Better Together e-news issue 45
Welcome from the Chair, Kevin Lockyer
Welcome to another winter issue of Better Together – our magazine for members. I hope you will take some time to read updates from the Trust and learn more about exciting projects and developments taking place.
This has been another year of incredible care, dedication and innovation, and it was a pleasure to be able to celebrate just some of our fantastic staff and volunteers at the Team LPFT Values Awards back in October.
In this 75th NHS anniversary year, we received an incredible number of nominations, with nearly 300 submitted. You can read more about our awards and this year’s winners in the celebrating success section of this edition, as well as several external awards and accreditations we are rightly proud of achieving this year.
As we close this year, I am pleased that we will soon be able to reopen our Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit in Lincoln, following its temporary closure last year. Much work has been done to tackle our workforce challenges in this area and we are very pleased to be in a more stable and sustainable position to safely reopen the ward soon.
We now look forward to 2024, and even more development, collaboration and innovation. We recently launched the Macmillan psychological support service, which helps people struggling with complex psychological needs as a result of their cancer diagnosis and this shows just some of the collaborative work we are doing with our partners in physical healthcare to join up our services more cohesively for the benefit of our patients, and I look forward to much more.
I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome our new governors who have joined the council of governors following the recent elections. We very much look forward to working with you. A further by-election for remaining vacant seats in our staff and service user constituencies is currently taking place and I’d encourage anyone interested in making a difference in local services to think about putting their names forward.
As we are now in the festive period, it is important to remember that this time of year can be particularly difficult for many. It is vital that we continue to look after our mental wellbeing, as well as reach out to those who may be quietly struggling. Talking is extremely powerful, whether that be with friends, family, or to a professional through our 24/7 mental health helplines. Please seek support if you need to and know that you are not alone.
I will end my welcome by saying a very important thank you to all our staff and volunteers who have lived and breathed our LPFT values throughout another challenging year. Without their compassion and collaboration, we could not provide the support and care we deliver every day for service users, carers and families.
Wishing everyone a safe and happy festive period.
Kevin Lockyer, Chair
Click on each of the items below to expand the news story.
Hartsholme Centre set to reopen in the New Year
We are very pleased to be in a position to move towards reopening the Hartsholme Centre, our male psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU), in the New Year, following its temporary closure.
The Trust took the difficult decision to temporarily close the 10-bed ward in October 2022 to ensure the safety of patients and staff, following escalating concerns about staffing across all adult mental health wards in the county.
Since the closure the team have been actively recruiting to all wards across the division, as well as looking at different ways of working, new roles and longer-term workforce planning. We are now in a more stable position to be able to safely and sustainably reopen the ward in a phased way, with four beds initially early in the New Year, and the ambition to have all beds available from April 2024.
The reopening of the Hartsholme Centre was unfortunately slightly delayed when water quality issues were uncovered as part of routine testing on the site. This must now be fixed before the ward can be used in any residential capacity, however, we are hopeful this will be resolved soon and we can continue our preparations for reopening to the ward.
New Macmillan psychological support service
A new Macmillan Cancer Support service has been launched in Lincolnshire to help people struggling with complex psychological needs as a result of their cancer diagnosis.
The Macmillan Cancer Psychology Service Lincolnshire, developed in partnership with Macmillan and the East Midlands Cancer Alliance, consists of a team of four clinical psychologists who will work across the county to provide this vital support.
Through a series of personalised therapy sessions, the service aims to improve the quality of life for people with cancer, whether newly diagnosed or at end of life.
It is hoped that the psychological support could also have a positive impact on cancer survival rates and help to reduce emergency hospital admissions.
Chris Higgins, Director of Operations at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“We are pleased to be able to provide a tailored psychological service, in partnership with East Midlands Cancer Alliance and Macmillan, for people living with cancer in Lincolnshire.
“We recognise that people’s mental health and wellbeing can be significantly impacted by having a cancer diagnosis and so our aim is to ensure individuals living with cancer, as well as their families and carers, receive the help they need to maximise their quality of life”.
If you are living with cancer in Lincolnshire, speak to your healthcare professional for more information and to find out if you are eligible for support.
For information, support, or just someone to talk to, call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk
Nominations open for Council of Governors by-election
Earlier this year, we were delighted to welcome six new faces to our Council of Governors.
With a number of seats still available, we have decided to hold a further by-election to fill those vacancies. Positions available include four service user governor seats.
We also have seats available in our staff constituency, with one role available in specialist services and one in the older adult and frailty division.
Nominations are currently open and will close on Wednesday 10 January 2024.
Voting will then open up for members on Monday 29 January 2024, closing on Monday 19 February 2024. The results will be announced a day later.
In order to help answer any questions you may have and provide any guidance for anyone interested in standing as a governor, our Governor and Membership Officer will be hosting a number of information sessions.
The sessions will take place virtually on MS Teams on the following dates and times:
- 15 December 2023 (11am-12noon)
- 19 December 2023 (3pm-4pm)
- 4 January 2024 (12noon- 1pm)
Please email lpft.
Spotlight on… our Criminal Justice Liaison and Diversion Service
In the last edition, we told you about how a collaborative partnership between the Trust and Lincolnshire Action Trust (LAT) has led to the successful launch of the new RECONNECT service.
This new service builds on the successful Criminal Justice Liaison and Diversion service partnership which started in March 2020 and continues.
RECONNECT supports prison leavers aged 18 and over who may struggle with making the transition to community-based services. The team help them to maintain their health and wellbeing.
The care after custody service was launched in July earlier this year at HMP Lincoln, with over 100 referrals received since then. The service was then extended to include HMP North Sea Camp in October and will also be launching at HMP Morton Hall early in January 2024.
Kerah Green, Senior RECONNECT Practitioner for LAT, said:
“We have been delighted with how the service has been received.
“We know that some people have felt let down by services in the past, so we don’t wait for referrals. Instead, we are proactive and visit all those in the 12-week release stage within the prison estate and talk to them about RECONNECT and what it could offer. By engaging them this way, it allows us to build relationships and really try to find out what their triggers are and spot the signs if they are feeling stressed or anxious.
“It isn’t just mental health support that we provide. We can help find a GP to cater for their physical health and we can also help with the common issues such as accommodation concerns and signposting to relevant services. We work together with individuals prior to release to develop a health and wellbeing plan which we can put into place once they are released from prison. Following their release, we can work with individuals in the community for up to six months to ensure they are able to engage in the support offered and feel supported in the transition from custody to community.
“The ultimate aim of RECONNECT is to safeguard the gains made by individuals in prison in relation to any health and social care vulnerabilities and thus reduce re-offending and the need for further periods of detainment in custody.”
Left - Shanie Gaskin (Reconnect Practitioner - LAT)
Middle - Keena Wray (Reconnect Practitioner - LAT)
Right – Kerah Green (Senior Reconnect Practitioner - LAT)
Lincolnshire Community Mental Health Transformation Programme Co-production Network
The aim of Lincolnshire’s Community Mental Health Transformation Programme is to ensure that people get the right support and treatment as soon as possible, with mental health and support services being provided where and when they are needed.
By listening to and working together with our local communities, we are able to provide a ‘no wrong door’ approach that supports people living independently within their own communities, while improving their overall mental and physical health and wellbeing.
This involves working with partners from across primary and secondary care, local authorities, voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSEs), and communities themselves to design and deliver an integrated model of care. Together, we are designing a joined-up model of care that offers wrap-around support to those experiencing mental health challenges, tailored to the needs of the individual and the local community. This in turn helps to reduce pressures on primary and secondary health services, including GPs, to free up appointments for those most in need.
To help develop services and advise on potential decisions, we have a co-production network consisting of staff, patients, carers, and experts by experience.
The network comes together in a safe and respectful space to share valued experiences, discuss initiatives, and offer innovative ideas to influence the programme, that is recognised as being at the forefront of mental health transformation by NHS England.
The Co-Production Network meets bi-monthly and each meeting last two hours. If you would like to get involved or find out more, please contact the team at 01507 304548 or coproduction
Celebrating success
Congratulations to our latest LPFT heroes
LPFT Heroes Awards celebrate and reward our staff who are nominated by colleagues, managers and service users for their outstanding work. An individual and team winner are chosen by our Executive Team each quarter. We would like to congratulate our latest LPFT Heroes; Corrina Prew and The Fens team.
Corrina Prew
Corrina goes above and beyond to support patients in her role as a peer support worker. She helps to bring hope to people's lives and supports with various things such as moving house, going to groups, shopping, liaising with carers and truly taking a holistic approach to care. She shows kindness and compassion every day by sharing her own lived experience to remove the stigma associated with mental health.
The Fens team
The Fens team continually strive to achieve the best possible patient care every day. Each team member is valued for their opinion and input and they truly demonstrate the LPFT values in practice. They are resilient when dealing with challenges, whilst still showing their passion and support to each other.
Lorraine Abbiss
Lorraine goes above and beyond to support patients and their families, and is dedicated to finding the best solutions for them. She demonstrates compassion, empathy and understanding in everything she does.
Boston Core CAMHS team
Boston Core CAMHS team have gone through some challenges this past year with staffing/recruitment and long wait lists, but they have overcome this by creating innovative ideas such as implementing stuck clinics, late night appointments, and wait management. Their collective dedication to ensuring that children and young people are the heart of everything that they do, is incredible.
Inspirational staff and volunteers celebrated at Team LPFT Values Awards
We were pleased to recently celebrate our amazing staff and volunteers at the Team LPFT Values Awards.
The twelfth annual awards ceremony was attended by over 250 staff and volunteers, many of whom were shortlisted from nominations made by colleagues, service users, carers, families and members of the public.
The ten award categories, which included leading by example, innovation and improvement, service user engagement and experience and working together, all demonstrated the fantastic work happening every day in local services.
Kevin Lockyer, Trust Chair, commented:
“We received nearly 300 nominations this year which is incredible, and the panel had a challenging time in choosing a shortlist of 27 teams and individuals. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to write a nomination and I hope that everyone who was nominated feels rightly proud of their achievements.
“The nominations were a pleasure to read and each one told a story of compassion, care and dedication.”
The Trust was able to put on the celebration event thanks to the kind sponsorship of a number of local and national businesses, including CPD Consultancy, Civica, Integrated Health Projects (IHP), Evalu8, Edge Health, BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Systematic and SF Taylor.
A full list of the winners and why they were nominated can be found on the Trust’s website at www.
Children’s mental health service wins national award
We’re delighted to share that Lincoln Core CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) were crowned Psychiatric Team of the Year: Children and Adolescents at this year’s Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) Awards.
The team work with children and young people that have been identified as potentially having moderate to severe mental health needs, to support them and their parents and carers.
RCPsych is the professional medical body responsible for supporting psychiatrists throughout their careers from training through to retirement, and in setting and raising standards of psychiatry in the United Kingdom.
The RCPsych Awards mark the highest level of achievement within psychiatry and are designed to recognise and reward excellent practice in the field of mental health.
The team were nominated for the work they have undertaken to transform the service using a collaborative, developmental approach, empowering team members and enabling the delivery of better outcomes.
Amy Butler, Head of Children and Young People Services at LPFT, said:
“I am beyond proud of this achievement for our Lincoln team.
“Our services work hard every day to continuously improve and make a difference and this award is great recognition for one of the teams who are working creatively to get better outcomes for children, young people and their families.”
You can find out more about the team at www.
National Preceptorship for Nursing Interim Quality Mark
We’re thrilled that the Trust has been presented with the Interim Quality Mark (National Preceptorship for Nursing), which is awarded to organisations who offer high quality preceptorship programmes for newly qualified registered nurses.
The Preceptorship Programme supports staff to develop knowledge and skills to ensure they can work as confident and competent practitioners. The main aim is to welcome and integrate newly registered practitioners into their new team and place of work, helping them to translate and embed their knowledge into everyday practice, grow in confidence and have the best possible start to their careers.
Kerry Woodcock, Head of Nursing, Safe Staffing and Professional Development, said:
“Preceptorship is vitally important for the transition from student to registered practitioner, as it can be a daunting time for individuals. We are thrilled that our work to support this transition has been recognised as we feel very passionate about supporting both our preceptees and their preceptors.”
A new accreditation for The Wolds
The Wolds, a reablement ward located in Lincoln has successfully achieved the Quality Network for Mental Health Rehabilitation Services accreditation with the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
The accreditation formally recognises the high-quality services being provided and covers a period of three years.
As part of the process, the team were required to provide evidence to show they meet a series of benchmarks set by the network.
This great achievement is testament to the hard work and dedication of staff working on The Wolds.
Well done to staff and patients at Francis Willis Unit
We're delighted to share that Francis Willis Unit (FWU) in Lincoln won the Quality Improvement Initiative Award at the IMPACT Provider Collaborative Awards, recognising the fantastic co-production work they continue to do with service users.
The IMPACT Provider Collaborative Awards were launched in recognition of the fantastic work and collaboration that has taken place amongst IMPACT Provider Collaborative over the last three years - providing an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate teams and individuals and their outstanding work.
The team were also nominated for 'Ward/Team of the Year' and a service user from the unit was shortlisted in the ‘Service User contribution to IMPACT' category.
Over the past couple of years, the team have worked hard to create a new way of working - empowering patients and staff to work as equal partners on the ward, identifying issues and co-producing solutions.
Op COURAGE Midlands recognised for innovation and improvement
Op COURAGE Midlands was one of nine shortlisted organisations in the ‘Innovation and Improvement in Reducing Healthcare Inequalities Award’ category at the prestigious 2023 HSJ Awards.
Although it wasn’t a win this time, it was great to see the partnership, which LPFT has been the lead provider for since April this year, recognised for its work supporting veterans with their mental health and wellbeing.
The service is a collaborative programme built up from local partnerships between statutory, mental health and veteran specific services. It integrates clinical/voluntary sector services through three hubs in Lincoln, Coventry and Birmingham. The service aims to add value to mainstream mental health provision by delivering a veteran specific initiative which improves access to clinical interventions, residential rehab and support to address housing, debt, unemployment issues impacting their wellbeing.
Op COURAGE Midlands is proudly delivered in partnership by: Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, St Andrew’s Healthcare, Walking With The Wounded, The Ripple Pond, Tom Harrison House and Mental Health Matters.
