Issue 40 September-December 2011
P4
Patient
feedback pilot
P5
Health and Social
Care Awards
P7
Apprenticeships
special
P13
P8
Sign of the times for
deaf nurse Jennifer
Arts festival to
showcase new talent
Chief executive’s message
As autumn approaches, our trust has
much to look forward to and celebrate
with our AGM, World Mental Health Day
and Black History Month taking place
during the coming weeks.
However, October 20 will be exactly a year
since Chancellor George Osborne unveiled
the Government’s comprehensive spending
review which set out how public funds would
be spent over the coming years.
The past 12 months have seen changes in
our trust’s structure and how frontline services
are delivered, yet our staff have continued to
deliver excellent standards of care and
achieve success, in these uncertain times.
Putting patients first remains our mantra, to
provide the best possible care whether that is
in a community setting or an inpatient unit,
and our recent success at the Health and
Social Care Awards shows how passionate
our staff are about delivering this mandate.
People like Jennifer Meeks, whose own
deafness did not stop her following her dream
of becoming a qualified staff nurse - she is
now one of the UK’s first deaf mental health
nurses - and newly-appointed apprentice
Sherrelle Russell who represents the new
NHS generation.
The recent launch of a major patient
feedback scheme aims to improve the way we
receive patients’ comments and suggestions
by using the latest technology at six test sites.
I am sure the challenges our trust faces, as
well as its achievements, will provide some
healthy discussions at our AGM on
September 27.
However, for all our successes we cannot
afford to be complacent, as there are still
challenges to be faced, but I am confident
that together we can meet those head on.
Sue Turner, chief executive.
Transport review
A new delivery and collection service has
been rolled out across our trust sites.
Our trust has teamed up with Amey plc, to
redesign the transport provision between our
sites across Birmingham and Solihull.
The improved service offers extended
operating hours and a new electronic tracking
system.
After the first few weeks of operation,
wards and sites have already reported great
improvements and have welcomed the
redesign of the delivery and collection service.
Neil Hathaway, head of estates and facilities,
said: “The new transport arrangements have
allowed us to focus on quality, customer
requirements and value for money.
“The benefits of the improved service will
help staff plan their work, with the ultimate
winner being the service user”.
Delivering the new transport review: (left to right) Sarah Turner, Richard White, Laura Nicholls, Philip Scarratt,
Leslie Groves and Huw Price.
Photo copyright Nick Wilkinson
Governors meeting postponed
The Assembly of Governors meeting scheduled for September 15 has been
postponed until further notice.
Once a new date for this forum has been set, details will be advertised as soon as
possible via the trust’s website and email.
If you have any queries regarding governors please email
[email protected] or call 0121 301 1274.
Do you have a story which could feature in Trust Talk?
If so, then contact the editor, Emma Brady on
0121 301 1298 or email [email protected].
Deadline for the December issue is November 4, 2011.
2
Trust Talk
deadlines
From this issue, Trust Talk will now be
published quarterly, rather than bi-monthly,
so please note its new copy deadlines. All
copy to be considered for inclusion must
be submitted by the dates below:
ISSUE
DEADLINE
April 2012
March 2
December 2011
July 2012
October 2012
November 4
June 1
August 31
Make a date for
our AGM
This year’s annual general meeting will
take place at the Uffculme centre in
Moseley on September 27.
The AGM, the theme for which is
innovation, will open at 10am, with a
member seminar about our award-winning
Rapid Assessment, Interface, Discharge
(RAID) service by Professor George
Tadros, consultant in old age liaison
psychiatry.
This service, launched as a pilot scheme
in December 2009, has received interest
from Government ministers and leading
clinicians from overseas and across the
UK due to its innovative approach to
psychiatric liaison within one of
Birmingham’s busiest A&E units.
This will be followed by a members
session on our new patient feedback
kiosks and tablet computers, which enable
service users across our trust’s sites the
opportunity to comment on their care and
our services.
A marketplace of stalls showcasing
various projects, services and teams will be
open throughout the day.
Staff who have worked within the NHS
for 25 or 40 years will be recognised at
our annual long service awards, before the
formal AGM begins at 2pm.
We are still finalising details, so more
information will be posted on our
website www.bsmhft.nhs.uk.
Trust Talk changes
Trust Talk, like our trust, is ringing the
changes to reflect the challenging
economic climate.
From this September issue, the magazine
will be bigger and brighter, published
quarterly as printed copies or electronic
editions.
Each issue and retain popular features
such as Coffee Break, Governor Spotlight
and Photography Corner.
As well as reducing the number of
issues, alternate editions will have a limited
print run.
These will not be automatically mailed
out to members, but they will receive an
email link to the digital version which will
be available online.
The paper and postage costs involved in
printing and distributing the magazine have
risen considerably, which is why these
changes are being made.
All issues of Trust Talk can still be
downloaded from our website
www.bsmhft.nhs.uk.
Simone’s walking the walk
Carer Simone, who looks after her grandmother Daisy, is taking part in the Memory Walk.
Carer Simone Daniel and her daughter
Rael are urging people to support the
annual Memory Walk which is being held
in a Birmingham park in September.
The busy single mum, who is preparing to
return to Birmingham City University to
continue her studies, and her ten-year-old
daughter Rael are keen to raise awareness
of dementia, as they both look after
90-year-old Daisy.
Simone and Rael live with Daisy at her Small
Heath home, where the bubbly 29-year-old is
a live-in carer for her grandmother, who was
diagnosed with dementia in 2003.
The Memory Walk, which includes 2k, 5k and
10k routes and is organised by the
Alzheimer’s Society, takes place in Cannon Hill
Park, in Edgbaston, on September 25.
Simone, who’s a member of our trust’s carers
forum and of the Dementia Council, said:
“I really appreciate the work the Alzheimer’s
Society does and I would encourage other
people to sign up as it is for a really good
cause and it’s a nice day out.
“We also wanted to do it to raise awareness
of Alzheimer’s disease.”
Organisers hope 500 people will take part in
this year’s event which will begin at 12pm with
a gentle warm up in the park.
For more details visit
www.memorywalk.org.uk or call
0207 423 3646 to register.
To ensure you receive electronic
versions of Trust Talk, send your email
address to [email protected]
3
Seminar series Patient experience feedback
review
pilot is launched
Earlier this year, our trust joined forces
with Birmingham City Council’s
equality division to jointly stage six
seminars to raise awareness of key
mental health issues and their impact
on the city’s communities.
Sessions - held at Handsworth Fire
Station and the Drum, in Aston, between
January and March - were aimed at
practitioners, policy makers and third
sector bodies serving Handsworth and
Lozells, as well as local residents
interested in mental health.
All seminars were well attended, in
particular the launch event and sessions
on young people and African-Caribbean
men. The final session was a screening of
The Revolving Door, produced and written
by local poets Aeon and Evoke.
An evaluation of this joint seminar
programme revealed that people will
attend such events if they feel it
addresses issues relevant to them.
It also highlighted a need for more
mental health awareness events, and as
result the relationship between our trust
and the council’s Handsworth and
Lozells CommUNITY Team will be
developed further.
The original six seminars are also set to
be re-run at a later date, and both
organisations are to look at particular work
relating to mental health awareness for
young people, women and African
Caribbean men.
Councillor Alan Rudge, the city council’s
cabinet member for equality and human
resources, said: “Our work with the trust is
significant because of what we know
about the causes and impact of mental
health, and how it affects communities and
families who are already facing
challenging issues, such as those in
Handsworth and Lozells.”
Sue Turner, our chief executive, said:
“Everyone’s general wellbeing is influenced
by his or her circumstances, surroundings
and the way people have behaved towards
them – so we do our best to improve
service users’ lives via our work with other
organisations.
“This is why our trust is totally committed
to consolidating our partnership with
Birmingham City Council in the
Handsworth and Lozells area.
“Our trust believes it’s essential to work
with service user’s carers, their families
and the wider community to help them to
lead purposeful lives among people who
accept them – breaking down the barriers
of stigma which often accompany mental
health problems and can lead to isolation.”
4
Dee Roach, Di Markman and Mark Hiller with some of the new patient feedback computers.
A pioneering project to use new
technology to improve the patient
experience was launched at two of our
sites in August.
Six sites were chosen to pilot the use of new
technology – including hand-held tablet
computers and patient feedback kiosks – to
give more opportunities for service users to
provide immediate feedback on changes or
improvements to services.
The first unit to launch the new devices was
Little Bromwich in Bordesley Green, followed
by the Zinnia Centre in Sparkbrook.
Fitz Meikle, a modern matron at the Zinnia
Centre, said: “This is a solid development to
bring us to the cutting edge of service
improvement. Virtually every patient here
today gave their views to us through using the
new devices".
Sue Buffery, who leads the STEPS
programmes for older adults, added: "We
could’ve been overlooked for something like
this, because people believe older patients
won't embrace technology, but our patients
have proved that theory wrong as they’ve
keenly followed our progress in this pilot".
The other sites involved are the Barberry
(National Deaf Service) in Edgbaston,
Ardenleigh women’s service in Erdington,
Solihull Integrated Addictions Service in
Chelmsley Wood and Ten Acres centre in
Stirchley.
Each trial site has three different hand-held
feedback devices for patients to use during
the pilot scheme.
A kiosk has been placed in each
reception area, which have extra capability to
provide general information. A plasma screen
has also been installed at these sites, to
deliver news, messages from the team and
recent service improvements.
Our deaf service is designing questions
which will be filmed in British Sign Language,
and selected sites will offer the opportunity to
comment using Urdu or Punjabi.
PALS, User Voice and See Me teams are
liaising with patients ensure they are involved
in the design of the questions and asking
them to choose their own topics for comment.
Home treatment teams and community
psychiatric nurses will also have access to
pocket-sized devices, so patients receiving
care at home will be able to give their views
on the service received.
Our managers and matrons have instant
access to patients’ views through a
"dashboard" of detailed information at each
pilot site. Mental health service
commissioners are also keen to know what
patients’ preferences are.
Mark Hillier, head of patient and public
involvement, said: “This project is truly bringing
us the best systems to plan and design better
services, through the direct feedback of many
more service users.
“We have talked to many other NHS trusts
but also introduced a private sector partner,
and looked at how companies involve their
customers."
Staff are touring pilot sites to hear patients’ views.
Trust PAs take up challenge of new role
The growing popularity of physician
assistants (PAs) is providing unique
opportunities for graduates and
healthcare professionals looking for a
new challenge.
Nine NHS trusts in the West Midlands,
including ours, have embraced this role which
was devised in the US during the 1960s to
overcome a shortage of doctors.
Since then it has been successfully
exported to health services in Australia,
Canada, Europe, South Africa and the UK,
where students study general medicine
across a broad spectrum of healthcare.
Our trust has already benefited from two
waves of PAs as UK-trained recruits join
medical teams, supervised by a doctor or
consultant, whose remit includes diagnosis
and referral of patients.
Rebford Kean, joined our trust as a
PA in the community mental health
team for homeless people, based at
Morcom House, in April.
“I perform initial psychiatric assessments
and physical examinations and assist my
consultant in outpatient clinics,” said Rebford.
“I completed a nursing degree and a
Masters in medical law before enrolling on
the PA programme, but despite these
achievements I had to study hard to pass the
medical modules.
“Working in psychiatry is an enormous
learning curve for me, but the homeless team
are a dedicated group who have made me
feel very welcome”.
Mlindelwa Vundhla*, is a PA with our Rapid
Assessment, Interface and Discharge (RAID)
team, at City Hospital, in Winson Green,
Mlindelwa was already a qualified
registered general nurse but wanted an
expanded role and looked at PA courses in
America, before he found similar courses
were available in the UK. University of
Birmingham and Wolverhampton University
are among the academic centres now
offering the two-year diploma course.
He said: “The role of physician assistant is
very different to that of a nurse. It’s more
suited to nurses who are comfortable with
the medical model of care.
“I enjoy interacting with patients and their
relatives or carers. I feel privileged to be able
to impart the knowledge, skills and
experience I have gathered over the years in
the healthcare sector.
“The difference that high standard of care
makes to patients and their relatives and
carers gives me professional satisfaction.”
lFor more information, visit the UK
Association of Physician Assistants
website – www.ukapa.co.uk
lA full interview with Mlindelwa Vundhla
will appear in the Nursing Standard in
September.
Trust staff praised at Health and Social Care Awards
had been from the general sector.”
Staff nurse Lily Singh, who is based at
Grove Avenue, won the Trust Nominated
Practice Award, while Hayley Carolan and
Emma Brogan, ward and deputy ward
manager at the former Small Heath InPatients unit, were highly commended for the
same award.
Nursing course
approved
(Left to right) Celebrating success: Emma Brogan, Hayley Carolan, Michael Galvin, Sally Graham and Lily Singh
clutch their Health and Social Care Awards
Our trust scooped two awards and
praise for its staff at the regional Health
and Social Care Awards at Birmingham
City University.
Staff from the National Deaf Mental Health
Service based at the Barberry, Small Health
In-Patients unit, and Grove Avenue
rehabilitation unit in Moseley all won
recognition at event held at the Botanical
Gardens in Edgbaston on July 22.
This was the fifth year the university’s
faculty of health has staged the awards,
which recognises the achievements of its
students and celebrates the relationships it
has built with practice partners, including our
trust.
Michael Galvin, ward manager, and Sally
Graham, deputy ward manager of Jasmine
Suite - which won the Student Nominated
Practice Award – attended the ceremony.
Micheal said: “When I saw the amount of
people there, which including Lord Corbett,
senior army officers and the dean of the
university, I never thought that we might
actually win.
“When presenter announced the award and
began talking about how students receive
basic teaching of British Sign Language and
attend deaf awareness sessions, I suddenly
realised we had won.
“It was the proudest moment of my career
so far, as the excellent team I work with in
the National Deaf Mental Health Service had
been recognised for its hard work.”
Sally added “I am really happy the team
have won this award as it raises awareness
of the deaf service’s work.
“I was especially proud when I saw Jasmine
Suite engraved on the award, as the previous
winner – Birmingham Children’s Hospital -
The Nursing and Midwifery Council
have approved the undergraduate
mental health nursing course at
Birmingham City University.
The professional body’s validation, which
was made in May, approved the mental
health course with no conditions, which is
rare and included five commendations.
The university’s partnership work with our
trust, in particular the practice placement
team led by Jacqui Gatcombe and Susan
Hine, was commended.
David Glover, a community psychiatric
nurse at Reservoir Court, Hamida Khanum,
a community psychiatric nurse at
Newbridge House, and Paul Scott, a staff
nurse at the Oleaster centre, also received
recognition for their commitment to the
course and the revalidation process.
Our partnership work with service
users was also commended, and the
university wishes to thank all mentors for
their efforts in mentoring and assessing
nursing students.
The new course begins in September.
5
Kate’s take on Tourette’s
wins national award
Taking to the trails
for Tourettes Action
Two of our consultants are preparing
to tackle a tough Lakeland Trail race in
October, to raise money for Tourettes
Action.
Dr Andrea Cavanna and Dr Hugh
Rickards, both consultant
neuropsychiatrists based at the Barberry in
Edgbaston, will be running the Coniston
15k challenge on October 1.
They are both keen runners who have
also taken part in local races, including the
Bournville 10k, and have also entered the
Great Birmingham Run half marathon on
October 23.
Dr Rickards said: “Andrea and I are
running the Coniston 15k challenge to
raise money and awareness for Tourettes
Action, the UK charity for Tourette
syndrome. My sister, Kathy, will be joining
us as well as Midlands Today business
correspondent, Peter Plisner, who is
running for the Macmillan Cancer Charity.
“We are up for a challenge although we
know the course will be tough, as we’ve
been warned that in some places the
terrain is only suitable for agile mountain
goats, but we are determined to succeed
and emerge unscathed.”
The team want to raise £1,000 for the
charity, as well as increase awareness of
Tourette’s syndrome, which affects 0.5 per
cent of children in the UK.
To support and sponsor our runners,
visit their Just Giving page at
www.justgiving.com/hugh-andrea.
Dr Andrea Cavanna with medical student Kate David and her award.
A medical student working with our
specialist Tourette’s syndrome unit has
won a prestigious national prize for her
essay on the condition.
Kate David, who is studying psychological
medicine at Birmingham University,
developed an interest in the diagnosis and
treatment of Tourette’s during her placement
at the Barberry, in Edgbaston.
Kate was presented with the Professor
Mary Robertson prize after presenting her
research into quality of life indicators in
patients with the condition at the Tourettes
Action Research Network conference in
London on May 13.
Kate, who has been working in our trust’s
neuropsychiatry department, said: “I find the
mind very interesting and the link between
body and mind, so I wanted to focus on that
for a year.
“With medical degrees you spend so much
time trying to learn everything, so it’s rather
refreshing to be able to just concentrate on
one area in detail, which I have enjoyed very
much.
6
“I didn’t know anything about
neuropsychiatry and research processes
before I began this project, so I was very
surprised that my essay won the Professor
Mary Robertson award. I had no expectations
whatsoever of winning.”
Her essay was a review of existing
literature on the quality of life in patients with
Tourette’s, which linked into her own research
on predictors of quality of life.
Dr Andrea Cavanna, consultant in
behavioural neurology based at the Barberry,
described the student medic as “very
talented”.
He added: “Unfortunately I was not at the
conference to see Kate receive her award
and I only knew of her success when she
emailed me to say she had won the prize.
“However, it was not a big surprise to me
that she had won, as we’d worked together
for a year and I know how very talented she
is. I do believe she has a bright future ahead
of her.”
Kate added: “I couldn’t have done this
without Andrea’s support.”
Oleaster’s
charity fun
Staff and service users have been
turning out their cupboards for a
series of charity bring-and-buy and
book sales at the Oleaster centre.
A series of events, held at The Venue
activity space, organised by administration
staff have raised a total of £565 for
various charities, including appeals
following disasters in Haiti and Japan,
since November.
Other good causes to benefit from these
sales were Cancer Research UK, the
Heart Foundation, Smile Foundation and
Unicef.
Money was also raised to fund a party
for service users at The Venue, to
celebrate the Royal Wedding in April,
which was a great success.
More book sales and bring-and-buy
events are planned. Anybody who would
like to donate any books or bric-a-brac
can drop them off at the Oleaster, in
Mindelsohn Crescent, Edgbaston, or call
0121 301 2165 to arrange collection.
Trust opens clinical apprenticeships to public for first time
As work progresses on our Yardley
Green site, the search now begins for
staff to work at the new medium
secure unit.
The recruitment drive for this development
includes the launch of the first clinical
apprenticeship scheme open to external
candidates. It is designed to give people of
all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to
train as healthcare assistants.
Successful candidates will be taken on a
12-month contract on a Band 1 salary, which
incorporates workplace learning towards an
apprenticeship in health and social care –
based within one of our forensic units.
The apprentice posts, which are forensic
specific, will spend time at Ardenleigh in
Erdington and Reaside in Rubery. The
Yardley Green medium secure unit, in
Bordesley Green, is due to open in
December.
On completion, apprentices will be
equipped to apply health care assistant roles
within the trust’s forensic services.
Lorraine Conlon, lead nurse for our Youth
and Secure Services, hopes to receive
applications from jobseekers within the local
community, but added apprenticeships “aren’t
just for school leavers”.
She said: “These healthcare assistants will
be the trust’s first cohort of external clinical
apprentices. The trust already takes on
business administration apprentices but this
is the first time we’ve applied the process to
clinical services.
“We’re not just looking for people fresh out
of school or college, we’re keen to receive
applications from men and women of all
ages, maybe looking for a change or
returning to work after spending time with
their family, all these experiences will help
benefit the service.
“This scheme will give apprentices some
real experience on the job. It will give them a
basis on which to develop their skills enable
them to access further development to
progress in a career in healthcare.
Each apprentice will have a clinical mentor
and will receive academic support from the
trust’s learning and development team
throughout their apprenticeship.
Lorraine added: “We want to attract a mix
of people from different backgrounds, of
different ages and with diverse experiences
which brings a general understanding of how
to improve the experiences of our patients.
“There is an under representation in our
workforce of people under the age of 24,
many of which are in administrative roles,
therefore we would encourage applications
from this age group for clinical role like this.
“We need to create a second generation to
come through, and hopefully by offering
support and opportunities like this, we can.”
lAdvertisements for these
apprenticeships will appear on the
NHS Jobs website – www.jobs.nhs.uk –
from mid-September. Applicants must
be aged 18 or over and have at least
three GCSEs A*-G.
For more information about the
healthcare apprenticeships, contact
Naomi Fletcher on 0121 301 1264 or
email [email protected]
Sherrelle,
you’re hired!
It’s clear from Sherrelle Russell’s smile
that she enjoys working for our trust.
The ambitious 20-year-old embarked on an
apprenticeship in business administration in
February, and within four months has
successfully obtained a Band 3 post as a
secretary to the education team at trust
headquarters in Birmingham.
Our trust began recruiting apprentices in
2009 because, as a large employer in
Birmingham and Solihull, we have a social
responsibility to create career opportunities
within the communities we serve.
Sherrelle had embarked on an English
degree at Coventry University but discovered
that was not for her, so instead began
looking for roles that offered workplace
learning.
She said: “I had started an apprenticeship
with a small firm in Sandwell, but I didn’t find
that really challenged or stretched me, so I
looked on the national apprenticeships
website and when I saw the opportunity here,
I decided to go for it.
“Since I started in February I’ve completed
my NVQ Level 2 and my technical certificate,
so now while I’m doing this job I’m being
assessed on my competency in this role.
“I enjoy keeping myself busy and rising to
meet challenges, so when a vacancy came
up in the education team, who I was already
working with, I applied and I got it.”
Frances Byrne, lead for professional
development and quality, described Sherrelle
Sherrelle enjoys working with the education team at trust headquarters.
as “a real asset”.
She said: “Since Sherrelle joined the
education team she has become a real asset
with her great enthusiasm and can-do
attitude.”
Sherrelle’s “can-do” attitude was also
praised by communications officer Yickman
Choi, after she completed training on the
trust’s new intranet system, Connect.
Yickman said: “Sherrelle picked up the new
Connect system very quickly and has been
making changes to her department’s site,
keeping it constantly up to date and
interesting to the site’s visitors”
Apprenticeships offer an excellent
opportunity to “earn while you learn” and to
gain valuable experience and understanding
of working life.
Sherrelle added: “I think more people
should consider an apprenticeship and
give it a go.
“I tried the university route and discovered it
wasn’t for me, but workplace learning
provides great experience as well as a wage,
which is just as important as qualifications on
your CV.”
lFor more information about
apprenticeship schemes and
opportunities visit
www.apprenticeships.org.uk
7
Sign of the times: Jennifer leads the
By her own admission Jennifer Meek is “a
bit of a trailblazer”.
The bubbly 35-year-old staff nurse juggles
her role with the National Deaf Service, based
at the Barberry in Edgbaston, with looking after
her two children.
That’s not unusual, many mothers have to
perform a similar balancing act, but Jennifer is
one of only eight deaf mental health nurses in
the United Kingdom – and the only one
employed by our trust.
“I know I’m the only deaf nurse within our
trust, but I don’t need to be. I shouldn’t be,”
she said.
Jennifer, who was born deaf, began her career
as a healthcare assistant within the deaf service
in 1995, but soon felt she needed a more
challenging role.
“I hadn’t really thought about nursing as a
potential career, but I was an experienced
healthcare assistant and saw colleagues going
off to become qualified nurses, but I was
concerned about being deaf and being able to
do the job.
“I spoke to my ward manager at Denmark
House, where the deaf service used to be
based, and she told me about a mental health
nursing course at Salford University – the first
of its kind in Europe – that took deaf students,
and encouraged me to apply,” she said.
“So I signed up for the course, worried
whether I’d cope with studying alongside
hearing students, but with the help of an
interpreter I found I could do the lectures and
work as well as the others.”
Deaf students on the three-year course are
supported by British Sign Language
interpreters and are also issued with laptop
computers to help with their studies. The
course also involved placements in Birmingham,
Manchester and Wales in various mental health
units, including the Jasmine Suite at the
Barberry.
Jennifer added: “I was one of the first cohort
of deaf nurses taken onto this course in 2000,
there were just three of us then, and I believe
this is the only course of its kind which takes
on deaf students.
“However I shouldn’t’ have worried as there
was no difference, we all used the same clinical
and nursing equipment , worked with the same
patients, and that gave me a lot of confidence
in my own abilities.”
After completing her diploma in 2003,
Jennifer was taken on as a mental health nurse
at a medium secure unit in Bury, Greater
Manchester.
Jennifer works with interpreters at the Barberry
She said: “I was really inspired by our course
leader, Naomi Sharples, who had worked in
deaf services in Manchester and could sign, she
constantly underlined the fact there was no
difference between a hearing nurse and a deaf
nurse. She really boosted my confidence.
“I was one of the original cohort of just three
deaf nurses who took the course, so I suppose
I was a bit of a trailblazer in that respect.”
Jennifer, who progressed to a band 6 role
within Alpha Hospitals, began looking for a new
challenge last year.
“I’d achieved so much over the eight years I
was in Manchester, really getting to grips with
running a ward and the extra responsibilities
that come with that, and I was looking for
something different.”
In November last year, Jennifer returned to
the National Deaf Service, at its new base in
Edgbaston.
Jennifer added: “I’m now a Band 5 staff nurse,
so I sort out the patients’ meds, spend one-toone time with them to see how they’re feeling,
supporting them in a nursing role, and carrying
out ward reviews. It’s a really rewarding job.
“I really enjoy talking to patients, finding out
what their interests are, trying to incorporate
those interests into their care plans and also I
understand the complexities of being deaf in a
modern society – and how to cope with it –
which I share with them.
“Sometimes other hearing staff don’t have the
confidence to communicate with deaf patients,
so there is definitely a need for more deaf
nurses within mental health services – it’s
proved to be a really valuable role.”
Now Jennifer, who is one of just eight
qualified deaf mental health nurses in the UK,
is keen for other deaf men and women to
follow their dreams.
She said: “I do look back and think ‘Wow’. I
never thought I’d go to university, let alone get a
diploma, so I am very proud of achieving that.
“I really want to encourage other deaf people
to embrace the challenges and to give their
dreams ago.
“Initially, when I started my first job as a
qualified nurse, I was working with other
qualified nurses who seemed uncertain how to
work with a deaf nurse, but when I began
working with deaf patients there was no issue
at all.
“I think there is a misconception by clinical
staff that it’s not possible for deaf nurses to
work on a ward with hearing patients, but that’s
just not the case. If I can do it, then any deaf
nurse can.
“The opportunities to develop and train are
there for everyone – deaf and hearing – to
take, I just hope more deaf men and women
can be inspired to do so.”
Trust Talk would like to thank Jennifer for
sharing her story.
Ways to boost your wellbeing
depressiOn tOOk its tOll On
Miranda until she decided “i can’t
take it any MOre”. she was past
rOck bOttOM, caused by the death
Of her grandfather three years
earlier.
8
her dOctOr refers her OntO
a cOunsellOr and prescribes
her sOMe anti-depressants.
during their sessiOns, Miranda
and her cOunsellOr discuss an
actiOn plan On hOw tO steadily
iMprOve her life.
the next step was tO start
cOMMunicating with friends and
faMily Miranda hadn’t seen fOr
years. althOugh hesitant at
first, she cOntacts her Old
schOOl friend andrea.
Out went fad diets, intrOducing
regular eating and healthier
OptiOns like fruit and
vegetables. nOw Miranda feels
MOre energetic.
World Mental Health Day
way for deaf nurses
A special film evening to celebrate
World Mental Health Day is being
staged in Birmingham on October 10.
The event, at the Midland Arts Centre in
Cannon Hill Park, Edgbaston, will feature a
documentary looking at the making of and
the issues raised by The Insatiable Moon.
The documentary will be shown at 7pm,
followed by a screening of the film at 8pm.
A second showing of both the
documentary and film will take place at
Birmingham Library Theatre, in Paradise
Place, city centre, on October 11.
A full itinerary of events being staged and
supported by our trust will be posted on our
website – www.bsmhft.nhs.uk – soon.
Cartoon
competition
One of the UK’s first qualified deaf
mental health nurses.
This year Trust Talk launched cartoon
competition, to give readers a chance to
draw their own cartoon strip to feature
this edition.
After a slow start, budding cartoonists
have started to send in their work, and this
month’s wining cartoon strip was drawn by
Sabrina Dunkley , from Erdington, who will
receive a selection of arts materials.
Trust Talk is running the competition again,
calling for entries based on the theme of
“How to cope with festive stress”.
All entries must be black and white, line
drawn, eight-frame cartoon strips but must
not be coloured or shaded, with each
caption being no more than 30 words. It
must be the artist’s own original work.
Post entries to Trust Talk Cartoon
Competition, Communications
Department, FREEPOST Plus RRXE
GTKC-GRBZ, BSMHFT, Trust HQ, 50
Summer Hill Road, Birmingham, B1
3RB.
Digital entries can be submitted via email
to [email protected]
The deadline for all entries is Friday,
November 4, 2011.
written and illustrated by Sabrina Dunkley
Miranda heads tO the lOcal
wellbeing centre tO try Out
sOMe art sessiOns. she May nOt
be the next MOnet but it is
sOMething relaxing.
with MOre energy cOMes the
MOtivatiOn tO exercise. Miranda
starts sMall with lOcal walks
and prOgresses OntO jOgging
arOund the park, and then
bOxing classes at the gyM.
nOw Miranda has enOugh
cOnfidence tO try sOMething
new, she enrOls On an english
literature cOurse at a lOcal
cOllege. new skills Meant
lifting MOOds.
all Of this has Made Miranda
realise she wants tO help
Others in the saMe situatiOn.
she vOlunteers at the wellbeing
centre, assisting MeMbers Of
staff.
9
Celebrating Black History Month
Our trust services a diverse population
across Birmingham, Solihull and the
wider West Midlands, with dozens of
different ethnic communities living in the
region.
To better understand their needs, our
services aim to understand and recognise
the importance of their cultural heritage, and
Black History Month is the ideal time to look
at how we do that.
The theme for Black History Month 2011 is
Africa Calling, which was chosen to mark the
United Nations International Year for the
People of African Descent.
Originally recognised in the US in the early
1980s, Black History Month was first marked
in London in October 1987. The idea was to
promote the value of ethnic diversity and the
contribution the Afro Caribbean community
has made, and continues to make, to British
society.
Recognising the role their predecessors
had in successfully fighting for opportunities,
rights, entitlements and life chances is very
important, as those who arrived between
1940 and 1960 struggled to survive – so it
is time to celebrate and acknowledge their
achievements.
Younger members of these communities
may be unaware of the contributions their
Portrait of Mary Seacole by Albert Charles Challen,
courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, London.
grandparents or great-grandparents made
through British history, particularly the war
years.
Mary Seacole, a Jamaican nurse, sought
out the wounded and performed last office to
the dying solders during the Crimean War in
1854. She had in abundance firmness,
physical courage, and high level of
professional integrity, so it is fitting the
nursing school at Birmingham City
University’s faculty of health building took her
name in 2007. Mary is one of many unsung
role models to be celebrated.
Events will be staged across Birmingham
and Solihull during October, including a
special launch show at The Drum arts centre
in Aston on October 1.
The venue will also host BirmingStrong, an
exclusive photographic exhibition that will be
on display throughout the month.
Black History Month is important as it
celebrates the achievements of the past,
which for older people is often something to
be proud of, and recognises their knowledge,
experiences and skills.
For younger people it is an opportunity to
learn more about their cultural heritage, to
enhance their own identity.
lDetails of Black History Month events
around our trust will be posted on our
website – www.bsmhft.nhs.uk - and
the staff intranet.
Time to Change roadshow in Solihull
Shoppers in Solihull will be able to take
part in a Time to Change roadshow at
Touchwood, to help get people talking
about mental health.
Following the success of the organisation’s
Time to Get Moving event in Birmingham last
year, our trust is supporting their latest
initiative to tackle the stigma which
surrounds mental health issues.
Time to Change, England’s biggest antistigma programme, led by charities Mind and
Rethink, is touring the streets and festivals of
England with a series of colourful roadshows
that address the awkwardness people may
feel when trying to discuss mental health
problems.
The roadshow will see staff, service users
and local residents in Solihull come together
for a day on September 17 to raise
awareness of and talk about mental health
and their wellbeing.
This is just one of hundreds of events
taking place all over the country between
June and October, which is expected to start
140,000 conversations about mental health.
People visiting the Solihull roadshow will be
able to browse stalls showcasing different
charities and organisations supporting the
Time to Change campaign, as well as chat to
some of our staff about the trust, our
10
services or just how they are feeling.
Naomi Hawkins, a member of our
community engagement team, said: “The
Time to Change roadshow gives the people
of Solihull a chance to find out more about
mental health by talking to someone with
personal experience.
“Just a few small words can make a big
difference to someone with a mental health
problem and talking about mental health can
help to break down stigma and
discrimination.”
“This event will bring together people who
are otherwise unlikely to meet. We want to
use this as an effective way of breaking
down stigma and promoting an inclusive
community.”
Sue Baker, director of Time to Change,
said: “We know that face-to-face contact with
someone who has experienced a mental
health problem, who can talk openly and
confidently about it, is key to transforming
our understanding and attitudes and we want
to start conversations all over the country.
"Often a few small words like ‘How are
you?’ or ‘Are you OK?’ can have a massive
impact for someone with a mental health
problem. If you see the roadshow in your
town, be sure to go up and say hello and
start your own conversation about mental
health.”
Time to Change was launched in January
2009 with a national advertising campaign
fronted by Stephen Fry, Ruby Wax and
Alastair Campbell. This year’s campaign is
being supported by Frank Bruno and his
daughter Rachel.
lFor more information about this
roadshow, and other Time to Change
events, visit www.time-to-change.org.uk
Choir hit all the right notes with debut album
Staff and service users united by their
passion for singing are preparing to
celebrate their second anniversary with a
special performance at our Uffculme
centre in September.
Our Trust Community Gospel Choir, which
began as a small performing arts project, are
also preparing to release their debut album.
The 30-strong group have spent hours in
Robanna’s Studio, in Birmingham, recording
tracks for the eight-track CD called
Something Inside So Strong.
Many of the choir members had never set
foot in a recording studio, let alone don
headphones or stand in front of a
microphone when they began the recording
tracks.
They will mark their second anniversary as
a choir with a performance at the trust’s
Board Challenge event for staff, which will
take place at the Uffculme, in Queensbridge
Road, Moseley, on September 27.
Since first coming together in early 2009,
the choir – spearheaded by Jo Neale, the
trust’s head of performing and creative arts –
have made much progress.
While they regularly perform at special
events across the trust, the choir also
take part in the Friday Jazz sessions at
Symphony Hall.
Now, their journey continues, as money won
at last year’s Board Challenge competition
has enabled them to complete their debut
album which includes their versions of
Something Inside So Strong, Lovely Day
and All You Need is Love.
Derek Tobin, choir member and quality
improvement service manager, said: “The
trust choir is a very genuine example of
collaboration between service users, staff
and carers that has developed friendships
within a friendly and relaxed environment.
“For all of us to be given the opportunity to
record an album has been a fantastic
experience which was challenging but
hopefully has produced great results. We’re
Stepping up to the microphone at Robanna’s Studio in Birmingham.
all looking forward to the CD’s launch and
our forthcoming performances across the
trust.”
The choir’s performance coincides with the
second anniversary of their first performance,
at the same venue in 2009. Copies of their
debut CD will be available to buy for £10 on
the day.
Derek added: “I would encourage anyone
with an interest to join the choir and to be
part of this initiative. We are all very grateful
to Martin Trotman our musical director for his
on-going support and patience”.
Though it is a lot of fun, Martin, a local jazz
musician and the choir’s musical director,
creates intricate arrangements to both
challenge and develop the choir. They are
currently working on a rendition of Michael
Jackson’s Man in the Mirror, which brings
together powerful harmonies.
Every song choice is handpicked to
represent the ethos of choir, being that of
recovery and wellbeing.
The choir is always open to new
members and is free to attend. Come
and join them every Tuesday, 5.30–7pm
at trust headquarters, B1, 50 Summer
Hill Road, Ladywood, Birmingham. All
are welcome and no previous experience
is required. For more details call Jo
Neale on 07985 88 2748 or email
[email protected]
For more details on the choir’s debut
and how to buy it, visit our website
www.bsmhft.nhs.uk or follow us on
Twitter @BSMHFT.
Choir members warming up their vocal chords.
11
Do you remember...?
All images copyright Photo-Reportage Ltd / British Hospital and Social Service Journal
When the John Conolly Hospital opened
in south Birmingham in 1965 it was a
modern, specialist mental health facility.
The hospital, located on Bristol Road South
in Rubery, was designed as a 90-bed unit
but it also housed dedicated out patient and
day patient departments.
Dr F H Taylor was appointed as the
hospital’s first medical director in 1965, as
new units like John Conolly Hospital marked
a new development in mental healthcare, as
modern units began to replace the oldfashioned borough asylums. However in
1996, the hospital was demolished, when
some services and patients were transferred
to the then newly-built Queen Elizabeth
Psychiatric Hospital in Edgbaston.
12
These photos, taken by Photo-Reportage
Ltd for the British Hospital and Social
Service Journal, show how healthcare
environments have changed.
lTrust Talk wants to hear from readers
who have old photos of trust sites, past
and present. If you have any photos or
digital images you wish to share,
please email [email protected]
or call the editor on 0121 301 1298.
The dining room
Hospital chefs prepare meals for patients and staff
Occupational therapists taking aim in the gym
One of the modern wards at John Conolly Hospital
Plans for the hospital at a city exhibition
Artistic staff and service users will unveil
their latest creations as the annual Arts
All Over The Place festival kicks off in
September.
The annual arts festival, staged by the
Creatives Network for the Arts and Health
and supported by our trust, showcases
talents across a range of performances,
visual arts, poetry and music.
It also seeks to highlight how artistic
activities can benefit those with mental
health issues.
This year Arts All Over The Place will be
launched at the Zellig Gallery, in the Custard
Factory, Digbeth, on September 26, and will
run until October 9.
Previous participants have included
comedienne Janice Connolly, African arts
group Talking Drums plus many other poets
and musicians.
Artwork can be submitted between
11am and 3pm from September 19 to 23
at the Zellig Gallery. Performances including a special event to celebrate World
Poetry Day on October 6 - will be held in a
separate gallery space in the former Bird’s
custard factory.
Exhibitors and visitors to previous events
have noted how arts participation helps
boost their self-confidence, enables them to
relax and gives them a chance to develop
new skills.
“This is an ideal springboard for people to
show off their talents who otherwise would
have no outlet to vent their feeling through
art,” read one comment made at the end of
last year’s festival.
Emma Marks, arts projects officer with our
trust, said: “I’m really excited about this year’s
festival. We couldn’t have wished for a more
amazing space to exhibit the talents of our
service users, it’s like the Tate gallery has
come to Birmingham.
Arts festival
to showcase
new talent
Breakdancing was among the new arts showcased at last year’s festival.
“Come and see for yourself and take
inspiration from what can be done from small
beginnings.
“I am also happy to be working in
conjunction with Full Potential Arts who
hopefully will be taking Arts All Over The
Place forward in future.”
All events are free and the programme
caters for people of all ages, the general
public, those with mental health difficulties
and carers.
Comedienne Janice Connolly, aka Barbara Nice, joined
in a drumming workshop.
lFor more information about how to
take part and the full programme of
events, contact Emma Marks on
0121 678 2702 or email
[email protected].
Visitors look at artistic exhibits at the Custard Factory.
13
National search for new designs for life
improving ideas
A national challenge to find design-led
innovations to help improve and simplify
the lives of people with dementia and
their carers, has been launched by the
Department of Health and the Design
Council.
Living well with dementia will offer five
teams a share of £360,000 and professional
support to develop working prototypes and
business models for products and services.
The challenge aims to recruit teams with a
variety of expertise, including designers,
social entrepreneurs, businesses, service
providers, support groups or individuals who
may already have good ideas.
The Design Council has launched a social
network for those interested, to access
extensive research on dementia, meet others
to form teams, and download the call for
entries: www.designchallenges.ning.com.
Paul Burstow the Government’s care
services minister, said: "Dementia is one of
the biggest challenges we face as the
population ages. It currently affects 750,000
people in the UK and that number is set to
double over the next thirty years.
"To make sure we continue to improve
health outcomes and manage the growing
costs associated with this, we need to think
smart and do things differently.
"If diagnosed early and given the right
support people with dementia can continue
to live well for a number of years. By
engaging with businesses and the third
sector I hope we will stimulate some creative
thinking about how best to help people with
dementia get the most out of their lives,
rather than just focusing on symptoms."
Submissions will be judged by an advisory
board consisting of experts in dementia,
health and social care, business and design,
chaired by Baroness Sally Greengross, chief
executive of the International Longevity
Centre.
Baroness Greengross said: "Innovative
ideas are necessary if we are to meet the
real needs of the growing numbers of people
with dementia.
“This new, diverse, mixture of people
coming together should give us an exciting
set of proposals reflecting the urgency of
need and the importance of creativity and
Memory awareness days in Solihull
Left to right: Admiral nurse Jackie Aird, Dr Rema Swarna, student nurse Lara Olutobi, Dr Jose Schwartz, occupational
therapy assistant Kathryn Felton, and dementia advisor Diane Powell, of the Alzheimer’s Society, at Solihull Hospital.
Juniper’s new coffee shop
A new coffee lounge is set to open at our Juniper Centre in Moseley later this year.
The Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) have been appointed as the providers,
following a procurement process.
The charity, who are known for being “positive about age, practical about life”, also run
similar coffee shops at several NHS sites in Birmingham and Solihull, including
Birmingham Women’s Hospital.
14
innovation in meeting them."
David Kester, the Design Council’s chief
executive said: "This is an exciting
opportunity for designers, businesses,
communities to work on a project that will
make such a difference to people's lives.
“We can see the statistics around this issue
but the reality of it is that dementia is
something that does and will affect every
family in Britain.
“Previous challenges have shown the
impact design plays in addressing difficult
social and health issues and I think teams
will once again drive the innovation curve."
Living well with dementia is the latest
design challenge run by the Design Council
to develop design-led solutions to social and
healthcare issues. Recent innovations have
addressed improving patient privacy and
dignity, reducing health care associated
infections in wards and reducing violence
and aggression in A&E through design.
The closing date for entries is
September 30, 2011 and the final teams
to be announced on November 14, 2011.
lFor more details visit the Design
Council website
www.designcouncil.org.uk/dementia
Our community mental health team in
Solihull have staged two memory
awareness events in the town, to raise
the profile dementia and memory
problems to the public.
More than 30 people visited the team’s
stand in Mell Square Shopping Centre on
June 17, during Dementia Awareness Week.
Shoppers and workers took time to look at
stands with information on dementia, how to
recognise the symptoms and ways of
enhancing the quality of life for people with
dementia and those who care for them.
The team answered many questions raised
by visitors to the stand on various aspects of
memory problems and were able to signpost
them to appropriate services.
Jackie Aird, an Admiral nurse within the
team, said: “We feel it’s important to meet
with the public to increase overall awareness
of dementia and to help improve the quality
of life for those with memory problems, and
those who look after them.”
Due to the success of the event, the team
then visited Solihull Hospital in July, where
they spoke to staff and visitors about
dementia, the signs to be aware of and the
help available to people with conditions like
Alzheimer’s disease, and their carers.
Dates for your diary
SEPTEMBER
17
Time to Change awareness event at
Touchwood shopping centre, Solihull.
21
World Alzheimer’s Day. For more
information visit www.alz.co.uk
27
Trust’s AGM at the Uffculme centre,
Queensbridge Road, Moseley. Opens
at 10am, AGM meeting at 2pm. Free.
OCTOBER
10
World Mental Health Day screening of
The Insatiable Moon at the mac,
Cannon Hill Park, Edgbaston. Event
begins at 7pm.
22
Diwali celebrations at the National
Indoor Arena, 2pm to 7pm.
29
Make a Difference Day to highlight
how volunteering can tackle
loneliness and isolation. For more info
visit www.csv.org.uk.
NOVEMBER
2
National Stress Awareness Day.
For information visit www.isma.org.uk
14-20 National Alcohol Awareness Week.
For details visit
www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
17
Meriden whole family approach to
support parents. Free workshop.
For details and to book a place call
0121 678 2896.
MTNRG researchers
meeting
Delegates met at our Barberry centre, in
Edgbaston, for the third annual meeting
of the Michael Trimble Neuropsychiatry
Research Group (MTNRG) in the summer.
The group, founded in 2009 by Dr Hugh
Rickards and Dr Andrea Cavanna, is
dedicated to the inspiring figure of Professor
Michael Trimble, a Birmingham University
graduate who set up the Raymond Way Unit,
at the Institute of Neurology in London in
1988 and ran it until 2004.
Dr Valerie Voon from the University of
Cambridge delivered an interesting lecture on
impulse control disorders during the meeting,
which took place on July 28.
After a series of short presentations on
current research being conducted by
delegates, Prof Trimble closed the meeting.
The MTNRG seeks to support junior clinical
researchers and aims to continue his scientific
and culturally legacy in neuropsychiatry.
Since the group was established, more than
25 researchers have joined its ranks to focus
on work around movement disorders –
Tourette’s syndrome, Huntington disease
and Parkinson’s disease – and affective
disorders in epilepsy.
Its members are also involved in several
international collaborations including the
American Neuropsychiatry Association, the
European Society for the Study of Tourette
Syndrome and the European Huntingdon
Disease Network, as well as links to the
University of Turin in Italy and the University
of Melbourne, in Australia.
Chairman Spotlight:
Professor Peter Marquis
Trust chairman, Professor Peter Marquis,
is stepping down from his high-profile
role at the end of September. Here he
looks back over his career with the
organisation.
For the past eleven years I have been
privileged to work as a non-executive
director in mental health trusts in
Birmingham and Solihull, and in particular as
chairman of this trust for the past four years.
During this period I have seen a lot of
changes, one of the most dramatic being the
overall improvement in our facilities.
My first experience as a non–executive
director was driving in through boarded up
Victorian buildings on the old Highcroft site
in Erdington, to attend a board meeting. This
depressing introduction to Birmingham’s
mental health facilities was replaced by the
pleasure in hosting events to open a series
of new buildings – the Barberry and
Oleaster centres in Edgbaston, the Zinnia
Centre in Sparkbrook and the Juniper
Centre in Moseley.
We should all be proud of these improved
facilities which are recognised both
nationally and internationally for their
outstanding quality and design, as well as
the services they house.
Over the years our trust has faced many
challenges and the pressure on its
resources never seems to abate. When
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS
Trust was first formed in 2003, we inherited
a major financial deficit. This was eliminated
through hard work but we still face continual
demands to do more for less, but now from
a more robust position.
I feel this is mainly due to our approach
and the staff’s attitude towards attaining
foundation trust status, which we achieved in
July 2008. This was not about running our
trust as a business but using business
expertise, through our non-executive
directors, and business discipline to take
control of our own destiny, ensure we
delivered value for money and that the trust
has a sustainable future.
To achieve this, sometimes the board had
to make hard decisions to protect and
develop overall clinical services. These
choices are never easy but one reason I
became a non-executive director was my
belief that it was better to have people who
cared about and were committed to the
NHS and mental health making such
decisions. I believe that this is the case for
our board.
I feel that everyone I have worked with and
met in this trust cares passionately about
delivering quality services.
There is no doubt that the future for the
trust is very challenging. There are
demanding efficiency targets to hit, services
have to be redesigned and in some cases
transferred to other providers.
Mutual respect in our shared commitment
to delivering quality mental health services
will be essential if the trust is to succeed.
The board needs to appreciate the impact
of their decisions on individual staff, service
users and carers. Equally, staff, service users
and carers need to appreciate that when the
board make decisions, they are doing so
because of their commitment to protect the
future of the trust and the delivery of mental
health services in Birmingham and Solihull.
A critical forum for building mutual respect
and understanding is the Assembly of
Governors, which brings service user, carer,
staff and public representatives together
with the board, to shape the strategic
direction for the future and to ensure the
impact of plans on individuals is appreciated.
While the effectiveness of the Assembly of
Governors in this role is still developing, I
believe it will be critical for the trust in the
difficult times ahead.
I have really enjoyed my time with the trust,
most particularly the interaction with the
people who use and deliver our mental
health services.
My heartfelt thanks to you all for making it
possible for me to hand over to the next
chairman feeling that we have made some
genuine improvements in the quality of
mental health services and facilities in
Birmingham and Solihull over the past
eleven years and that the trust is well placed
for the future.
To contact the chairman or our governors, write to: Foundation Trust Office,
B1 – Trust HQ, 50 Summer Hill Road, Ladywood, Birmingham, B1 3RB.
Email: [email protected] Tel: 0121 301 1229
15
Photography Corner
How you can enter
Photos can be colour or black and white
images and must not feature people, be the
photographer’s own work, and digital entries
should not be larger than 4MB.
The best entries will receive a £30 voucher
and will be printed in the December issue of
Trust Talk. As autumn approaches, the theme
for that issue is changing landscapes,
whether it’s a fantastic sunset or leaves
falling from trees, see if you can capture it
on camera. Deadline for entries is Friday,
November 4, 2011.
Trust Talk’s call for
photos for this new
feature, inspired by Arts
All Over The Place,
attracted dozens of
entries which were all
of a very high standard.
As a result, the editor
and judges have
decided to continue the
Photography Corner
competition, and look
forward to receiving
many more impressive
images for December’s
issue.
Winner:
Susan Orr CPN, Zinnia
CMHT, Sparkbrook –
Common blue butterfly
on a sedum plant.
Below are 10 words which are linked to
features in this issue of Trust Talk.
Can you figure out what they are?
TRISHYO
GNEALLECH
ORICH
SAVITLEF
GNETEMI
NEXERPEICE
ERRICUTTNEM
PHAPHYTROOG
MINSSERA
AIDMENTE
Answers: History, challenge, choir, festival,
meeting, experience, recruitment, photography, seminars, dementia.
16
Runner-up:
Catherine Nottingham, Harborne – Mountain in Madeira.
Runner-up:
Nicky Withford-East,
Birmingham – Philae
Temple reflections.
Anagrams
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Email digital entries to
[email protected]. If submitting
hard copies, send them to: Photography
Corner, Communications Department,
FREEPOST Plus RRXE GTKC-GRBZ,
BSMHFT, Trust HQ, 50 Summer Hill
Road, Birmingham, B1 3RB.
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