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Posted on 13 Apr 2018

Congratulations to patients at Rampton Hospital, who have been recognised in the National Service User Awards 2018.

The Awards recognise service user led initiatives in inpatient mental health services across the country. Seven service user led projects at Rampton Hospital were shortlisted, with one winning the judges’ award and two getting the service user vote.

Patients in the Women’s Service were the judges’ joint winners in the Health and Wellbeing Initiative Award. The Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Group created a rap to help them remember the skills they learnt within the group. They came up with the idea to perform it to their peers, and to also make a recording of the rap so that it could be shared to inspire and inform others unfamiliar with DBT, and to show how much fun can go into such a serious therapy. One patient said: “I’ve really enjoyed being involved and feel proud of what we have achieved. It’s also AWESOME that we entered it into the National Service User Awards!”

Two other awards received the service user vote in their categories. This allowed service users at the awards ceremony to vote for their favourite shortlisted entry alongside the judges’ winner.

The Hearing Voices Support Group received the service user vote in the Breaking Down Barriers: Tackling Stigma category. The group’s development and production have been completely collaborative and it is entirely facilitated by voice hearers as per the National Hearing Voices Network guidance. This is a fantastic achievement in a forensic service and a real testament to the work of the patients who attend the group.

The Acorn Hour also received the service user vote, this time in the Health and Wellbeing category.

The aim of the project was to create an hour long radio show to highlight what Acorn Education has to offer, to give patients the opportunity to use specialised equipment and help them to understand how to create a radio show.

Patients volunteered to be part of the radio production team and learn the roles and skills they would need to fulfil the task. They decided on the content of the show and how they would carry out interviews and produce features. One patient said:  “I had the chance to learn editing skills, interview techniques. It was a real confidence booster. I feel it helped me with speaking clearly. I also worked with people I haven’t before. It gave me the opportunity to use new technology. I hope it continues and others get the opportunity to get involved.”

Staff from Rampton attended the awards ceremony on behalf of the patients, and there will be a special presentation day held at the Hospital in June.

The organisers praised the Hospital for their contribution to the awards. Special thanks were given to Tracy Francis and Kathleen Alder, as well as the Woman’s Service patients who made paper floral arrangements for the ceremony.

Congratulations to the winners and to all seven shortlisted entries.