Profiles of the Implementing Recovery sites

Demonstration Sites

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust has demonstrated strong leadership and commitment at a Board level, led by the Chief Executive, and driven by other executive directors to integrate recovery into the culture of CPFT.

It is probably best known for the outstanding progress it has made in the training and employment of peer workers. Following an intensive period of planning and training by experts from Recovery Innovations in Phoenix, Arizona, 60 peers with lived experience in mental health problems have been trained and more than 50 have been appointed to positions within the Trust. This is an ongoing programme of training and integration to fulfil the Trusts' vision as an organisation that supports and encourages diversity in the workforce and recognises the importance of lived experience in delivery of mental health services.

Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has been working to establish a culture of Recovery across the organisation for several years. There has been outstanding leadership and commitment at a Board level from the Chief Executive and other Directors.

It has already begun to use the 10 Key Challenges framework as a methodology to review quality and plan service improvements. There are also impressive levels of partnership working with service user groups and a variety of other agencies in the local community.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is proud of its commitment to the implementation of Recovery principles across a range of services and at all levels in the organisation. The Chief Executive and Board members promote this value base in their leadership of the organisation and are supported by team leaders and ward managers.

Julie Repper's work on supporting service users in the training of staff and in the development and delivery of training for peer specialists, has a national and international reputation. The Trust is delighted to have been selected as a national demonstration site, which will enhance support to people with mental health problems to lead meaningful and productive lives. This fits perfectly with their strong involvement and anti-stigma agenda.

South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust has been recognised for some time as a national leader in the implementation of Recovery principles within its services. Recovery is deeply embedded in the organisational culture and staff and service users have been involved in joint training across most client groups.

The Trust has developed a range of learning materials to support Recovery training for users and carers. More than 2,500 staff have attended introductory sessions and more than 700 staff, service users and carers have attended 4 day Recovery and Social Inclusion workshop.

The Trust has for many years worked with success to improve access for service users to paid employment positions, both within and outside the service and has deservedly achieved a national and international reputation. The Trust also recently established the first UK Recovery College which employs 5 peer trainers.

Dorset Wellbeing and Recovery Partnership consists of Dorset Healthcare University Foundation Trust, Dorset Community Health Services and Dorset Mental Health Forum.

This Partnership demonstrated impressive commitment from the NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive and other Board members, including the Medical Director. There are very strong partnerships with local user groups and genuine co-production of service review and quality improvement.

The Partnership has made good progress regarding several of the 10 Key Challenges, particularly regarding the development of peer support workers, the Hidden Talents programme to reduce stigma for staff who are prepared to disclose their own histories of mental distress, and they are in the process of developing service users as mentors for consultant psychiatrists.

Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust showed the most impressive levels of joint working with the local authority (Manchester City Council) specifically around commissioning.

The Trust appears committed to embedding Recovery principles at all levels in the organisation with leadership and commitment from a Board level downwards. It is already beginning to use the 10 Key Challenges framework as a methodology for service audit and improvement and also to inform commissioning. There was strong evidence of high levels of partnership working with a range of different local agencies and stakeholders.

Pilot Sites

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of embedding principles of Recovery at an organisational level and a high level commitment to do so. Good progress has been made in addressing several of the key challenges, particularly the integration of CPA and personalisation and more than 100 staff have attended a 5 day Recovery and Social Inclusion course.

The Trust has a national reputation for its work in increasing opportunities for service users to obtain and sustain positions in paid employment, both within mental health services and outside. There is a clear capacity and commitment at a senior level to drive the agenda forward and to shape services so as to better support Recovery across the organisation.

Devon Partnership NHS Trust already has an impressive reputation for developing services to support the Recovery journeys of those using them. These achievements stem from a relatively small group of clinicians and managers who have shown impressive leadership and commitment to this agenda. The level of local partnership working, particularly with local user groups, was outstanding. There are also good links with commissioners and the broader well-being agenda.

The Trust looks forward to broadening the level of involvement and commitment across the Trust as a result of participating in the Supporting Recovery programme, specifically wishing to include services beyond those concerned with rehabilitation which have been in the vanguard of change.

Hampshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust demonstrated considerable enthusiasm and commitment to promoting the Recovery agenda within the service and with local partners. The level of local partnership working and involvement of service users in assessing service quality and identifying areas for improvement was also impressive. In addition, local managers seemed highly competent and there was strong support from a range of professions, including medical staff.

The Trust has made outstanding progress in the introduction of WRAP across adult mental health services and in developing innovative approaches to user training in collaboration with colleagues from Southampton University. The Trust was about to embark on a major reconfiguration of local community services and viewed the use of the 10 Key Challenges framework as essential to their survival.

Mersey Care NHS Trust put forward an extremely strong application, backed by high level managerial commitment within the Trust and excellent examples of high quality, local partnership working. There were strong links with local user groups and a very strong user voice was present throughout the visit. There were impressive local projects aimed at addressing stigma and promoting social integration (for example, with the Liverpool Philharmonic orchestra and with Liverpool and Everton Football Club and more recently Liverpool FC). There were also good links with the local authority, commissioners, and a variety of other local initiatives (for example DH Personal Health Budget Pilot includes all partners).

The Trust viewed involvement in the programme as a way of further supporting greater organisational commitment, particularly across acute services and at a Board level. It recognised the potential value of trying to focus initiatives on a narrower range of strategic goals and wanted to explore the possibilities of setting up peer specialist training schemes to increase these roles within the workforce.

St Andrews Healthcare is the one independent sector organisation among the pilot sites. They presented a very impressive, enthusiastic application, describing a range of joint initiatives between staff and service users to promote Recovery values.

Considerable progress had already been made in the area of service user involvement and advocacy. There was also a clear management structure and mechanisms for taking this work on and embedding Recovery principles across the charity through strong medical and nursing leadership. There was interest in learning from others regarding issues of recovery-oriented individual care planning (CPA) and the possibilities of involving service users directly in the workforce.

West London Mental Health NHS Trust put forward a very impressive application and demonstrated strong commitment to the project. Approximately 40 people attended the assessment visit including the CEO, Director of Nursing and Director of Organisational Development and HR.

There was a strong culture of user involvement already established and growing across the Trust. There was a clear commitment to build on this and embed Recovery principles more comprehensively across the Trust. There was a strong interest in developing peer support worker posts and in promoting joint training. There was also recognition of the need to develop employment initiatives.