Thank You Event 2020: Making Stuff Better - Winner
Every year we celebrate our amazing staff and their achievements at our pop-up ceremony. This year to keep everyone as safe as possible the event will be held virtually - Board members will pop into video meetings to surprise colleagues and present them with a trophy to celebrate as they are shining examples of our magnificent staff behaviours.
We will be posting all the winners as we reveal them so keep a look out on our website and social media channels.
Making Stuff Better Award - Winner
The Specialist Public Health Nurses - School Nurses (SPHN) inspired and led by Jen Jones, Specialist Public Health Nurse, set out on a journey a few years ago to find out the best ways to increase access to the 0-19 service for young people who may be struggling with issues that impacted upon their health and wellbeing. They researched and visited other services, searched for and critiqued the evidence, ran focus groups and questionnaires with young people and staff. Overwhelmingly their evidence based sources were telling them that young people best respond to and use digital platforms rather than accessing face to face methods for support, help and advice. An anonymous, confidential texting service for 11-19 year olds - ChatHealth with excellent feedback nationally, was sourced and the SPHNs became keen advocates in championing how we might use this service for the young people of Leeds.
Paula Groves, 0-19 Service Manager said:
“The journey throughout 2019/20 to embed ChatHealth has been amazing. The drive of the SPHNs, with Lisa Lenton and Jen Jones at the helm, has been inspirational in making ChatHealth a key intervention within the 0-19 Service delivery model.”
“…Fundamentally the SPHNs have had to work hard to adapt to a different way of practicing. They have had to learn and adapt to how you use text messages as a way to communicate with young people. Keeping a young person engaged in a conversation where initially you have to share confidentiality and IG information by text with them before you can answer their query, is no mean feat. Getting a young person to open up and share their concerns or issues by text is essential to making ChatHealth work. Jen, Lisa and the SPHNs have been instrumental in driving forward a successful service change that has influenced Commissioners decision making and has now successfully been embedded into practice. Having ChatHealth as part of the 0-19 Service offer, is proving positive in improving outcomes for the young people of Leeds.”
The School Nurses received a virtual surprise visit from Bryan Machin, Executive Director of Finance, and Brodie Clark CBE, Chair, who surprised the team during a Microsoft Teams call.
Speaking on behalf of the Team Lisa said: “Thank you very much for this award, it is really appreciated! I’d like to reiterate my thanks to all of the public health nurses (school nurses) who have really driven this and brought it to fruition. It’s an absolute privilege to help and facilitate in a small way, this team have done brilliantly.”
Jen added: “I’m shocked and so happy and so proud. It’s been a journey and a team effort, we couldn’t have done it on our own. We feel like we’re doing a good job and we are doing a good job and we do that with the support of our colleagues and the leadership team and everyone involved. I’m really touched thank you.”
