THURSDAY, 6 JANUARY, 2022

Immediate release:

National awards for mental health nurses in Tayside

Mental health nurses from teams across Tayside have been recognised in the annual Mental Health Nursing Forum Scotland Awards 2021.

A number of staff and nursing teams in Tayside were honoured at the national awards, which recognise excellence in mental health nursing practice.

Community mental health team leader James Kennedy and colleagues from the Angus Health and Social Care Partnership Primary Care, Addictions and Mental Health Services won the Community Mental Health Nursing award for their development of the Enhanced Community Support Mental Health Hub in Angus. The team was also joint winner of the Overall Prize.

The Mental Health Hub based in Montrose provides a wide range of multi-agency services for patients, including access to the community mental health team, drug and alcohol services, psychology, third sector peer support and social prescribing.

James Kennedy said, “It is a great privilege to accept this award on behalf of everyone who has been involved in this project which has made such a difference to people living with mental health and substance use issues. Feedback has been very positive from patients and staff and we plan to roll out this model of care across Angus.”

Gail Smith, Chief Officer for Angus Health and Social Care Partnership, said, “I am absolutely delighted that the integrated approach taken by the Mental Health Hub Team has been honoured by the Mental Health Nursing Forum. Working collaboratively with other health and social care teams and offering a single point of access to different types of support makes it easier and faster for each person to get help when it is needed. I congratulate the team on their well deserved success.”

The team at Moredun Ward in Murray Royal Hospital also won the In-Patient Care Award for their work in improving observation practice.

Staff nurse Sean Prendergast, who is based at Dudhope Young Person’s Unit in Dundee, was joint winner of the Colleague of the Year Award, along with 12 other mental health nurses from across Scotland. Sean was also recognised for his work in co-chairing the Student Mental Health Nurse Forum and leading the engagement of mental health nurse students from across Scotland.

Alba Tost, team leader in Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership Community Mental Health Services was highly commended in the Digital Innovations in Practice Award for her Healthy Minds Tayside podcast. The podcast features a series of interviews with mental health professionals from across Tayside covering a variety of subjects related to mental health.

NHS Tayside Nursing and Midwifery Director Claire Pearce said, “Congratulations to all of the mental health nurses and staff recognised in the Mental Health Nursing Forum Scotland awards.

“This recognition is very well deserved and demonstrates the commitment and dedication of mental health nurses and staff across mental health services in Tayside to provide the best possible care for patients and drive forward improvement in services.”

Associate Nurse Director for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Keith Russell said,

“Mental health nurses work every day to improve the mental health and wellbeing of people across communities in Tayside. Congratulations to Sean, Alba, the Moredun Ward Team, James and his colleagues in Angus and thank you to all mental health nurses in Tayside.”

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138