News story

Ward 21 North Tyneside General Hospital working with community and voluntary sector

Image: Terry Kelly, ward 21 North Tyneside General Hospital activity coordinator, far right, with patients and colleagues from partner organisations

There is an increasing focus on how the NHS can work closer with voluntary and community organisations to support the health and wellbeing of patients.

Mental and physical health are intrinsically linked, and on Ward 21 at North Tyneside General Hospital this collaboration is a key element of the care they provide.

The ward cares for older people with mental health illness and organisations in patent’s local communities are key to supporting them at home and helping to keep them out of hospital.

Terry Kelly has been the ward’s activity co-ordinator for nearly six years: “I am passionate about making sure that our patients have the support they need when they return home.

“Everyone needs to feel they belong and to have connection with others. Many of our elderly patients are very lonely and isolated, so being able to connect them with organisations that can help them integrate more into their community, make new friends and build confidence, is very important.

“When thinking about peoples’ confidence and independence, the organisations we work with can help with a very wide range of things like supporting people to be mobile through exercise classes, helping them to manage their finances and helping them to navigate a digital world.

“Connection is the most important thing though and if our patients feel connected with others and that they are still part of a community, this significantly helps their mental health.”

Organisations the ward is working with includes Age UK, Working Well, Growing Minds and Golden Years and North Tyneside Council’s Care and Connect service.

All have something to offer to patients to support them to live well and connect with others. They have all agreed to come to the ward once every two months to informally meet and chat with patients.

Golden Years and Growing Minds provides a friendly, welcoming space where people can get involved, have some fun, enjoy good food and most importantly, have some company.

Their approach is about keeping people engaged and connected, especially when they may be feeling lonely or isolated.

Samantha Nicholson, director of Golden Years and Growing Minds, said: “Terry has been fantastic at bringing local organisations together and looking at what we can offer to support people in our community. It’s great to see someone making those connections and creating opportunities that can genuinely make a difference."

Care and Connect are part of North Tyneside Council’s adult social care team and their focus is on prevention and linking people in with resources in the community. They have four community navigators who have an allocated patch in the borough, and they work closely with community hubs and organisations to have up to date knowledge of what goes on in the local area.

Joanna Blizycka, Care and Connect team leader, said: “We frequently find loneliness, social isolation and mental health go hand in hand so we encourage people to try different community groups and activities to see if they can make a meaningful connection. We understand how scary it can be to try new things, especially after a significant period of isolation, so we offer to accompany people to the first couple of sessions to build their confidence. Linking in with Terry has been great, because it allowed us to introduce our services to patients who are starting to think about the next steps. We can chat to them about their interests and recommend relevant things in their local area. They get to meet one of us which creates a little link and a friendly face when they do decide to venture out. 

Terry's passion for supporting people is something we have in common, so we expect great things from this collaboration.”

Age UK North Tyneside are a local charity working in the community to support older people, their families and carers. They support customers over 50 to receive free and confidential information and advice and to access a wide range of activities, social groups and events. Their health and wellness services provide free strength and balance sessions, as well as offering a wide range of exercise classes designed to help people live their best life every day. They also provide specialist and bespoke dementia services to support people living with dementia and those in caring roles.

Heather Thomspon, Age UK North Tyneside’s promoting independence coordinator said: “Terry’s approach will support our organisation to help individuals to reconnect with their community and build on their independence. It is a wonderful opportunity and partnership.”

Working Well North Tyneside helps people and their families address the practical, social and wellbeing factors that can affect recovery and independence. The service can offer personalised support around employment, skills, financial wellbeing, housing, confidence and connecting people with opportunities and services within their local community.

For patients approaching discharge, or those whose mental health or caring responsibilities have affected their ability to work or manage everyday life, Working Well could provide a valuable link into community-based support, helping individuals build confidence, explore appropriate training or employment opportunities, address practical concerns and maintain their wellbeing beyond hospital.

Aaron Wilson, employability partnership coordinator from Working Well North Tyneside said: “We believe Terry’s approach is professional, person-centred and open to exploring opportunities within the community that could complement the clinical support provided to his patients. By working collaboratively with Ward 21 and the wider community, Working Well North Tyneside could help create a more joined-up pathway of support, ensuring patients have access to appropriate resources and opportunities that promote recovery, wellbeing and greater independence following their hospital stay."