TEWV newsletter – July 2023

This newsletter provides a regular update from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV). We’ll provide you with the latest news and updates from across our Trust, focusing on patient care, our staff, working with our partners and our communities. If you have any questions please contact us.

Introduction from Brent Kilmurray

Dear partner

Last month the Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out our well-led and core service inspection. We’ve had some positive feedback and our colleagues have also told us they had a good experience talking about the important work that they do with inspectors. We expect to have a draft copy of the report in the next few weeks, with a publication date towards the end of the summer. Thank you to our partners for the ongoing support.

Our work to support the Community Mental Health Framework remains a key priority for us. It will provide a place-based, integrated core model for community mental health provision across all sectors. This is a three-to-five-year programme of transformation which, ultimately, will mean support looks very different for local people. The programme will deliver place-based, integrated care which is aligned to Primary Care Networks. We’ve made good progress working with local partners to move this work forward. This includes local voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE), local authorities, primary care and drug and alcohol services. It’s still early days but we’re already seeing some really positive signs that we can improve access to services, provide more holistic care and develop pathways that are streamlined, leading to better clinical outcomes.

We’re also continuing to work with partners, including the police, on ‘Right Care, Right Person’. Some of you will be aware that ‘Right Care, Right Person’ aims to ensure that when there are concerns for someone’s welfare linked to mental health, medical or social care issues, the right person with the right skills, training and experience will respond.  We’re committed to making sure that, in partnership, we provide people with the most appropriate care at times when many of them are at their most vulnerable. We’ll continue to keep you updated on this really important collaboration.

And finally, I wanted to mention that the NHS turns 75 on 5 July. Here at TEWV we’ve got a range of activities taking place across our sites and within different teams. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate and importantly recognise the fantastic work that colleagues do every day across the NHS. 

Best wishes,
Brent Kilmurray
Chief Executive

Latest News

How we’re achieving our goals

We are making progress on our goals and working together to deliver a great experience for patients, carers and families, for colleagues and to be a great partner.

• Our teams were out and about in June, with stands at Durham and York Pride as well as Armed Forces Day in Scarborough. It was a great opportunity to speak with members of our community, share information about our services and listen to feedback from those receiving care, their families, and carers.

• We celebrated those within our services who volunteer as part of volunteers’ week (read more below). Volunteers are vital within our trust for using their experiences to help improve the care people receive as well as having a positive impact on our staff. We also celebrated carers week with a series of events across our wards and in the community, highlighting the incredible dedication of unpaid carers and the range of support available to them.

• North Yorkshire voluntary groups, community organisations and wellbeing specialists were offered the chance to apply for grants of up to £30,000 through the Community Mental Health Transformation programme. Organisation to benefit include Scarborough Survivors: Next Steps with Cares Plus and Ryedale Carers Support; and Wellbeing photographer Rebecca Rowan (see below ‘Crime Scene photographer…’).

From IAPT and Talking Changes to NHS Talking Therapies

The names of our Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services have changed.

Following an extensive national consultation process, NHS England national mental health team have announced that NHS Talking Therapies will replace Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services by the end of 2023.

This means:

• Talking Changes has been renamed NHS Durham and Darlington Talking Therapies.

• North Yorkshire IAPT service has been renamed NHS North Yorkshire Talking Therapies.

• York and Selby IAPT service has been renamed NHS York and Selby Talking Therapies.

Our names may have changed but our services will stay the same. This change doesn’t affect our teams or the care they provide.

Putting patient safety first

We held the first in a new series of Patient Safety Summit’s at the end of June, to explore how we work to improve patients feeling safe alongside our regional partners.

We were delighted to be joined by a lived experience panel made up of service user and carer partners and peer support workers, reflecting on their experience of using mental health services, and importantly what makes them feel safe.

Liz Durrant from NHS England, who is national lead of the transformation plan for inpatient services for mental health, autism and learning disabilities, took us through the key themes of the programme, highlighting the importance of the therapeutic relationship as being the most likely thing to keep a person safe. Linked to our clinical, quality and safety improvement journey, delegates enjoyed a lively discussion to identify any gaps and what we need to do next, and how we measure what matters.

Clinical trials are helping to shape the future of healthcare through research

Our Trust is helping to shape the future of healthcare through research – thanks to some fantastic volunteers.

Grants on offer to improve quality of life for people with significant mental ill-health

People living with a serious mental health illness in North Yorkshire are being offered a helping hand – thanks to a new funding scheme.

Dynamic duo win at Medical School awards

Staff scoop two awards at the Hull York Medical School Teaching Excellence awards.

Trust in ‘peak condition’ with Better Health at Work awards

Teams take bronze and gold in the Better Health at Work awards.

Helping hand offered by volunteers in new scheme

A project aimed at helping people change their lives one step at a time by boosting their confidence has been launched in North Yorkshire.

Life on the ocean wave helps with recovery

Staff and patients from our Trust have just completed their very own voyage of adventure on the high seas.

Inspirational Dennis finds “new purpose in life” by helping others as a Trust volunteer

A man who has overcome huge life hurdles is using his lived experience to help others as a much-loved Trust volunteer. 

Crime scene photographer makes switch to wellbeing focus

A photographer who once specialised in crime scene shots has switched career paths – to focus on the wellbeing of the living.

Tragic loss inspires Trust worker to help others

The death of her mother to early-onset Alzheimer’s has inspired Trust worker Rebecca O’Keeffe to pen a book to help children understand the illness.

Meet some of our amazing volunteers

During Volunteers Week (1-7 June) we recognised the amazing people who dedicate their time to help and support the people in our care and their carers.

Celebrating Learning Disability Week

9-25 June was Learning Disability Week. It aimed to raise awareness of what it’s like to live with a learning disability. It was also an opportunity to showcase the support available for people and their families.

My brother inspired my career as a learning disability nurse

Growing up with a brother with severe learning disabilities inspired Jody Buxton’s 23-year-career in learning disability services. During Learning Disability Week Jody shared her story to inspire others.

Community Hub for prison leavers

A new hub aimed at helping people leaving prison to re-integrate into the community has been launched in Durham.

If you’d like to know more about anything in this newsletter, please get in touch. Email [email protected] if any of your colleagues would like to our partner mailing list or to request to be removed.