Welcome Guide – Lotus Ward

This guide belongs to ……………………………………………………………

Your Named Nurse is ……………………………………………………………

Your Consultant Psychiatrist is …………………………………………………

Your Ward is………………………………………………………………………

The Ward Manager is ……………………………………………………………

This is your welcome guide to Lotus Ward,

Lotus Ward provides inpatient assessment and treatment for young people with complex mental health, behavioural and emotional needs, including those with a learning disability.

The nursing team will discuss the welcome guide with you and answer any questions that you have.

The Trust values the very important role of family and friends caring for children and young people who use our services. We believe that carers should be involved in decisions about your care and treatment and we will talk to you more about this while you are at Lotus Ward.

You will be met by the nurse in charge. They will make sure you know why you have come to the unit. They will explain what will happen during your stay.

You will be asked some questions that will help the nurses to care for you. Staff will take a photograph of you and put it on your personal file.

One of the nursing staff will help you to unpack your things. They will make a list of everything you brought with you. Certain items like DVDs may be put in a secure store to make sure that they are safe. You will be able to use these with support from staff.

Staff will show you around the ward. They will introduce you to other young people and staff. One of the nursing staff will stay with you until you have settled in, and tell you about your ward.

Your nurse will contact your family/carer to and answer any questions they might have. You can phone your family when social workers make a contact list for you.

You will be given a copy of this welcome guide and advised who your named nurse will be. They will introduce you to the ward and talk to you about:
• Bedrooms, toilets, bathrooms and lounge
• Storing your personal belongings
• Using the telephone

Everyone has their own bedroom and ensuite. You can decorate your room with appropriate posters, talk to staff if you are unsure.

For safety reasons only some personal belongings can be kept in your room. Other personal belongings are kept in safe storage on the ward and you can access them.

You can tidy your room during free time. If you have a shower room it will be cleaned for you.

Sometimes, room searches are carried out to keep everyone safe.

You can bring your own clothes to the hospital. For sports and activities the young people wear sportswear.

If you need medicine, the nurses will keep this safe for you.

The ward has its own laundry room with a washing machine and tumble dryer.

You will be able to wash and dry your own clothes. If you have not done this before we will help you learn these skills. Your clothes can also be taken home to be washed.

You will need to bring your own toiletries including:

• toothpaste
• toothbrush
• things to wash or shower with
• any other toiletries you like to use
• towel

• cameras
• anything very expensive
• DVD games or CDs that are not age appropriate
• pets

This is not a full list, ward staff will give further advice about the other items not allowed.

Smoking is not allowed. If you do smoke, staff will help you to quit.

You can bring a small amount of money.

Staff will help you with managing your money when you are in hospital.

Soon after arriving a doctor will check that you are well. They will ask you questions about yourself.

The doctor may do some tests like:
• listening to your heart and lungs
• taking your blood pressure
• checking your ears and eyes

All the information collected will be used to begin to plan your treatment so we can do everything we can to help you get better. We want to help you get home as soon as possible.

You can expect to meet with your Named Nurse on a regular basis.

You can talk about issues that are important to you.

These may include:
• Changes in your mood, thoughts and feelings
• Medication and any side effects
• Ground/Home Leave

You will be involved in discussions about your care and treatment. If you are detained under the Mental Health Act, staff may have the power to prevent you from leaving the ward or to insist that you take medication. These decisions will only be made in your best interest. We will listen to your views and the views of your carers.

A care plan states your needs, the range of services required and who will provide these services. It might include things like your medication and your physical health needs. You will be involved in developing your care plan and will be given a copy of it to keep.

A CPA review is a meeting to talk about your needs and checking they are being met.

They are held every three months, or sooner if this is felt necessary.

You (or your carer) and anyone providing services can also ask for a review. If you feel that a review is needed, you can talk to your named nurse.
 

We will talk with you about situations and activities which may not be good or safe for either you or those around you and agree your risk management plan.

This plan will tell us what it is safe for both staff and you to do. This will depend on what has happened before you came here and on your behaviour in the unit.

This may mean that sometimes you will not be able to do things that you would like to do, but don’t worry because staff will explain things to you.

Your risk management plan will say how many staff need to be with you to give you support and keep everyone safe. This is called your Observation level.

Your risk management plan is reviewed regularly by you and the team. You can come to this meeting or contribute by filling in a feedback form and ask for things to be discussed such as when you can go outside on leave.

The Mental Health Act 1983 is designed to keep a young person who is experiencing serious mental distress safe.

You will be informed about your rights. We will talk to you and your family about this and give you a leaflet.

Your right to appeal will be explained.

Depending on what section you are detained under you may have to accept treatment with medication. Information about your medication will be provided – the doctor or nurse will help you to understand about any side effects.

The Trust has a helpline for confidential advice about medication. You and your carer can call the helpline between 9am and 4pm.

The helpline number is 0191 245 6604.

We will share agreed information about your care and treatment with your carer. We will also provide them with information about care plans, medication and advice on managing an emergency.

The ward manager is in charge of the ward.

The staff team will make sure your care and treatment is of a high standard. All of the team will support you and be involved in caring for you. Your named nurse will help and support you, but you can talk to any of the staff if you have concerns, worries or questions about your treatment.

The staff wear uniforms and you can call them by their first names.

• Activity workers
• Advocate
• Dentist
• Dietician
• GP (doctor)
• Occupational Therapist
• Pharmacist
• Responsible Clinician
• Podiatrist
• Physiotherapist
• Psychologist
• Psychiatrist
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Social Worker
• Patient Advice and Liaison Officer
• Teachers

If you have religious or cultural needs the staff will help to support you. This could include needing a different diet or dressing differently.

You can talk to a chaplain if you would like, please ask a member of staff. There is a multi-faith room at Lotus Ward which you can visit with a member of staff.

How do I get my meals?
All of the wards have a list of the meals you can choose from each day. If you would like them to, the nursing staff will go through the menu with you and order the food you have chosen.

There is a dining room for you to eat your meals.

You can have snacks and drinks. Staff will help you make healthy choices.

We have menus which are suitable for:
• Vegan/vegetarians
• Soft/easy chew/pureed
• Halal
• Kosher
• Gluten free

If you need a special diet, please discuss these options with a member of staff.

Mealtimes are usually around:

• Breakfast, 9am (weekends are later)
• Lunch, 12pm- 1pm
• Dinner, 5pm- 6pm
• Supper, 7.30pm

Before you go for your meal, the dining room will be prepared by staff.

If it is your birthday, staff can order takeaways and a cake if you want.

The structured day/week is your individual programme which is tailored to meet your needs throughout your week. This will allow you to take part in a range of activities such as:

• daily living skills – personal care, laundry
• leisure pursuits – shopping, hobbies, sports
• education, life skills and training

We will support you to identify interests and goals and work with you to grade and adapt activities to reach these goals.

As part of your care you will be able to attend therapy, education and activities including:
• English
• Maths
• Information and Communications Technology
• Science
• Cookery
• Sports activities like exercises, swimming or the gym

Staff will spend time with you planning a range of activities such as Individual or Group Therapy and education sessions. During your stay the Activities Team will meet with you to plan and organise a weekly range of social, recreational and vocational activities in our full size sports hall and gym.

You will also have time to take part in social events, follow your hobbies and interests or simply relax, play or listen to your music.

Your staff team
The Multidisplinary team are specialists who have training and experience in helping people with mental health difficulties. You may be supported by all or some of the people in the Multidisplinary team. The team will make sure your care and treatment is of a high standard.

Consultant psychiatrist
The doctors in Lotus Ward are called psychiatrists. You will have a consultant psychiatrist in charge of your assessment and treatment. Your psychiatrist is the lead person who plans your care with the team.

Ward manager
The ward manager will run the ward you are staying in on the ward. This person is responsible for the day to day running of the ward. They supervise the care you receive from staff.

Psychology department
Psychologists aim to understand your current issues using a range of assessments, including direct observations and interviews. This information is used to develop a formulation of what has contributed to and maintained your difficulties.

Occupational therapy department
Occupational therapists will help you to develop independence skills and activities for your daily life. This means practicing how to do things more by yourself. They will help you with self-care, food preparation, things you like to do and want to become more skilled at doing.

Case Managers
Case managers will support you if your discharge pathway is unclear your case managers will liaise with local authority, community services young people and family/carers to ensure that you are discharged in a timely and safe manner. Case managers will also liaise with your community team and support your family during discharge planning.

Activities department
Activities available in the unit are coordinated by the activities coordinator. Activity workers run sessions with the young people. Activity workers can provide 1:1 and group sessions for the young people. This helps with having structure and routine in your day.

Speech and language therapy department
Speech and language therapists support the young people with communication difficulties. This means finding out about what you understand, how you communicate/talk to others and how you like other people to communicate/talk to you.

Dietitian
You may work with a dietitian if you need help with having a healthy balanced diet. They can give you expert advice about the best type of foods to eat.

Education – River Tees Multi-Academy Trust
The staff of River Tees Multi-Academy Trust provide education for young people as part of the structured day. The education team offer GCSE’s/Entry level/p levels in: English, maths, science, art, ICT, design and technology, food technology, music, P.E., horticulture and drama.

All of the staff below makes up your nursing team. These are the people who work closely with you to make sure you receive the best possible care whilst you are at Lotus Ward.

Care coordinator
Your care coordinator is usually one of the clinical team leads. They work with you and the rest of the multi-disciplinary team to organise your care.

Named nurse
Your named nurse is the person who works alongside you and helps develop your care and treatment. This person will get to know you the most and they will develop plans for your care with you. This person attends meetings about you and writes reports for your meetings.

Associate nurse
This will be a qualified nurse that will work alongside your named nurse. If your named nurse is off, your associate nurse will do the things your named nurse would usually do.

Link nurses
These staff are part of your team; they also work very closely to help with your care and treatment. They also attend meetings about your care. Link nurses know you and your care very well. It is often these members of staff who go out with you on section 17 leave. When your named nurse and associate nurse are not available your link nurses will be here to help support you.

Young people can go on leave if their section allows it. Staff will help you plan leaves and learn about keeping safe.

Some young people have been able to attend activities such as sports clubs, drama workshops and college. There is a town nearby and we often go there on leave to buy personal items and ingredients to cook with.

Bullying is a serious matter and it is not tolerated. We will do everything we can to keep you safe.

You do not have to put up with bullying. If you are being bullied, or see anyone else being bullied, tell a member of staff.

We discuss bullying in community meetings. Community meetings are meetings on the ward where you can talk about what is important to you in the unit.

Play fighting is not allowed as it can be a form of bullying.

Your Ward Manager and another member of staff will talk to you about what you can expect from staff and what to do if you are worried about anything you see in the unit.

You should always be involved in making decisions about your life and your future. Your family or carers may also be involved in discussions along with doctors, nurses who are involved in your care.

When you say that you agree to something happening, you are giving your consent.

You can ask as many questions as you want to.

Treatments
You might need to see a doctor, dentist, nurse, psychologist or therapist. They will ask for your consent before they carry out any tests, assessments or treatments.

Therapy
Things like anger management, speech and language therapy, counselling, art, play therapy, or group sessions such as social skills.

Before you make up your mind, you need to be given information about:
• What they want to do
• Why it needs to be done
• What any treatment will feel like
• How it might help you feel better

You can say yes. You can say no. It’s up to you.

You might be asked to sign something to say you agree.

You might want to ask questions like:
• How long will it be before I am better?
• Will I need to go into another hospital?
• What will happen if I say no?

Talk it over with a friend, relative or carer. Take time to think about it. You can also talk to your Independent Advocate. See details further on in this guide on how to contact an advocate.

The Trust needs to keep information about you so that we can provide the best care for you.

We keep the following information:
• Name and address and your next of kin
• Notes of when we’ve seen and talked to you
• Information about what treatment or care you have had
• Information from other health workers, or family and people who care for you.

We do this to make sure that:
• You get the best care possible
• Health workers have the right information about your care and treatment

Everyone who works in the Trust must keep information about you confidential. Sometimes we need to share information with other organisations that are providing care for you, like Social Services. If we do share information we would normally talk to you about it first and ask for your permission.

You have a right to find out what information we hold about you, please ask staff about how to do this.

Fire safety
If you hear the fire alarm going off, staff will direct you to the safest exit. It is important that you follow their instructions and try to stay calm.

Infection control
Please speak to a member of staff if you have concerns about the cleanliness of the hospital.

Safety and restraint
Physical restraint is only used when there is an immediate danger of violence towards yourself or others. This will only ever be carried out by staff who have received training in how to use these skills safely.

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust has a complaints policy. We will give you a leaflet about how to make a complaint.

If you think that we could improve our service then please let a nurse know your idea.

Staff are always available for help, support and advice. You can also contact:
• Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns about NHS services PALS will listen and give advice and support to you and your family.
South of Tyne – 0800 328 4397 or 0191 566 7074, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm or email [email protected].

• Coram Voice Tel: 0808 800 5792 Monday to Friday, 9.30am-6pm.
An independent charity, Coram Voice support and help young people to be heard.

We have visiting rooms with TV and space to spend time with visitors.

We encourage contact with family and friends but for safety reasons visits have to be approved by your Social Worker and the Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT). All visits are best booked in advance.

Visitors under 18 years who have been approved must still visit with an approved adult.

We will make every effort to sure your visits happen. Where possible we encourage visits after 3.30pm and at weekends so that the young people can attend school, therapy and activities. Some patients and visitors may need to make phone calls or have visits outside of these times and we will help you plan this. We understand that sometimes visitors have a long way to travel and have other needs.

Visits may be supervised. This means staff will stay nearby to keep everyone safe. Sometimes staff might be in the room with you but they try not to impose on your visit.

When possible visits can take place outside of the unit.

We will work with you to ensure you maintain contact with your family and friends via the phone.

It would be helpful if your family and friends could ring after 6pm, after education and activity/therapy sessions, in order to have longer phone calls. The telephone number is 01642 529830.

Individual agreements will be made with you, your family and the professionals who work with you to agree when your phone calls should be planned.

A patient network gives you access to a computer so you can use the internet or Skype family/friends with supervision from staff.

Any letters will be given to you unopened, but staff will supervise opening letters.

Staff can help you read and write letters if you need help.

You can contact social workers, advocates, PALS officers and solicitors anytime.

We are always looking for more accessible ways of keeping you in touch with your home and school. It may be possible to use these things to chat, send photos or messages.

Ask the nurses when you arrive and they will be able to help you.

Plans around your discharge start soon after your admission. You and your carers will be involved in the planning of any discharge.

Staff on the ward will be able to help with concerns you might have about these or any other issues and provide you with contact details of your community team members.

Care Programme Approach (CPA) is a way of planning and co-ordinating your care after you leave hospital. It helps make sure that you are supported in a way that fits your individual needs.

Your care co-ordinator will usually be a nurse, or other professional. You should always be informed of the name and contact details of your care
co-ordinator.

Young Minds – Information about looking after yourself, common mental health problems and your rights.
Website: www.youngminds.org.uk

The Mix – support service for young people. Helpline: 0808 808 4994
Website: www.themix.org.uk

As a member of our NHS Foundation Trust you can be as active a member as you would like, from just receiving regular information about the Trust to getting involved in issues that you care about. The choice is yours!

To become a member, all you need to do is complete a membership application form or join online at www.cntw.nhs.uk/membership ‘Sign up as a Member’. Membership is free and members can also benefit from discounts for many shops and services.

If you are 16 years old and over and interested in learning more about becoming a Governor for the Children and Young People’s Service, please contact the Membership Office on 0191 245 6827.

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Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request
(eg Braille, audio, larger print, BSL, easy read or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2021 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref, PIC/848/0521 May 2021 V1
www.cntw.nhs.uk Tel: 0191 246 7288
Review date 2024