Published on: 24th August 2015
A mental health team who care for young people in North East Lincolnshire are celebrating a nomination in a second national awards ceremony.
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s, North East Lincolnshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (NEL CAMHS) has already been named as a finalist in November’s Nursing Times Awards.
Now, the team’s impressive service redesign has also been recognised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, as they’ve been shortlisted in the Psychiatric Team of the Year: Children and adolescents category of the RCPsych Awards 2015.
These awards mark the highest level of acheivement in psychiatry and recognise the pivotal role that teams play in improving or innovating services and care for young people.
To impress the shortlisting panel, the NEL CAMHS team needed to demonstrate effective leadership, good teamwork and improvements in the quality of life of patients and carers.
Clinical Team Coordinator Jan Steele, said the service redesign that took place two years ago has resulted in a completely new way of working.
We are now seen as a flagship team in child and adolescent mental health service delivery. The changes have resulted in patients receiving a more effective and timely service, that is excellent value for money and meets the needs of the local population.
The team now provides a 24 hour, seven days-a-week crisis service which accepts emergency referrals, with structured care pathways, using evidenced-based practice.
The service offers a telephone advice helpline for young people, their families and professionals, and the judges were also impressed with the team’s collaborative work with other services and local commissioners.
Jan added:
The proof of the success in having a 24 hour crisis service is the massive reduction in the need for inpatient services. This supports young people and their families in the community, whilst at the same time saving significant funds in not having to pay for admissions. We’re very surprised and excited to learn we’ve been shortlisted and we hope we can be an inspiration to others.
Consultant Child Psychiatrist Dr Walid Sorour said:
I’m delighted that the team has been shortlisted for the awards and will be able to fly the flag of the Trust nationally.
The team will learn if they’ve been successful at the awards ceremony on 10th November.
