understanding of the needs and support available for people who are worried about their memory.

There will be a performance by a choir of around 30 people with dementia and their carers, accompanied by a musician.

During the same afternoon information will be presented to members of the RDaSH User Carer Council Partnership about the ongoing partnership work in Doncaster to promote the Dementia Friendly Communities programme, which focuses on improving inclusion and quality of life of people with dementia. 

Wednesday 22 May

Doncaster

On Wednesday 22 May at the Ivanhoe Centre in Conisborough, Doncaster, there will be a 1940s/50s-style tea dance and party with live music provided by Lost Chord. The tea dance is at The Ivanhoe Centre, Gardens Lane from 12.30 to 3pm.

Thursday 23 May and Friday 24 May

Doncaster

Throughout Thursday and Friday, RDaSH staff will be involved with Doncaster Arts (DARTS), NHS Doncaster and public health to raise the awareness among different community, public and emergency services about the needs of people with dementia.

Rotherham, Doncaster and Scunthorpe

The week will also see the launch of a new information guide about dementia for people known to the Older People’s Mental Health Services throughout RDaSH in Rotherham, Doncaster and Scunthorpe.

RDaSH health promotion lead, Kim Gostolo said: “While it is important to acknowledge and be involved in Dementia Awareness Week, it is even more important that the messages continue throughout the whole of the year and that people are supported to live well with dementia.”

Ends