Becoming Star Wards
20/07/2007
One of the main complaints in the past about being admitted to a mental health hospital is that there's nothing to do apart from drink coffee and smoke cigarettes. Not any more. On the wards at Wotton Lawn Hospital in Gloucester staff have organized dozens of activities for patients seven days a week - more, they believe, than any other mental health unit in the country.
The hospital, run by Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, is one of the first to employ its own sports therapists in addition to other therapists. The comprehensive therapy and nursing team are providing a wide range of activity based programmes, including gym work, trampoline, badminton, canoeing, cycling and swimming. Among dozens of other ideas, even line dancing has recently been introduced for the first time. There's also an "artist in residence" through a partner organisation "Art-Lift", where dance and movement is used in a focused way. Many more activities inspired by the feedback of patients are carried out and include cookery, art classes, gardening and flower arranging.
Many of the new activities are being delivered by Health Care Assistants based at Wotton Lawn, both during the day and in the evening. Many of the staff have received special in-depth training for the purpose, within a structured process that includes mentoring, observation of work practice and written assignments.
It's all part of a nationwide scheme called "Star Wards" to improve life for the patients on mental health wards. However, under the energetic and innovative leadership of Matron Manager Alan Metherall, Wotton Lawn has taken the project to a new level. Mental health hospitals around the country have embraced the scheme with great levels of enthusiasm bringing about significant improvements in services as a result.
Alan said: "By building an incredible range of high quality and enjoyable activities, we're substantially improving the daily experiences of our inpatients and therefore helping the outcome of their treatment."
Consultant occupational therapist, Jane Melton (pictured) added "Working as a team is important to us. We are pleased that the initiative and energy of the team is having a positive effect for the recovery of the people that we work with."
The pioneering work has attracted much interest from other hospitals around the UK and feedback suggests that Wotton Lawn Hospital is leading the way with the 'Star Ward' experience.
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