(Oct 2023) Air Fresheners
“Does any unit uses allow patients to use air fresheners in their bedrooms. Not the plug in’s or sprays but other types?”
Patients can use any kind of freshener in their bedroom. This is discussed and agreed in ward round and forms part of their daily risk assessment and care plans. Cygnet Sheffield
We looked at this at Wathwood a couple of years ago and the only ones we allow are the cardboard car air freshener as we could not find anything non-toxic, just about all carried either a fire warning or risk if ingested. The little tree ones are popular, and we purchase them off amazon and sell in our patients shop. Wathwood
I have not heard this formally come up; I am guessing the gel types in plastic triangle. They don’t formally appear on controlled items lists so may be subject to individual risk assessment. Newton Lodge
We have one patient who has a solid air freshener, and he knows he is not allowed to take it out of this room. Amber Lodge
Yes unless there was an individual risk. Cygnet Bierley
We don’t have anyone with air fresheners in their room. We allow them to have aerosol air fresheners in their controlled item which they can spray in their room and return. I am also aware that we have previously had the stand-up air fresheners from the supermarket in some supervised areas. Humber Centre
The only Air fresheners I have seen patients have are the cardboard ones which you put in your car, it’s never really been a big thing on the ward, there is one off our patients who has a spray Freshener just uses it for his bed room then hands it back in. Moorlands View
(May 2023) OT in community teams
“We have a new OT just started in our FOLS team, we are keen to explore whether any other secure services have an OT in their community forensic teams. If anyone has any information to share around this please do get in touch.”
When we recently did KUF training there were quite a few OTs working within Leeds PD service – might be worth the OT making contact there, hope that is helpful. Cheswold Park Hospital.
(May 2023) Reviewing the Rehab Pathway
‘We are currently looking at and reviewing the rehab pathway in our service. Do any rehab/recovery wards work within a specific model or have any information on rehab models that would be useful to consider during our review?’
I would always include the good lives model to consider. There are a number of papers on using this model within rehab services from memory. Links nicely if there is a forensic element too. Cheswold Park Hospital.
(July 2023) Service User Council
‘Myself and another OT are setting up service user council, and are looking for any ideas around this, such as what other centres do, any good ideas, roles for service users etc.’
We have a monthly ‘Patient Engagement Council’ whereby I co-chair with a patient (who changes every six months). We thought it was important to have an SLT member involved to make sure that concerns or positives were efficiently undertaken. All patients (risk dependent) are welcome across low and medium, male and female services. We have an email for patients to contact if they can’t or don’t want to make the meetings’. We try to feed back on actions undertaken each month by various members of the Council to track any changes made. Cheswold Park Hospital
(July 2023) Social Work Provision
I am hoping to try and find out what the social work provision is for other hospitals, e.g. how many social workers for how many patients?
We are a medium secure hospital with 3.6 social workers, they each carry a case load of approximately 20 – 24 dependent upon ADC. Stockton Hall Hospital
We have 6 people in post for a 90 bed service in MSU. Newton Lodge
We have 3.4 WTE social workers for up to 78 patients that is inclusive of the social worker manager. Wathwood Hospital
Might already be known but in case it isn’t, the NHSE MSU service spec doesn’t state how many social workers per patient. I have just checked the royal college of psychiatry forensic quality network standards don’t either. Case Manager with West Yorkshire Provider Collaborative
Forensic Mental health at Lynfield Mount do not have a social worker. Moorlands View