Human kindness, compassion and love: the hospital ward visiting scheme designed and delivered by Canerows and Plaits
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5042/mhsi.2010.0438 |
| Published date | 18 August 2010 |
| Pages | 6-9 |
| Date | 18 August 2010 |
| Author | Dwight Reynolds |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Mental Health and Social Inclusion • Volume 14 Issue 3 • August 2010 © Pier Professional Ltd6
10.5042/mhsi.2010.0438
Canerows an d Plaits first bega n to hos t meetings
called ‘Hav e Your S ay Forums’ several years ago.
At these Forums, se rvice users are enc ouraged to
express the ir views on their experiences of menta l
illness and their c ontact with mental health serv ices.
Since July 2009, Ca nerows and Plaits h as been
operating a ward vi siting serv ice. This took the form
of a pil ot scheme involving just two visitors, Devon
Marston and Coral H ines, who focused o n one wa rd
at Springfi eld Hospita l. Visiting once a week for
an hour, Devon and Coral of fered infor mal peer
support and ordinary human kin dness. They talked
and listene d to any one who wished to be with
them, and engaged i n activitie s such a s table tennis
or board games.
Sometimes these conversations between visitors
and patients resulted in positive changes on the
Canerows and Plaits
Canerows and Plaits is a group organised for and by
service users from Black and minority ethnic (BME)
backgrounds based at Sound Minds mental health arts
project in Battersea, South London, UK. Its purpose is
to improve the experiences of mental health service
users with a BME background in Wandsworth, both
in the community and on the mental health wards
of Springfield and Queen Mary’s Hospitals (South
West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS
Trust). The aims of the group reflect our personal
experiences that, on the whole, BME service users
have a more difficult time on the wards, something
that is also supported by local statistics and the
research literature (Department of Health, 2008;
Office for National Statistics, 2009; Mental Health Act
Commission, 2006).
Human kindness,
compassion and love:
the hospital ward visiting
scheme designed and
delivered by Canerows
and Plaits
PEER SUPPORT
Dwight Reynolds
Secretary, Canerows and Plaits; visual artist
Abstract
Canerows and Plaits is a group organised for and by mental health service users from Black and minority
ethnic (BME) backgrounds. This article describes the successful ward visiting scheme developed by the group,
the approach taken by ward visitors and how staff and service users on the wards have responded to this.
Key words
Peer support; Black and minority ethnic communities; Acute services; Mental health services
To continue reading
Request your trial