Our superstars - Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Making a 

difference 

awards 2010 

Our superstars 

Showcasing the 

Making a Difference Awards 

2010 finalists

Welcome to the 

Making a Difference 

Awards 2010 

This is our fourth annual awards 

evening to celebrate the dedication 

and achievements of staff who have 

made a real difference to the people 

they care for and support. 

We’re pleased to say that we received a record 

number of entries this year, with over 200 teams and 

individuals having been nominated. 

These 41 finalists represent the very best of Tees, Esk 

and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. Every single 

team and individual featured in this magazine has 

gone that extra mile to provide excellent services to 

the people who use our services, their carers or to 

work colleagues. 

It is an immense privilege to be chief executive and 

chairman of one of the finest mental health and 

learning disability trusts in the country. The Making a 

Difference Awards are the perfect way of publicly 

thanking our staff for all their hard work and 

commitment and we pay tribute to their 

achievements. 

Thank you all for making a difference and we hope 

you enjoy reading this commemorative brochure 

which highlights our superstars. 

Martin Barkley Jo Turnbull 

Chief Executive Chairman 

2 

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust 

There are ten categories in this year’s Making a 

Difference Awards, including a new category for team 

of the year. 

Chairman’s unsung hero 

Quality improvement 

Working in partnership with other agencies 

Developing excellent services 

Tackling stigma and promoting social 

inclusion 

Team of the year 

Caring for the environment 

Using information to improve care 

Personal development 

Working behind the scenes 

Making a 

difference 

awards 2010

Chairman’s unsung hero 

This special award is presented to an individual who has made a real difference to the 

personal experiences of service users, carers or colleagues by living the trust’s values. 

39 nominations were received for this award and our four finalists are: 

Darron Toas, nursing assistant, Cedar Ward, > 

West Park Hospital, Darlington 

Darron is described by his nominator as a shining example of professionalism, 

who epitomises the trust’s core values. He consistently demonstrates 

dedication and commitment to the needs of service users and their carers, 

sometimes even in his own time. Darron is pivotal in helping them to make 

informed choices about their care and enabling them to contribute to the 

decision making process. 

Glynis Arkle 

< Glynis Arkle, personal 

assistant to the director of estates and facilities 

management, Lanchester Road Hospital, Durham 

Glynis’ nomination, which is supported by six members of staff, describes her as 

being a true unsung hero and an asset to both the trust and her colleagues. As 

well as carrying out her day to day role, over the last 18 months Glynis has taken 

on extra responsibilities, being a key member of the pandemic flu team and 

working in conjunction with the business continuity team. 

Joyce Fletcher, domestic, > 

Cleveland Way, Roseberry 

Park, Middlesbrough 

Since taking up her post in May this year, Joyce has made significant impact to 

the cleanliness of Roseberry Park. Described as one of life’s optimists who is 

often seen with a smile on her face, a song on her lips and a friendly comment 

to passers by, Joyce is conscientious and her contribution to Cleveland Way is 

immense. She has worked in the trust since 1997 in various departments and 

the numerous letters of support received all confirm how valued she really is. 

Ray Godwin 

Darron Toas 

Joyce Fletcher 

< Ray Godwin, technical 

instructor, Ridgeway, Roseberry Park, Middlesbrough 

Ray has been pivotal in addressing not only the mental health and social needs 

of individuals in his care, but also their physical health and wellbeing. 

Described as a real unsung hero he is at the heart of many projects including 

making Ridgeway an accredited Walking for Health centre, setting up a 

physical wellbeing forum, development of a trustwide football tournament and 

more recently establishing the café suite as the jewel in the Ridgeway crown. 

Making a Difference Awards 2010 - Our Superstars 3

Quality improvement 

This award is presented to a team or individual who has improved the quality and 

value of the services they provide. 


Oak Ward, West Park Hospital, Darlington > 

By working together this team has successfully used the trust’s service 

improvement systems to dramatically improve the patient’s experience of care 

and the staff working environment. They’ve achieved this by using the 

productive mental health ward programme, waste walks and the ‘5s’ 

streamlining approach. Oak Ward is an excellent example of how to take the 

productive mental health ward forward. 

4 

Occupational therapy team 

Patient safety team 


< Occupational therapy team, 

mental health services for 

older people 

Occupational therapists in North Durham, South Durham, Hartlepool and 

Easington worked in partnership with carers, the KPO team and directorate staff 

to realise outstanding results and improvements in service delivery. By using the 

trust’s quality improvement system, long standing waiting lists are a thing of the 

past, direct clinical contact time has doubled and the whole occupational therapy 

process has been streamlined to reduce waste and inefficiency. 

< Patient safety team 

This dedicated team has revitalised the process for the reporting and 

management of serious untoward incidents and patient safety activity 

throughout the trust. They work tirelessly to improve all aspects of patient 

safety and have recently developed and implemented a three day training 

programme for serious untoward incident reviewers, for which they also 

provide ongoing mentorship. 

Darlington community > 

substance misuse team, 

Elmfield Centre 

This hardworking team has completely exceeded expectations and targets, 

agreed after taking part in a rapid process improvement workshop as part of 

the trust’s quality improvement system. In just three months they have 

increased access for their service users by opening three evenings a week; 

changed their prescribing practice resulting in reduced prescription errors and 

reworked and eliminated waste by developing effective and efficient standard 

processes. 

Oak Ward 

Darlington community 

substance misuse team

Working in partnership with other agencies 

This award is presented to a team or individual who has worked in partnership with 

other agencies to develop or improve services, education and training or facilities. 


Durham and Darlington 

health facilitation team 

< Durham and Darlington health facilitation team, 

learning disabilities service 

This new service has worked closely with a number of agencies such as housing, 

care and NHS providers to implement a coordinated health assessment service. 

Described by the nominator as having made huge inroads into improving the 

health of adults with a learning disability living in County Durham and Darlington, 

they have also demonstrated sound partnership working principles across a 

wide range of disciplines. 

Mental health team, HMP > 

Holme House, Stockton on Tees 

During the last year this motivated mental 

health team has worked extremely hard to refocus the provision of their patients’ 

needs. The team has enhanced communication between all key partners including 

the prison service, NHS, North East Offender Health Commissioning Unit and all 

third sector providers. Services have been literally transformed and it has become 

a fully integrated service which has the respect of both patients and colleagues. 

Youth justice liaison and diversion team, child and > 

adolescent mental health services, South Tees 

This small team is one of only six sites chosen to take part in a national pilot 

scheme to help young offenders at risk of mental health problems. They have 

worked in partnership with a number of agencies, including South Tees Youth 

Offending Service, Cleveland Police and the Youth Court and Crown 

Prosecution Service, to ensure these often hard to help young people in the 

Middlesbrough and Redcar and 

Cleveland areas receive the assessment 

and care they need. 

KPO team 

Mental health team, 

HMP Holme House 

Youth justice liaison 

and diversion team 

< Jan Maddison, Keith 

Appleby, Lisa Webb and Maureen Raine, KPO team 

This team has taken the lead in training 21 key people from each of the five 

organisations in the Darlington Dementia Collaborative to become certified leads 

in the North East Transformation System. This hardworking team has since 

taken this forward to deliver large scale change to improve services for patients 

with dementia with outstanding results. 

Making a Difference Awards 2010 - Our Superstars 

5

Developing excellent services 

This award is presented to a team or individual who has developed and successfully 

implemented a new or improved service, which promotes recovery and wellbeing. 


< Occupational therapy team, mental health services for 

older people 

By using the trust’s quality improvement system this dynamic team has 

achieved outstanding results and improvements in service delivery across 

North Durham, South Durham, Hartlepool and Easington. Long standing 

waiting lists are a thing of the past, direct clinical contact time has doubled and 

the whole occupational therapy process has been streamlined to reduce waste 

and inefficiency. 

< Lesley Chapman and Paula Atkinson, mental health 

services for older people 

Together Lesley and Paula used their enthusiasm and commitment to 

successfully implement NICE guidelines ‘CG50 Acutely ill patients in 

hospital’, within their service. This groundbreaking work involved being 

innovative when adapting an early warning score system, widely used in 

acute hospitals, to suit the needs of mental health services for older people. 

They ensured staff were trained and service users and carers were involved 

in its development. 

Mental health team, > 

HMP Holme House, Stockton on Tees 

This enthusiastic and professional team has made dramatic improvements to 

the patient experience in this complex area by implementing strategies, policies 

and processes that contribute to the achievement of a safe and secure 

environment for prisoners in need of their support. The team has adapted and 

introduced a triage tool specifically for the service which allows them to 

provide high quality assessments and 

a consistent approach to patients in 

their care. 

6 

Occupational therapy team 

Lesley Chapman and 

Paula Atkinson 

Dialectical behaviour 

therapy team 


Mental health team, 

HMP Holme House 

< Dialectical behaviour therapy team, forensic mental 

health services, Ridgeway, Roseberry Park 

This dedicated team has effectively formed, embedded and developed a 

dialectical behaviour therapy model that has enhanced patient care and 

allowed for effective and quality driven interventions with this challenging 

patient group. The team has embedded the model within the ward 

environment with tangible evidence of improvements in its female patients.

Tackling stigma and promoting social inclusion 

This award is presented to a team or individual who has successfully tackled stigma, 

promoted social inclusion or combated discrimination. 


Child and adolescent mental health services, > 

Mulberry Centre, Darlington 

This dedicated team has developed a project to actively break down mental 

health stigma among young people. Service users were encouraged to 

physically break down a ‘stigma wall’ to reveal positive messages which the 

young people were asked to pass on to others. Recognised for its visual 

nature, the project has been included in a national toolkit. 

Community walking group, adult mental health services, > 

Hartlepool 

This highly successful walking group has grown in strength over the last two 

years to include not only community groups but more recently inpatients as 

well. The group helps service users develop social skills, promotes 

independence and encourages a healthier lifestyle. Their latest achievements 

include completing the Lyke Wake Walk and accomplishing their 100th walk. 

Tracy Embley 

The learning disability service 

user reference group 

< Tracy Embley, technical 

instructor, adult mental 

health services, North 

Durham 

Mulberry Centre CAMHS 

Community walking group 

Tracy has been instrumental in running a successful women’s group to raise self 

esteem through social inclusion. Encouraged and empowered to make their 

own choices, service users have engaged in social activities in their local 

community with two members competing in the Race for Life. Group 

members have now left Primrose Lodge, a rehabilitation unit, with some now 

living in their own home. 

< The learning disability service user reference group 

This group of service users and staff, supported by Skills for People, has 

had an enormous impact on the trust’s learning disability services. They 

have brought the patients’ voices and views to the heart of the 

directorate’s service development, governance and decision making 

processes. 


Team of the year 

This award recognises outstanding team work and is presented to a team that 

consistently demonstrates a ‘can do’ approach. Through effective team work they 

have successfully implemented change and improved services. 

45 nominations were received for this award and our six finalists are: 

< Auckland Park inpatient assessment and treatment 

services, Bishop Auckland 

This highly motivated, passionate team has embraced the challenges facing the 

NHS. They have transformed these into opportunities to improve care and support 

older people with mental health problems to remain in their own home. Innovation, 

commitment and collaboration have been integral to their success. 

Early intervention in psychosis > 

team, South Durham 

Described by their nominators as ‘dedicated’, ‘an inspiration’ and 

‘life savers’, this hardworking team provides practical and emotional support to 

service users and their carers. They have transformed the lives of the young 

people in their care, offering them the opportunity to engage in employment, 

education and social activities, including raising £3,000 to send eight service 

users on an outward bound course. 

< Easington community team, 

child and adolescent mental health services 

With a constant and significant drive to improve access to and quality of services, 

this team has fully embraced making improvements for the benefit of its children, 

young people and their families and carers. Together they have reduced waiting 

lists, developed a team compact and increased involvement with local services by 

holding lunchtime meetings. 

< Carer support team, adult mental health services, 

North East Yorkshire 

This unique, integrated, community based team provides emotional support, 

advice and information to all carers in North East Yorkshire. The team have 

developed strong links, go out of their way to meet carers’ needs, often working 

out of hours, and more recently became an educational placement for mental 

health student nurses. 

Electroconvulsive therapy > 

team, Roseberry Park, 

Middlesbrough 

This team has striven to offer the highest possible quality of service to those 

who are referred for electroconvulsive therapy. Developing a pathway 

ensures real time monitoring of the clients’ journey. Accredited with 

excellence by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, their innovative work has 

been acknowledged nationally. 

8 

Auckland Park 

Easington community team, 

CAMHS 

Carer support team 


South Durham EIP team 

Electroconvulsive therapy team, 

Roseberry Park

Mental health services for 

older people, Hartlepool 

Caring for the environment 

Hotel services team 

< Hotel services team 

This conscientious team works tirelessly to deliver a clean, safe environment for 

our service users. Assessed annually, over a two day period against the 

Hospitality Assured Standard for Service and Business Excellence, they have 

retained this national accreditation for five years. In July this year the 

assessment resulted in the service continuing to be top of its sector and holding 

14th position in the 150 organisations 

awarded the standard. 

Privacy and dignity team > 

and patient advice and 

liaison service 

Together these two teams have worked hard to improve privacy and dignity for 

service users and the trust, being declared compliant with delivering same sex 

accommodation standards this year. This was achieved by carrying out 

trustwide audits of same sex standards, adapting training materials for mental 

health and learning disability settings, delivering training to over 760 staff in a 

six month period, developing an 

e-learning package and carrying out a 

real time survey with feedback received from 230 service users. 

Talbot, Lanchester Road 

Hospital 

< Mental health services for older people, Hartlepool 

Wingfield and Hartlepool community mental health teams have been described as 

‘remarkable’, demonstrating a willingness to stay ahead of the game. Over the 

last year these highly professional teams have progressed psychological 

formulation sessions, developed psychological therapies networks and 

implemented the electronic visual board. 

This award is presented to a team or individual who has improved or safeguarded 

the environment for the benefit of service users, staff or local people. 

6 nominations were received for this award and our three finalists are: 

Privacy and dignity team 

and PALS 

< Talbot, Lanchester Road Hospital, Durham 

Since moving into Lanchester Road Hospital, service users and staff have 

made full use of their new outdoor area on Talbot. This year they’ve planted 

seeds and fruit bushes and used the produce from these when preparing and 

cooking their own meals. Service users have taken real ownership of the 

gardening project and made it their own. 


Using information to improve care 

This award is presented to a team or individual who has effectively used or 

developed the use of information to improve patient care and/or safety. 


< Paul Hogarth, Malcolm Allen, and Doug Wardle 

This dedicated trio have worked together to successfully develop an electronic 

visual display board in South Durham and Darlington mental health services for 

older people. The board includes standard prompts and tasks accessed 

electronically and remotely, thereby allowing community staff to take part in 

daily ward rounds. By introducing this new technology the length of service 

user stay has reduced, staff morale continues to improve and waiting lists for 

admission are non-existent. 

Patricia Coad, advanced > 

nurse practitioner, Tunstall, 

Lanchester Road Hospital 

Patricia, who works in adult services, has been instrumental in developing a 

quality improvement audit tool that aims to safeguard the transition of the 

service user through every stage of care when admitted to inpatient services. 

Used in monthly audits, the tool gives real time feedback to staff about their 

practice deficits which are then rectified and monitored to ensure improved 

patient safety. Alongside this, she has also produced a carer questionnaire to 

ensure their needs are understood and their experience is positive. 

Paul Hogarth, information development and education > 

advisor 

Using IT solutions to solve specific problems identified by staff is Paul’s forte. 

Working with the Easington child and adolescent mental health team he 

developed a spreadsheet which allowed staff to monitor the flow of service 

users through the pathway. This resulted in reduced waiting times for service 

users. At Auckland Park Hospital, Paul worked with inpatient staff to develop 

an electronic visual control board used 

in daily report outs by ward and 

community staff. 

10 

Paul Hogarth, Malcolm Allen 

and Doug Wardle 

Learning disability and forensic 

performance team 


Patricia Coad 

Paul Hogarth 

< Learning disability and forensic performance team 

This team of five individuals from five different departments have together made 

significant improvements in the way they use information. By pooling their 

expertise they have provided the learning disabilities and forensic directorate 

with information that has contributed to an increased understanding of 

performance, identified areas of weakness and instigated improvements that 

have made a remarkable impact on the service user experience.

Personal development 

This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding 

commitment to their own personal growth and/or professional development. 


Kelly-jayne Johnson, senior accountancy assistant > 

Throughout her time with the trust, Kelly-jayne has continually achieved 

exceptionally high pass marks for her professional examinations, clearly 

demonstrating her commitment to her own personal development. This year 

she gained worldwide recognition by achieving top marks for one of her 

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants examinations from 4801 

candidates. Kelly-jayne has demonstrated a thorough understanding of how 

these examinations relate to her everyday working practices. 

Kirsty Mogridge 

< Kirsty Mogridge, associate 

practitioner, adult mental 

health services, Redcar and Cleveland 

Lorraine Harland, site manager, estates and facilities > 

management, Flatts Lane Centre, Middlesbrough 

Lorraine has worked for the NHS for many years. Over the past year she has 

taken the opportunity to participate in the trust’s first line leadership and 

management development programme. Lorraine has truly embraced the 

principles learnt and has applied her new skills to many areas of her work, 

thereby improving the quality service she provides to staff, service users and 

carers using Flatts Lane Centre. 

Tony Jones 

Kelly-jayne Johnson 

In her role as a newly qualified associate practitioner Kirsty’s clear vision, 

passion and dedication drive her in carrying out this new and developing role. 

She has not only grasped how this new role benefits clients but the whole team 

and has taken a step further in taking the lead for all associate practitioners. 

Kirsty’s main focus is on recovery and she has developed this into preparing 

service users for a new life 

independent of mental health services. 

Lorraine Harland 

< Tony Jones, research assistant/service user and carer 

involvement coordinator 

Tony’s nomination describes him as having a remarkable talent for conveying 

the importance of the service user voice in research. Tony’s passion for the 

involvement of service users and carers in the research process, along with 

his unique skill set, make him sought after by external organisations. As a 

former service user, Tony is a powerful example of how a person can grow 

both personally and professionally and is a champion for others. 


Working behind the scenes 

This award is presented to a team or individual who has made a difference behind 

the scenes by supporting clinical services to deliver better care for service users. 


Sue Weeks 

< Sue Weeks, housekeeper, Cross Lane Hospital, Scarborough 

Described as the perfect role model and committed to the job, Sue often stays late, 

does extra shifts and always puts the service user first. Her nominator says: “Sue 

puts 110% into her work every single day and in every situation; nothing is ever too 

much trouble.” She’s always there for service 

users, be it making something to eat or 

ensuring they have extra bedding if cold. 

Jo Kendall, human resources > 

manager 

Jo has successfully managed a challenging recruitment process to get a new 

service up and running on time. Two partner agencies and the trust were 

involved and timescales were tight. The logistical complexities of this work have 

been immense in terms of advertising, shortlisting, interviewing and appointing 

the 46 staff. Jo’s determination ensured that all staff started their university 

training on time and the service was successfully launched in October. 

Louise Stevely, multi disciplinary team medical secretary, > 

mental health services for older people, Princess Road 

Clinic, Malton 

In addition to carrying out her administration tasks, Louise became the link 

between clinical, facilities and trust colleagues coordinating the move from their 

old base, Springwood, to Princess Road Clinic. Working behind the scenes, she 

always provides the team with the support 

they need and more, ensuring the best 

possible service for their clients. 

Paul Hogarth 

< Paul Hogarth, information development and education 

advisor 

Paul has worked closely with staff to identify their requirements and has 

developed IT solutions for them. He devotes time and supports teams, ensuring 

that those required to use the solution are up to speed in doing so. 

Paul is a valued member of staff and this is highlighted through his nominations 

in three different categories. 

This event has been kindly sponsored by: 

Jo Kendall 

Louise Stevely

Our superstars - Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

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