Young Person’s Welcome Pack

A Guide to The Beacon Centre

2019

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Contents Page

Chapter 1 – Welcome to The Beacon Centre 3-4Welcome 3Contact Details 4

Chapter 2 – Admission to The Beacon Centre 5-6What happens on admission? 5Accessing your bedroom 5What to bring 6

Chapter 3 – Life on the Unit 7-12Staying on the unit 7Expectations & rules of the unit 8-9Chaplaincy/Spirituality 9Young Person’s Involvement 11Internet/ Mobile Phones and Laptops 12Safety online 13

Chapter 4 – Young Person’s Care & Recovery 14-19Professionals involved in your care 14-15Care Programme Approach & Discharge Process 16Meetings 16 Weekly Therapy Programme 17Education Provision 18-19

Chapter 5 – Staying in Touch 20

Chapter 6 – Moving on 21

Chapter 7- Understanding your rights 22Understanding your rights 22Confidentiality & Information Sharing 23Accessing your medical records 23Advocacy 23

Chapter 8 – FAQ and Terminology 24

Chapter 9 – How to Give Feedback 25Compliments/Other feedback/Complaints 25Other Support Networks 26

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Chapter 1 – Welcome to The Beacon Centre

Welcome…From the Ward Manager,

We would like to welcome you to The Beacon Centre; we are a 16 bed general adolescent inpatient unit for young people aged between 13 and 17 who are coping with different mental health difficulties. Although there will be many things you will have in common with other young people on the unit, there will also be some differences, as people at the Beacon Centre can be coping with a variety of emotional, social, family and mental health difficulties. Most young people are daunted about an admission into the unit but in my experience it is never as bad as you think and most young people find their time with us has been a positive experience.

We look forward to working with you!

Ward Manager

Here are some of the comments young people have made about their experience of the unit:

“I am truly thankful to you all; I would not be where I am now if it weren’t for the amazing staff.”

“I was really anxious and worried when I first arrived, I didn’t want to be here, but it wasn’t so bad, I made friends, the team really helped me and now I feel able safe to be discharged.”

“The staff are really helpful and have always been so friendly.”

“I always feel supported by staff, both when I am at The Beacon Centre and when I am on leave.”

“The staff have been really supportive and always prompted me to join in activities and to engage with others.”

“Staff explained anything I was feeling worried or anxious about.”

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Contact Details

Unit AddressThe Beacon CentreEdgware Community HospitalBurnt Oak BroadwayEdgwareMiddlesexHA8 OAD

Contact NumbersMain Reception: 0208 702 4475 (This is a manned number Monday to Friday 09.00 17.00, outside of these hours the number will be diverted to the nursing office. To contact any members of the multi-disciplinary team please use these number and your call will be transferred)

Nursing Office: 0208 702 42350208 702 4226 (Night office)

Young Person’s Phone: 0208 952 6751

Email: beaconcentre@beh-mht.nhs.uk (Monday to Friday 9-5pm)(This email address is for general information sharing correspondence, e.g. events. Please do not send personal information to this email address)

Twitter: @BeaconCAMHS@BEHMHTNHS

Facebook: www.fb.com/behmht Website: http://www.behcamhs.nhs.uk/

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Chapter 2 – Admission to The Beacon Centre

What happens on admission?When you arrive on the unit you will be welcomed by members of the team. A meeting will take place with a doctor, member of the therapy team, and a nurse so that they can ‘check in’ with you and answer any questions you may have. They will also ask you questions about what you are/ have been experiencing so they can get a better understanding of what you are going through. Young people are required to have a physical examination on admission; this is to ensure you are medically well; it will include blood tests, ECG (heart tracing).

After this meeting you will be shown around the unit and introduced to the rest of the team—both young people and staff. You will also be shown your bedroom and have a chance to move your belongings into the room.

Staff will try to explain everything to you as you go around the unit, but if you have any questions feel free to ask! Things may also become clearer as you settle in. It is common practice for any new admission to be placed on one to one with a staff member; this means the staff member will be with you at all times, they are there to support you while you settle in.

Access to your bedroomAll young people have their own bedroom and en-suite bathroom. The bedroom area is located upstairs. Please feel free to personalise your room as you arrive on the unit. You can use posters, photos, paintings or anything else which does not leave a permanent mark, please use the blackboard space for this. A member of staff can help you. Graffiti is not tolerated and is considered damage to property.

Young people are also encouraged to keep their room tidy and make their beds to promote personal hygiene and to make it easier for it to be cleaned by staff.

Access to bedrooms is available in the day, however, we encourage Young People to remain downstairs and follow the therapy programme. This is to encourage engagement and support a structured, healthy sleep routine. The young people go downstairs to the ward as a group at 8:30 each morning to have breakfast in the dining area.

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What to bringIt is important that when a young person is admitted to The Beacon Centre they have they personal items to help them settle. Any items that are brought onto the unit are subject to being searched by a member of staff to maintain the safety of the young people. Some items may be allowed on the unit, however kept securely for the young people’s safety.

Items to bring: Comfortable clothing for at least 1 week Young people also have access to a

personal snack box in the Young Person’s kitchen where they may keep some treats if they wish (please keep these as healthy as possible)

Magazines/ Books Posters/photographs/cards MP3/ IPod/ High Fi/ Stereo (without a

camera or recording facilities) Toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner,

and body wash, toothbrush, toothpaste

Access to the Laundry Room An agreed timetable is made between the young people and staff to ensure everyone has access to the laundry room at certain times. This ensures any soap powder allergies etc. are taken into account.

Young Person’s Travel Card/Oyster We often take the young people out on trips, it is extremely helpful and cost effective for us if you bring your travel card onto the unit.

Valuables We do not encourage Young People to bring valuable items on the unit as we cannot take any responsibility for valuable items that may be lost or stolen. If the young person insists on bringing any valuable item onto the unit, we will request you sign a disclaimer acknowledging The Beacon Centre does not take any responsibility for the loss or damage to valuable items.

Spending Money Young People can bring a small amount of money onto the unit; we recommend up to £10, this will be kept in your locker in the nursing office. Young People are not encouraged to keep money on their person’s.

Electrical Items It is ok to bring items onto the unit, such as hairdryers, straighteners, electrical toothbrushes and chargers; however, these will be kept securely in the nursing office when not in use.

Due to the nature of the unit, there are some items that are not permitted on the unit: Sharp objects, e.g. knives, metal

objects, razor blades, pencil sharpeners Cigarettes, lighters, matches Over 18 material including

magazines/DVDs Pirate DVDs/CDs Alcohol (or alcohol based products)

Metal cans Oil burners, candles, incense sticks Energy drinks Drugs/ Illegal Substances Plastic bags Glass bottles or glass objects Blu tac

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Chewing gum Staples (Please remove any staples from books and speak to reception who can give you a treasury tag)

The list is not exhaustive, and all property will be assessed according to individual risk.

Chapter 3 – Life on the Unit

Staying on the unit

The typical structure of the day is:

8.00am Young people are woken up

8.30am Breakfast

9am - 9.15am Planning Meeting

9.30am - 12.00pm: Young people are expected to attend education lessons provided by teachers from Northgate School. The participation in education is assessed according to individual needs and abilities.

12.00pm - 1.00pm: Lunch. There are two main meals offered at lunch and these options are changed daily. If you have any dietary requirements (including Halal and Kosher) please inform a member of staff so we can incorporate this into what food is offered. Depending on your needs, you may have a meal plan which is formulated together with the Dietician.

1.30pm – 3.00pm Education Monday-Friday

3.00pm - 5.00pm Therapy Groups or Activities

5.00pm– 5.30pm Dinner

5.30pm – 8.00pm Visiting Time (or Activities see timetable)

8:00pm—Night Meeting and relaxation groups

Meals brought in from home are welcome and can be stored for 24 hours. Delivery food is also allowed on the unit.

Please note all meal times are protected time and we encourage people to respect this, nurses will not be available to take telephone calls or deal with enquiries at this time.

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Expectations & Rules of the unitWe would like you to get the best out of your admission to the Beacon Centre. In order to do that we have a few expectations that will help to create a comfortable, therapeutic and safe environment for you, your peers, staff & visitors. These are:

Be respectful to yourself

Be respectful to others

Respect the environment

Engage with your treatment and

care plansIn the event that expectations are not followed and result in harm to others or self, consequences may be put in place, which are measured appropriate to the individual and parents/carers will be informed and/or consulted.

Damage to PropertyAt The Beacon Centre we have a zero tolerance policy to violence and to destruction of property and/or belongings of other young people. We may inform the police and press charges if necessary. If you are violent to others or damage the property of others you will be asked to contribute to the cost of a replacement.

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Privacy & Dignity You will have a bedroom to yourself with your own shower and toilet. This is your private space. Other young people are not allowed in your bedroom and you are not allowed in theirs. We ask you keep your room clean and respect others need for quietness to sleep.

Searches For your own safety and the safety of others, you will be asked to show a member of staff everything you bring onto the unit after unaccompanied leave. You will be asked to empty your pockets and staff will search your belongings. Staff will use a metal detector to check if you have anything which should not be brought onto the unit. You will be responsible for any valuables you bring in. We may be able to look after small amounts of money or valuable items if it is essential you bring them to the unit. We will keep these in a locker. Relationships & Bullying At The Beacon Centre, young people often develop friendships with each other during their time here. Young people might like to spend more time together and share their thoughts and worries with each other. This may be useful at times, but sometimes this can be difficult for young people to manage. We encourage you to share any information about a young person if you think not sharing might put them at risk.

Smoking and Substance Misuse Non-Smoking Policy: Barnet, Enfield & Haringey is a smoke free Trust. It is not permitted for anyone, including staff, parents, carers, visitors or young people to smoke anywhere on the premises. Young People who are admitted to the unit who smoke will be offered Stop Smoking and nicotine replacements.

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Drinking alcohol, taking recreational drugs or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol is also not allowed. All young people who have any issues relating to substance use are to speak to a member of staff for support.

Chaplaincy/SpiritualityWe have established contact with services for many different religious and cultural providers. These are available on request. If you would like to celebrate a spiritual or religious occasion please let us know. We have a faith box for young people to access which includes such things as a prayer mat, bible etc.

Leave from the unitDoors to the unit are kept locked to prevent unauthorised people from entering and so we can be aware of where you are. If you are not obliged to stay under the Mental Health Act, we will not keep you here unnecessarily, but we have a duty to assess your risk and safety and have a clear plan for where you will be when you’re not on the unit. Going on leave will always depend on you and us agreeing that you will be safe.

Under the Children’s Act those who have parental responsibility for you may insist we keep you for your supervision and protection. If a young person is Sectioned under the Mental Health Act, leave from the hospital has to be assessed by a consultant psychiatrist and will be reviewed regularly (at least twice per week) and Section 17 papers will need to be signed.

If you go out without permission and/or against our advice, the police will be notified and you will have to return. Parents or those with parental responsibility will be informed.

Young Person’s InvolvementAt The Beacon Centre we truly value the views of the Young People’s and have many

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different means to ensuring their voice is heard in regard to individual matters and issues affecting the service offered. They are involved in:

Daily Planning Meetings – reminder of appointments, issues, concerns, requests and compliments are discussed.

Night Meetings – evening check in during evenings Young Person’s Forum – this is facilitated weekly and supported by the Independent

Advocate. See advocate Core Team Meetings – young people are invited to join and have their say or be

updated by the team. Medical and Nursing Reviews CPA Meetings 1:1 meetings with clinicians, e.g. consultant, therapist 1:1 sessions with Primary Nurse and Key worker sessions with Group Worker Surveys Ward round feedback Quality Improvement

Internet/ Mobile Phones and Laptops

Internet and LaptopsYoung people have access to the internet via ward computers. We also have Wi-fi services should you wish to bring your laptop/tablet into the unit. Laptops will be used under supervision and will be under your own risk.

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Mobile PhonesMobile phones are allowed on the unit during permitted times, see below:

Weekdays: 5.30pm – 7.30pm Weekends: 12.30pm – 7.30pm

You are not permitted to take photos/videos or use any other recording device on the unit due to confidentiality; any misuse of their personal phones will result in restricted access.

We will ask you sign a contract on admission to say you will use the internet, your mobile phone and any other electronic devices safely while on the unit. Improper use may result in you being unable to access the internet or your mobile.

If you are unsure of the rules around usage please ask a member of stay.

Remember: No photos are to be taken on the unit; this includes video recordings and voice

recordings. If you wish to use FaceTime or Skype with a family member during access time please ask a member of staff so that this can be facilitated privately.

No use of mobile phones or laptops etc. in bedrooms, or the quiet room.

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Safety online

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Chapter 4 - Young Person’s Care & Recovery

Professionals involved in your careThere are many different professionals working at The Beacon Centre. During your admission you will work with many different professions depending on your needs.

Assertive Outreach Team (AOT) You will be allocated an Assertive Outreach/Discharge Co-ordinator, who is a nurse that works closely with you throughout your journey at Beacon Centre, supporting both your admission and discharge back into the community. Working concurrently with the inpatient team, AOT help you and your family explore what you enjoyed and what worked well for you, before you came to hospital as well as the difficult areas that lead you to being admitted. These areas could include school, friends or life at home. They will be involved in setting your goals for what you what to be different after you are discharged. They also work closely with families/cares and other community services in supporting with young people at home and the community.

Inpatient Nursing Team The inpatient nursing team comprises of a Ward Manager, Deputy Ward Managers, Qualified nurses and HealthCare Assistants (HCA’S) who support the young people 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On admission each young person will be assigned 1 Named Nurse, an Associate Nurse and 2 HCA’s as Key Workers. You will meet with these staff at least once a week to discuss your treatment plans, explore your needs, get to know your likes and dislikes as well as establishing your personal goals. They will also encourage you in the areas that are going well, as well as support you with those that are not.

Consultant Psychiatrist The Consultant is the responsible clinician during your admission to the Beacon Centre. You will be allocated to one of the two Consultant psychiatrists as soon as you are admitted. Your consultant will meet with you and your family, and will ensure the care and treatment provided by the team is the best as possible. As they are medically qualified they can prescribe medication and rule out organic causes of symptoms while offering different therapeutic approaches. The Consultants are supported by a Speciality CAMHS Doctor and Trainee Doctors. Individual therapyThe role of the Psychologist is to provide psychological assessment. From their assessment they will make recommendations and tailor their intervention to meet the needs of the young person. Several factors may influence the type of intervention and duration, namely length of admission, current engagement with community psychological services and young person’s willingness and ability to engage.

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Family TherapyFamily Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that may involve one family member, a whole family or several family members. Family therapy can be helpful if a family is having difficulties getting along or when one family member has presented with difficulties and family relationships may be contributing to or maintaining the difficulty. Family Therapy interventions will be based upon your family’s needs and give you and your family an opportunity to identify and work through issues. During Family Therapy sessions, the family’s strengths and resources are identified and used to help handle relational problems. Occupational TherapyOccupational Therapists aim to help young people by supporting them to develop their confidence and promote their independence, often in areas of self-care, leisure and other productive roles). This might include helping to develop skills and working together to identify goals; this may be through 1:1 or group work.

Other therapeutic supportWe also have Music and Art Therapy, both offering one to one and group sessions; these therapies can offer another way to express and manage difficult emotions and thoughts. The service also has access to dieticians and speech and language therapists which we can refer to on an individual basis.

The unit has a structured weekly therapeutic timetable offering a variety of groups to meet the needs of the young people. This includes educational sessions, psycho-educational sessions such as Coping Skills or workshops, a structured group programme around staying safe called “Sticky Situations”. The timetable also offers opportunity to engage in cooking, creative sessions, physical activity, outings and group walks.

Social WorkerSocial workers at the Beacon centre work alongside the team to sure any safeguarding issues are managed. They will make referrals; communicate with Children’s services, social worker of the patient’s responsible boroughs to ensure a child is safe. They will also share relevant information to Children’s services as part of working in partnership and attend meetings that require social care input.

Admin TeamWe have a dedicated team of administrators who are essential in the management of the service and you will meet often when visiting the service at reception.

Teachers The teachers at Northgate School are committed to working with young people to reengage in learning, liaising with mainstream schools and supporting parents/carers in identifying further education providers.

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Care Programme Approach (CPA) & DischargeCPA - This is a meeting where all professional involved in the young person’s care, both in hospital and in the community, meet with the young person and their parents/carers to discuss your needs and make plans together to move forward.

You will be actively involved in the CPA process, and asked for your views and feedback as you are central in your care.

DischargePlanning for discharges start from admission. During the CPA process, it will be made very clear when discharge is being discussed for you. Your views are key to this process and we encourage you to voice your opinions to ensure your care moving forward goes well. During this period communication between the clinical team and yourself is essential.

Different Meetings

Formulation MeetingsFormulation meetings happen within 2 weeks of admission. These are attended by members of staff in your core team. In these meetings clinicians talk about what brought you to hospital, the areas you may need support with, your strengths and planning the next steps of care. We will tell you when these meetings happen so we can get your views and feedback what was discussed to make sure you are happy.

Core Team MeetingsCore team meetings will happen throughout your time at the Beacon Centre, often when there is a big decision to be made about your care. You will be told when these meetings are and will be invited to join the meeting to get your opinion and give you feedback.

Doctors and Nurses MeetingThese meetings happen every week, either on a Monday and Wednesday prior to MDT Ward Round (see below). In this meeting you will discuss your care with doctors and nurses so that they can advocate on your behalf in MDT Ward Round. This meeting allows young people to have an active role in determining the care they receive.

Ward RoundMDT stands for Multi-Disciplinary Team. Multi-Disciplinary Team Ward Rounds are meetings where all the clinicians meet together to discuss the care of each young person on the unit. These happen every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 am, (half of the young people are discussed in each meeting). If you would like to make a request for a change in some aspect of your care you can ask a member of your core team to take this to the meeting so it can be discussed and fed back to you.

An Example of the 7 day Weekly Therapy Programme.

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Education Provision

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Northgate School is a specialist short stay Pupil Referral Unit situated next door to The Beacon Centre. Northgate School provide and facilitate with your educational needs.

Education or training is compulsory for all students up to the age of 18 years under Government regulations. When a young person is admitted to The Beacon Centre they are automatically enrolled at Northgate School to ensure they continue to receive education during their stay. Northgate School does not replace the mainstream school provision.

Northgate provides education for an age range of 12-18 years. The teachers at Northgate are all experience and work collaboratively with The Beacon Centre. At:

KS3 focus on literacy and numeracy and encourage students to take on unit awards. KS4 offer GCSE lessons in English Language and Literature, Biology, Maths,

Geography, General Studies and Religious Education. A levels or BTECH course we provide a focussed learning environment with access to

ICT to allow students to work independently and follow their examination syllabus. For post 16 students we offer help with CV writing, applications to college or

apprenticeships. We may also be able to arrange voluntary work or work experience.

For all student thought provoking sessions such as Ethics, Artistic Expression, Creative Writing and Food Technology are provided. We follow a Personal Health and Social Education (PHSE) curriculum; students have access to lessons in relationships and healthy lifestyles and Physical Education in the form of Yoga and Dance. Specialist Teaching can also be bought in where needed.

On arrival at school the staff will complete an induction; this includes introductions, a tour of the school and answering some questions around their mainstream school and interests.

We acknowledge that for some young people they mental health difficulties have impacted on their engagement in education and will need some support to re-engage. We aim to build confidence of our young people to allow them to take the next steps in their education.

We work closely with mainstream providers to ensure work is sent so students do not fall behind. We work with The Beacon Centre to organise visits and/or gradual re-integration plans to mainstream school. For young people who have experienced difficulties at mainstream school such as bullying, and do not feel it appropriate or possible to return, we will work closely with parents and schools to identify other educational arrangements or placements which may be appropriate.

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If a young person is admitted to The Beacon Centre close to examination period, Northgate will do our utmost to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by their admission. We are a recognised examination centre and can arrange for GCSE or A level examinations to be undertaken as a transfer candidate (this means the young person will complete their scheduled exams at Northgate). We provide a weekly update to parents on the lessons attended and the work completed.

If you have any questions or wish to visit Northgate School please feel free to pop in or contact us.

Location: Adjacent to The Beacon CentreTelephone: 0208 732 6649Head Teacher: 0208 732 6309 (Yvonne Weatherhead)

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Chapter 5 – Staying in Touch

We encourage all young people to keep connected with their

friends/families/ carers/education while staying at The Beacon Centre.

VisitsVisiting hours are from 5.30-8:00pm during the week and flexible on the weekends. We expect visits to be from parents, family, carers, and name friends – agreed by your parents.

Going out with family/friendsGoing out with friends and family is possible and is encouraged; this will need to be discussed with your consultant and nurses.

Phone callsWe encourage young people to use the phone out of the therapeutic timetable and in free time, e.g. over lunch or after 5.30pm.

OnlineWe have internet access in the computer rooms that you can use to maintain contact with family and friends.

Mobile Phones/Tablets etc.In the evenings you will have access to your mobile phone to use to keep in touch with your family and social networks.

LettersIf you fancy writing a letter to someone and need a pen and paper, just ask a member of staff.

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Chapter 6 – Moving On

Planning DischargeLiaising with Community CAMHS: The team at the Beacon Centre will liaise with your community CAMHS team to ensure that your care is handed over safely and securely.

Discharge CPA: Your final CPA will take place up to two weeks before you discharge, although you may get discharged on the same day if appropriate. Your community team, family, school and other professionals involved in your care may be invited.

Education: Whilst you are at the Beacon Centre the team and Northgate School will be in communication with your mainstream school. Before discharge, we will ensure that plans are put in place regarding your education.

After DischargeFollow-up Meeting: A member of your community team will visit you within 7 days of your discharge. This is to provide support in the community and to ensure your care is continued appropriately.

Goodbye Meeting: All young people have a goodbye meeting before being discharged. This is a chance for both young people and staff members to say goodbye and to think about your time at the Beacon Centre.

Discharge summary: You will receive this once you have been discharged. It will outline your journey at the Beacon Centre and will be a chance for the team to summarize the work you have completed. This will also be given to your community team so they can use it to inform your future care.

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Chapter 7 - Understanding Your Rights & Legal Status

Consent & Capacity, Mental Health Act & Leaving the ward….

Information for patients detained under the Mental Health ActIf you are detained under the Mental Health Act then you will normally only be able to leave the ward if you have been granted leave by your consultant. Leave can be granted on a one-off basis for a particular purpose or activity, or alternatively you may be granted regular periods of leave (e.g. for a number of hours per day) at the discretion of nursing staff. Your consultant may specify conditions that apply during leave, for example you might have to remain in the care of nursing staff whilst away from the ward. A member of the team should be able to tell you what leave has been granted for you and any conditions that apply.

Being detained under the Mental Health Act often means that staff can provide treatment for your mental disorder even if you don’t want them to, but this is not true for all detained patients and depends on which “section” of the Mental Health Act you are subject to. Even where treatment can be provided without your consent, staff will always take your views into account and work with you to try to find a treatment plan that you are happy with.

Staff will provide you with both a written and verbal explanation of what your particular “section” of the Mental Health Act means and what your rights of appeal are, but please let nursing staff know if you would like any further information or would like somebody to help you exercise your rights. The ward has a list of mental health solicitors who you contact to help you appeal against your detention, their fees will be paid by the government so there will be no cost to you.

Information for informal patientsBeing an “informal” patient means that you are not detained under the Mental Health Act. This means that staff requires valid consent for your admission to the ward and to provide you with treatment and care. If staff believe that you are able to make a decision for yourself about a particular element of your care or treatment (including any restrictions on your ability to come and go from the ward as you please), that usually means staff have to respect your decision.

For the safety of patients and staff the ward door is usually kept locked, if you wish to leave the ward then please inform a member of staff. Our staff have a duty of care towards you, and in exceptional circumstances they may have such serious concerns over your health or safety, or the health and safety of other people, that they will not allow you leave the ward until you have been assessed under the Mental Health Act. If this happens you will be provided with information about your rights.

Sometimes the team may feel that you are not able to make a particular decision about your treatment or care (in legal terms this is called lacking “capacity” or (if you are under-16) lacking “competence” to make a decision). If this is the case then somebody with parental authority can sometimes agree to arrangements on your behalf, even if you don’t want them to. The sorts of decisions that someone with parental authority might be able to make on your behalf in this situation depend broadly on your age and maturity, and your level of

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understanding of what is being proposed. If you are under the age of 16 then your parents can sometimes authorise staff to prevent you from leaving the ward at all.

If you are 16 or over and have been assessed as lacking capacity to make a particular care or treatment decision, staff can sometimes provide that care or treatment in your best interests under the Mental Capacity Act, but this does not extend to preventing you from leaving the ward on a long-term basis.

If you have any questions or concerns about your legal status or your rights then please speak with a member of the clinical team, alternatively you can contact the Mental Health Act Office on 020 8702 4370 for general advice on mental health law.

Confidentiality & Information Sharing We aim to work with respect for confidentiality while balancing this with the importance of collaborative information sharing with other networks and agencies.

Your Rights… legally you are entitled to have confidential conversations with adults who provide you with medical or psychological treatments (e.g. doctors, nurses, social workers, therapists). However, because most of the young people who stay at the Beacon Centre continue to live at home and are under the age of 18, we believe it’s important for your parents/carers to have an understanding of your treatment and the difficulties you might be facing and will encourage you to try and share information and be as open as you can be with them.

You may find it difficult to share some information with parents/carers, if you insist you do not wish for this information to be shared with them we must respect this and uphold your right to confidentiality.

Exception: we have a duty to disclose information if we feel you are in danger in some way or need protection, or information you have shared is regarding someone else’s safety. In such cases we may have to share the information you have disclosed with your parents/carers or other agencies; this would be discussed with you.

Accessing your medical recordsIf you would like access to your records, an ‘Access to Health Record’ application can be given to you to complete. If you would like help completing this please ask.

AdvocacyYoung People have the right to access independent Advocacy Services. Please see details below for this service.

POhWER Advocacy Servicewww.pohwer.net Telephone: 0300 456 2370 Text: send the word ’pohwer’ with your name and number to 81025 Email: pohwer@pohwer.net

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Chapter 8 – FAQ and Terminology

Will I fall behind with schoolwork?Northgate School is attached to the Beacon Centre. It provides national curriculum teaching. Our Senior and Associate Mental Health Workers liaise with Northgate and each young person’s school or college to make sure you don’t fall behind. This booklet contains a section about Northgate School.

When can I go home?All the young people on the unit come to us when their family, friends and or the community mental health teams become so worried that they decided for a short time at least that the young person cannot stay living at home. On admission you and the team will think about the reasons behind you coming to the Beacon Centre and decide on the amount of change needed in order for you to return home.

Where do I sleep?Each young person has their own room on the first floor of the centre. Each bedroom has its own en-suite toilet and shower. If you have any problems or questions about your room then please let a member of staff know. TerminologyCAMHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health ServiceCare Co-ordinator Person responsible for your young person’s care while in hospital

(at The Beacon this is the consultant)CBT Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCPA Care Programme ApproachDBT Dialectical Behavioural TherapyDoctors and Nurses Meeting

Weekly meeting prior to Ward Round; young people are encouraged to discuss their care with Doctors and nurses and to help their voice be advocated in the ward round

HCA Health Care Assistant (also called Group Workers)MDT Multi-Disciplinary TeamWard Round A meeting where all clinicians meet to discuss the care of each

young personMHA Mental Health ActPALS Patient Advice and Liaison ServiceProtected Time Time that is un disrupted for nurses to be with young people, e.g.

meal timesYP Young PersonGeneral Obs Young person is checked on hourly15 minute obs Young person is checked on every 15minutes1:1 WEO Young person has 1 staff assigned to look after them within eye

sight1:1 WALO YP has 1 staff assigned to look after them within arm’s length2:1 Young person two staff are assigned to look after the them

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Chapter 9 – How to Give FeedbackAt any point before, during or after your time at The Beacon you are welcome to give us more formal feedback, make a complaint, or inform us of any concerns or suggestions you may have. We feel the best way to offer a high-quality service is to listen to what you have to say, be it good or bad, and use that information to improve the services that we provide.

ComplimentsPlease do tell us when we get things right, compliments are always welcomed and help encourage our staff. We would love to hear from you! If you would like to share your views of the service received here at The Beacon Centre please do so on either Google reviews or on our Twitter.

Twitter: @BeaconCAMHSGoogle: To review on Google, please search for The Beacon Centre Edgware

Suggestions and concernsThere are many opportunities to make suggestions or raise concerns. You can expect to be heard respectfully and explanations given and/or actions can be taken. If it is a more personal complaint we encourage you to speak with staff and the advocate on a 1:1 basis. Every weekday we hold planning meetings (9.00am) where you can voice any issues or concerns to the team

Young persons’ forum is a weekly meeting where you can raise any concerns, or queries and make requests for things on the unit.

If you would like to raise a suggestion, concern or complaint more privately, then you can talk to any member of staff throughout the day and they will do their best to support you.

Make a comment and pop it in the post box outside the ward manager’s office.

How do I make a formal complaint? The first step would be to speak to The Beacon Centre Team directly. You can approach any member of the team, who would be happy to hear your concerns and attempt to address them quickly and simply. Or you can arrange a time to speak to the service manager (Ben Mensah). Complaints will be kept private and will not affect the care you receive. Please see below for appropriate times and meeting to raise suggestions, concerns and complaints If you feel that you would like extra support with your complaint, you can request an independent advocate be present at this meeting. To arrange an appointment with an advocate, please let any member of the team know, or see the notice board with the Advocates contact information or see section above with contact details. If these first steps have been unhelpful or if you feel unable to speak with The Beacon Centre staff directly you can contact the Patient Experience Advisors: Email: beh-tr.patient.experience@nhs.net Tel: 0208 702 3839

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Other Support NetworksChildline - A helpline for young people. Calls are free and the number won't show up on your phone bill.www.childline.org.ukFreephone: 0800 1111

NSPCC - 24 hour Child protection helpline for anyone concerned about a child at risk of sexual or physical abuse, child protection and safety awareness.www.nspcc.org.ukFreephone: 0800 056 0566 Samaritans - 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you're feeling, or if you're worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email.www.samaritans.orgFreephone: 116 123

PAPYRUS - A voluntary organisation offering support to teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal. www.papyrus-uk.orgFreephone: 0800 068 41 41 Text: 07786 209697

Mind - A charity for people experiencing mental health difficulties and offers a wide range of useful resources and links to other relevant information.www.mind.org.uk Bullying UK - A website and helpline for both children and adults affected by bullying.www.bullying.co.uk/Freephone: 0808 800 2222

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