Welcome

Welcome to e-connect!

It's hard to believe that we have reached the August bank holiday and the kids are all back to school next week. This summer has definitely flown by - and it's been so nice to be able to get back to a level of normality and spend time with our families and friends again.

The autumn is looking very busy here at KMPT with the launch of our awards, consultations and lots of campaigns that are fast approaching! We are very excited to be able to bring you the KMPT Awards 2021, this year returning to Ashford International Hotel for an evening of true celebration.

You can read more about how to nominate a member of KMPT staff, our volunteers, carers and patients below. We also have the Ruby Ward consultation in full flow, so please read more about the  proposed changes and have your say.

Like all other NHS Trusts in England, we are obviously continuing to ask those visiting our sites to adhere to social distancing rules, wear a mask and sanitise your hands regularly. If you are planning on visiting one of our sites and would like to know more information, please contact the team you are seeing to find out more about the rules and regulations that we have in place to help keep everyone as safe as possible.

We hope that those who have a long weekend ahead enjoy some sunshine (which it looks like we might have) and whatever you are doing to relax. It's so important that we all take time for our own health and wellbeing - so take a moment this weekend to really think about your own and do something positive for your mind, body and soul.

Keep staying safe.

It's time for the KMPT Awards 2021

The KMPT Awards are back and offers a real chance to recognise the dedication, hard work and brilliant care through brilliant people that takes place across KMPT.

We may be changing things just a little with a raft of new categories and a fresh and sparkling new KMPT Awards logo, but we’re glad to say that the heart of our awards remain exactly the same – a chance for us to celebrate our staff, volunteers, carers and patients outstanding work!

This year’s awards offer something for everyone, as we encourage nominators to shine a light on all areas of our KMPT family. We are so lucky to have a host of dynamic and innovative members of staff, patients, volunteers and carers who all deserve to have their amazing efforts recognised.

We have 10 categories this year for staff to nominate an individual or team for. The categories for the KMPT Awards 2021 are:

• Clinical Services Star of the Year Award
• Digital Innovation Award
• Future Heroes Award
• Leader of the Year Award
• Lifelong Achievement Award
• Lived Experience Award
• Outstanding Clinical Services Team Award
• Outstanding Support Services Team Award
• Service Improvement Award
• Support Services Star of the Year Award

This year the Lived Experience Award will be voted for by the audience on the night of the awards ceremony using Slido, an audience participation app. The winner of the Lifelong Achievement Award will be decided by Chief Executive, Helen Greatorex and Trust Chair, Jackie Craissati.

All nominations will be judged by a panel of Trust-wide judges including executive and non-executive directors as well as people with lived and learned experienced to help us make our KMPT awards truly representative and inclusive.

All nominations close on Friday 1 October 2021.

Good luck to everyone and we look forward to announcing our winners towards the end of the year!

Ruby Ward public consultation is open

Alongside Kent and Medway’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), KMPT are trying to improve our services. One of the ways in which we are trying to do this is by closing old-fashioned ‘dormitory-style' wards for mental health patients and replacing them with more modern wards.

Ruby Ward, which is based in Medway Maritime Hospital, is our last remaining dormitory ward and we are looking at proposals to relocate the ward to a brand new building on our Maidstone site.

It's important to us to receive a wide range of views on the proposed plans and that is why the relocation is part of a public consultation which closes on Tuesday 21 September. To have your say, you can visit the Kent and Medway CCG website or telephone 01634 335095, option 2.

You can also send your name and address to Freepost Kent and Medway NHS, Ruby Ward Consultation and we will send you all the information you need.

Many thanks for your help and support.

New text messaging service for patients to provide feedback

A text messaging service will be launched this month to make it easier our patients to submit their feedback about the quality of their care they have received.

The new feature allows patients to receive a link to the Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREM) survey electronically by text.

As a Trust we know the importance of listening to the feedback from our patients and recognise the value of the responses received through the PREM to improve services.

The PREM asks eight questions that are linked to how staff have engaged with the patient and their family/friends.

For further information on PREM and what we do with this information, please visit the PREM webpage

New name for the Mother and Infant Mental Health Service

Don't forget that from the 1 September 2021 the Mother and Infant Mental Health Service (MIMHS) will be called the ‘Perinatal Mental Health Community Service’.

This is because we are broadening the remit of the service in line with the NHS Long Term Plan ambitions for specialist perinatal mental health community services. We consulted with those with lived experience of perinatal mental ill health, health and social care staff, commissioners and stakeholders on a service name that will be inclusive and appropriate.

The updates to the service include:

• Increasing access to evidence-based care for women with moderate to severe perinatal mental health difficulties, including improving access to evidence-based psychological therapies
• Increasing the availability of specialist perinatal mental health community care for women who need ongoing support from 12 months after birth to 24 months
• Developing Maternal mental health services with our Specialist mental health midwives to provide therapy for those who have experienced birth trauma and loss (currently piloting in east Kent).

Please note that from the 1 September, the email address for the service will be KMPT.pmhcs@nhs.net.

Give us your feedback on mental health for young adults

Medway Council and Kent and Medway’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) want to improve the experience for all young people making the transition between services (e.g., from child to adult services).

TONIC, a social research organisation, has been commissioned to conduct this work, analyse the findings and provide feedback to Medway Council and the CCG to help develop better services for young adults, and to improve support for the transition from child to adult services. Findings from this project will feed into the forthcoming commissioning plan.

As part of their approach, TONIC are conducting an anonymous online survey to hear the views and experiences of young adults (aged 18-25), their parents and carers, and service and support providers.

The survey is confidential and anonymous and is running from Tuesday 13 July 2021 to Monday 30 August 2021.

Complete the survey here

Upcoming Events

September is a busy month, with lots of days of reflection and celebration.

From 6 to 10 September it's the first ever national Pride in the NHS Week, which will end with the NHS Virtual Pride finale. The theme for 2021 is Elevate, Educate, Celebrate. With celebration in mind, throughout the week there will be a host of virtual events, conversations and drop-ins that you can attend. The week will end with a virtual event from 4-6pm on Friday 10 September. This will feature parades by NHS organisations in their local communities which will be hosted by drag performer, recording artist and season two contestant of RuPaul's Drag Race UK Ginny Lemon, Kiki Queens Winner and iconic Birmingham drag performer Yshee Black, and award winning LGBTQ+ podcast presenters Benji & Brad’s My Big Gay Podcast.

To find out more visit NHS Englands Pride events page

Friday 10 September is both World Mental Health Day and Suicide Prevention day. The purpose of these days is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and understand what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide. We can help to support people within our community and help prevent their thoughts and feelings leading to a moment that cannot be undone.

We ask that you take time on the 10 September to reflect on mental illness and the affect it has on people's lives around the world - if you know someone who is struggling, reach out to them, let them know you are thinking of them and show them the care and support they might just be in need of right now.

Care Quality Commission's Community Mental Health Pilot Survey 2021

This September, we are taking part in the Care Quality Commission's Community Mental Health Pilot Survey 2021 which is a national survey looking at how we can improve quality of care and service users’ experiences.

Taking part in the survey is voluntary and all answers are confidential. If you are selected to take part then you will be sent a questionnaire in the post to fill out, as well as reminders via text message to return your answers.

If you do not want to take part, or have any questions about the survey, please contact: Community Mental Health survey support 07979 894379 or email kmpt.patient.experience@nhs.net