Daily briefing - 16/07/2020 Latest information and guidance for all GMMH staff

Daily briefing – 16/07/2020
Latest information and guidance for all GMMH staff

Dear colleague,
Today is Thank You Thursday and as always we will bring you positive news from
across the Trust and further afield.
As ever, there are reasons to be positive and we are pleased that life seems to be
getting back to some kind of normality. However, today is also a day for reflection,
following this morning’s memorial service at Manchester Cathedral, where those who
have lost their life to COVID-19 were remembered. GMMH was represented by
Abigail Short, who is a Trainee Advanced Practitioner at Woodlands Hospital. She
supported and guided the clinical care received by patients at Woodlands during the
height of the pandemic
The service, led by Dean of Manchester, the very Reverend Rogers Govender and
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, was for everyone who has been
affected by COVID-19 – those of all faiths and of none. They acknowledged how
much harder it has been to grieve as there has not been opportunities to gather
together and remember those who have died. They also launched the online book of
remembrance where people who have been bereaved will be able to upload the
name and personal details of those they loved, together with a picture and a
personal tribute. Those who worked for the NHS and social care will have a rainbow
symbol added to their memory. If you would like to contribute to the online book of
remembrance, please visit: https://gmremembers.org.uk/
This service and online tribute book is hopefully the start of our communities coming
together and healing from what has been an extremely difficult few months. And we
must never lose sight of the positives we have witnessed, the sense of team work
and dedication shown by each and every one of you, and the possibilities that some
changes have brought and how we can build on these to keep improving our care for
our service users.
Today, we would also like to share the exciting news that we have launched the
Mental Health Nursing Research Unit (MHNRU). The aim of the MHNRU is to
conduct research that improves the health and wellbeing of people using mental
health services and their families. It also aims to conduct research that advances the
practice of mental health nursing. You can read about it under our news section on
the intranet and there is more information below.
Thank you as ever for all your support.
Deborah Partington
Director of Operations

Today’s Key Messages:
Positive News:

      LGBTQ+ organisations and groups across the UK will soon be able to apply
       for grants of up to £15,000 to support their vital role in supporting LGBTQ+
       communities through the Coronavirus pandemic. This will be from a £585,000
       fund from Comic Relief, raised from the ‘Big Night In’. You can register your
       interesting in applying for a grant here. (Source: Metro Charity)
      Over half a million tasks have been completed by NHS volunteer
       responders. The scheme which was launched three months ago saw almost
       600,000 volunteers signing up to help vulnerable people. Volunteers have
       helped to deliver food and medicine and reached out to those isolating
       through thousands of ‘check-in and chat’ phone calls. They have also helped
       people get to and from hospital appointments. (Source: ITV)
      Oxford scientists believe they may have made a breakthrough in their efforts
       to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. They have discovered the vaccine triggers a
       response that may offer a ‘double defence’ against the virus. Phase I of the
       human trails has shown it generates an immune response against the
       disease. Whilst promising, scientists do not yet have proof that the vaccine
       offers long-lasting immunity against COVID-19. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
      With the summer holidays officially beginning, the Anna Freud National
       Centre for Children and Families have developed resource packs for primary
       and secondary pupils. These resource packs are part of the Centre’s
       #SelfcareSummer campaign which highlight activities, support and advice
       every day throughout the summer. The Primary pack can be accessed here
       Direct link: https://www.annafreud.org/media/12095/final-selfcaresummer-
       primary.pdf. The #SelfcareSummer Secondary pack helps young people to
       create their own individual self-care plan for the summer holidays based on
       strategies which other young people have found helpful. It also sign-posts
       young people and their families to additional support if they need it. The
       Secondary pack can be accessed here. Direct
       link: https://www.annafreud.org/media/12101/final-selfcaresummer-
       secondary.pdf (source: Anna Feud National Centre for Children and Families)

Mental Health Nursing Research Unit:
      A virtual launch took place today; at which the aims of the Mental Health
       Nursing Research Unit (MHNRU) were discussed, as well as plans to support
       the development of research skills and knowledge amongst mental health
       nurses
      They also took the opportunity to learn more about what service users,
       relatives, health professionals, academics, and students think the priorities of
       the MHNRU should be and how GMMH can support nurses to become more
       actively involved in research
      In advance of the launch event, we shared over social media some quotes
       from individuals who are involved in the MHNRU, speaking of the importance
       of involving nurses in clinical research:

Please send your superstars to communications@gmmh.nhs.uk

Chris Diamond, Head of Mental Health Legislation: “I would like to give a big
shout out and thank you to the MHA administrators and MHA managers across
the Trust who have been working so hard to overcome some of the challenges
encountered in recent months. Throughout everything they have pulled together and
ensured that the Trust is meeting its statutory requirements and that the legal rights
of service users have been maintained. This has been achieved with the support
from operational colleagues, particularly administrators, in each division. With
grateful thanks to everybody.”

Demra Stansfield, Assistant Practitioner, Cromwell House CMHT: “Could I
please thank Rochelle Whiteoak for being an absolute superstar. Always willing to
help out and go above and beyond.”
Matt Paterson, Head of Operations: “I would just like to thank everyone working
in AFS during what has been a difficult time for both staff and patients. You have
shown commitment and professionalism throughout. The world has changed and I
am proud that you have changed with it ensuring that we support the patients and
each other for the greater good. This has been an unprecedented time in our modern
history and you can all be proud of yourselves for meeting this challenge with
compassion and dignity. Every one of you should be proud, I thank you all.”
Gemma Lawton, Senior Support Secretary: “I would like to nominate Sally
Gilbert, Administration Manager at Primary Care Psychological Therapies Service
Bolton. Sally has worked so hard from the start of lockdown for our whole service in
these unexpected and unprecedented times. She’s gone above and beyond the
whole time, works beyond her hours juggling her already demanding role with now
huge added pressures on top. There have been problems ensuring all clinicians and
admin staff could work from home and Sally has gone above and beyond to ensure
everything is running smoothly and we can provide the same amazing service from
home as we do in the office. She has been a supportive manager as always. Also a
big shout out to the whole PCPTS team working so amazingly from home keeping
the service running for our patients.”

Thank you