News release: Creating gardens for patients

Abstract

Crewe based Peter Clay recently gained a Certificate in Advising on Service and Education Development from the University of Central Lancashire as part of the North West
Demonstration Project in Mental Health. Commissioned by five education and training consortia in the region, the project aims to test the delivery of competency-based education and training given to mental health professionals.
Working with a group of carers and users of the mental health services, Peter was required to complete an individual project demonstrating that he was competent in making enquiries about a service and delivering feedback to its managers and staff. He became involved with the project through his seat on the South Cheshire Community Council, a Mental Health Services Users Group and registered charity. His project involved researching ways in which mental health wards could be made more user-friendly, particularly in view of some patients being admitted for long periods. In visiting Social Services to interview patients and the hospital for personal observations, going through the National Framework Service report, Mental Health Commission reports and the replies the survey produced by the South Cheshire Community Council for the Nation Service Framework, one fact became clear.
His findings concluded that the patients needed outdoor recreational space and as a direct result of his research, Leighton Hospital in Crewe are now working towards creating a garden in the grounds near the wards.
30th October 2001
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