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Feature ArticlesJOU3001M

Feature Article 1

Frequency Festival 2015: The Liberation of the Digital HumanThe historic city of Lincoln. Known for its beautiful cathedral, majestic castle and of course: The Magna Carta. So what happens when a digital culture festival invades these cobbled streets?Frequency Festival of Digital Culture makes Lincoln its home for 10 days every two years, bringing the city to life with installations, exhibitions, workshops and performances. The festival has combined the recent celebrations of the World Wide Web’s 25th birthday and the 800th year of the Magna Carta to create the theme of liberation.I was intrigued to find out whether we can celebrate our digital culture, and be liberated in a technology dependent society. A Charge for Privacy – Branger Briz:

Imagine if someone had access to all your photos, and could use them as they please. The catch? You agreed to this in the first place.A small ‘free iPhone charging station’ stands in a small room within Chad Varah house, calling for visitors to charge their phones if needed. A screen attached to the station simply states to connect your phone via one of the various charging wires, and agree that you ‘trust’ the connection.However, minutes later your photos begin to be projected around the exhibition space, there for all to see - your most intimate moments and favourite memories – plastered on the wall for the world to view. In exchange for your trust, the station will download and store all of your photos to then project them onto the exhibition space, along with other photos previously stored throughout the festival.This installation hits you with the reality of online privacy and how whilst online, companies use many different techniques to trick you into giving away your information. Data gatherers will continue to exploit your trust to find out your most personal details, they don’t care who you are. The terrifying factor of this is how easy it is to get access to personal information. It can be as simple as confirming that you agree to certain terms and conditions, and I’m definitely guilty to never reading them. Next time you agree to those terms and conditions? Might want to give them a read first…July the Twelfth – Jordan Baseman:

With 31 states in the US still using the death penalty, Jordan challenges the morals of capital punishment and whether it should still be accepted in a modern society. July the Twelfth is an animated film, which uses the sound recording of an execution taken place on July the twelfth 1984, in Georgia USA. “Ivon Ray Stanley was convicted of murder, kidnapping, armed robbery – and burying someone alive,” Explains Ashley Gallant, Access Officer at The Collection Lincoln.Combining the sound recording (originally broadcasted on American radio) with an animated film highlights the issues of capital punishment, human rights and penal systems. “A debate occurred over his execution, because he had two associates. It was found that Ivon had a much lower IQ score compared to his associates, yet he was the only one who was executed.”Accompanying the execution recording are a variety of newspaper articles taken from Lincolnshire news archives, showing executions that took place at Lincoln Castle in the 1800s. Each article featuring an illustration of a person being hung in front of the local community. “Jordan created this exhibition to challenge people’s opinions on capital punishment, and show audiences that this punishment is still active throughout the world. He wants to show that we cannot be fully liberated when capital punishment still exists.”Road – Nick Driftwood:

You’re on a great American road trip – just you, the open road, sat in your springy car seat… but you’re still in Lincoln.Nick Driftwood has created an immersive piece of work that takes you on a breath-taking American road trip, and you don’t even need your passport. Road is a short film created with a variety of footage from a road trip across South West America, which was recorded on a hand-held video camera.“I wanted to show the relationship between technology and personal freedom, America is known as the land of the free – and I think that became more apparent through the development of technology.” smiles Nick, as we stand before the screen based exhibition which uses 4k – officially known as UHD (Ultra-High Definition) - technology to deliver visual opportunities and a soundscape to the film. “I’m so fascinated by America and the different terrains that you can explore in this vast amount of space, the beauty of it really catches your eye.”The 4k technology enables visitors to experience Nick’s road trip in the highest resolution, and I find myself engulfed by the crystal clear colour and picture.

What makes Road so effective is the technological drive behind it. The digital DNA of the film forms a structure for the music, combining the visual and the audio to show the freedom technology gives us.“Everyone loves a road trip, and I wanted to show that technology gives us the freedom to experience this without having to leave the country.”

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Even though these are only a handful of exhibitions featured throughout the festival, it’s clear that Frequency doesn’t want to sugar coat our digital culture.Whilst celebrating technology and the freedom it gives us, Frequency also highlights the dangers and how everyone can become a victim of privacy exploitation, as explained by Uzma Johal, Festival Director."It’s important to remind our visitors that technology isn’t always innocent. We have to show the negatives as well as the positives, which helps to educate our digital society on how to use technology and the internet safely.”However, it isn’t all doom and gloom. Frequency has happily succeeded in combining history and digital culture to also celebrate the Magna Carta, and the freedoms it has brought to society. Towards the end of the festival, I found my opinion of technology changing. As someone whose phone is constantly glued to their hands, I ‘depend’ on technology in my everyday life. It was shocking to see that a device I rely on for everyday tasks isn’t as innocent as it seems. Word Count: 1011

Interviewee contact details:

Ashley Gallant – Ashley.gallant@lincolnshire.gov.ukNick Driftwood – Nick@driftwoodproductions.co.ukUzma Johal – Uzma@thresholdstudios.tv Photograph ideas:

Photographs that would be the most effective in this article are photos of the exhibitions and installations mentioned above. Photographs of the actual exhibitions and installations will show the audience what they look like without the need of a description. Photographs of exhibitions not mentioned within the article could also be used, as this can show the audience what other exhibitions were being held around the festival without having to cover them.

Correspondence

Feature Article 2

It’s Time to Talk about Mental Health.Mental health is still seen as an awkward subject to discuss, with a majority of people unaware of the effects it can have on a sufferer’s life.

With cases of mental health on the rise, I wanted to find out how our NHS help to rehabilitate patients, and break the stigma that being mentally ill automatically makes you ‘crazy’.

I spoke to three employees from a brand new mental health hospital based in the North-West – some of whom have suffered from mental health issues themselves – to establish the new approach on treatments for such a common issue.

“When patients are first admitted to hospital, a risk assessment is carried out by a psychiatrist to provide a picture of their mental health,” explains Wayne Ennis, who is a peer support worker on a male recovery ward.

“Their belongings are checked, and any objects deemed a risk are stored in the patient property cupboard. It’s a crucial process to ensure the safety of both staff and patients.”

Staff at this hospital deal with illnesses from depression and anxiety, all the way to bi-polar, schizophrenia and personality disorders on an everyday basis. Treatments are tailored to each patient’s individual needs, combining social and medical approaches such as counselling, medication, meetings with nurses or doctors and occupational therapy sessions.

“Each patient is encouraged to take an active part in their recovery,” reveals peer support worker Anna Gillam. “Suggestions are made but patients are never told what to do. Medication is an exception, but patients still have the right to know what they’re taking and what it does.”

Throughout their stay, patients are given three meals a day with medication rounds occurring at 10am, 2pm, 6pm and 10pm.

Multiple activities are held throughout the day for patients, such as one on one and group counselling sessions held by the occupational therapy department. However, staff stress the importance of letting patients choose their preferred activity, which

can also consist of art therapy, physical health activities such as the gym, music activities and even day trips.

Day trips have to be closely monitored, with some patients being escorted by a member of staff. Other patients who are seen as low risk are allowed leave from the hospital for a certain length of time.

“We aim to provide opportunities to promote an individual’s physical and mental health, by helping them identify their strengths and become socially included in their community.” Explains occupational therapist, Louise Quinn.

It seems that a lot of responsibility is given to patients to help them take control of their own recovery. Ongoing support from hospital staff plays a key role in keeping patients stable, without stripping them of basic human rights.

I’m fascinated by this modern approach, compared to old horror stories regarding the treatment of the mentally ill which would include strait jackets and electro-shock therapy.

Patients can be admitted to hospital through a variety of ways, including self-admission, where a patient is aware that their mental health is deteriorating. Other forms of admission are the transfer of a patient from a previous hospital, referral from a GP, being escorted by the police or ambulance service, or sectioning under the Mental Health Act.

As someone who has previously suffered from mental health issues herself, Anna opened up to me about the importance of education on mental health.

“There is such a lack of understanding about the devastation mental health issues can have on the individual and those around them,”

“Unfortunately, cases that are highlighted in the tabloids are extreme and only serve to fuel this discrimination. People with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia are not axe wielding maniacs. They are more likely to hurt themselves than others.”

It would be wrong to state that mental health only has a severe effect on the sufferer themselves, and this is why this hospital uses the ‘think family approach’. This is a way of the hospital offering support for the families of patients, to also encourage them to take an active role in their relative’s recovery.

Wayne explains this approach further: “The ‘think family approach’ is extremely important, as many patients’ families and carers need support,”

“Families and carers are invited to attend review meetings with the patient’s doctor, meaning that are constantly informed of their progress. They are also able to access support organisations to meet other carers in a similar situation, which can be very beneficial.”

The reality is that sufferers of mental health can find their lives crumbling around them, but is there a happy ending after all? Can those helping to treat mental health put their own personal experiences to good use?

As a previous sufferer of depression herself, Anna tells me about one patient who will stick with her for life.

“He came to our ward after a suicide attempt, suffering from severe depression. He really appreciated the time I spent with him and the fact that I could relate to how he felt through my own disclosure of how I felt when in a severe depression.”

“He told me that he had never talked to anyone before - including psychiatrists, doctors and counsellors - who actually understood how he felt and could totally empathise with him.”

Anna explains to me that many patients find it extremely difficult to open up to medical staff, meaning peer support workers take on a very social approach to recovery.

“We worked together to focus on the positive aspects of his life, and he realised he wasn’t alone. Upon discharge he wrote a letter to my supervisor expressing how positive an experience it had been talking to a peer support worker. This is what my job is about.”

Throughout my conversations with the staff dedicating their lives to mental health recovery, it became clear that we need to start talking about mental health and the ways we can help to identity and treat it before it gets worse.

One lesson I can take away from this experience, is that the human brain is an organ like any other – and mental health can have severe effects on the brain just like a disease can on the human body.

Word Count: 1022

Interviewee contact details:

Wayne Ennis – wayne.ennis@merseycare.nhs.uk

Louise Quinn – louise.quinn@merseycare.nhs.uk

Anna Gillam – anna_maestra@yahoo.co.uk

Photograph ideas:

In this article I have been asked not to name the hospital, but to state what region it is based it. Therefore, I would be unable to include photographs of the hospital or the staff I have interviewed to avoid revealing the hospital. To overcome this issue, I feel that illustrating the piece with a stock photo of mental health would be the best idea. The photo will help to portray what the article is about without revealing sensitive information.

Interviewee emails have been covered for privacy reasons.

CorrespondenceWayne Ennis – Peer Support Worker

1. How long have you worked in mental health for?20 months. 2. What do you specialise in?Peer Support. I work on a male recovery ward in a psychiatric hospital. I also work for Mersey Care Recovery College. We deliver courses based around staying well and recovering from mental illness. 3. Why did you want to work in mental health?I wanted a job that gave me job satisfaction. I found out through volunteering being able to help people is very rewarding. I also wanted to put my own personal experience of mental health to good use. 4. What procedures do patients go through when they are first admitted

to Clock View?Staff have their belongings which are checked for dangerous items, they are itemised and then handed to the patient. A risk assessment and risk history is done. The mental health act rights are gone through with the service user. The acute care plan is done by their named nurse. A physical health assessment is done. A medication sheet is prepared for them. They are shown around the ward and introduced to staff. They are then escorted to their room. Any potentially dangerous items are placed in the property cupboard as a crucial safety procedure to protect staff and patients.5. At what point are patients admitted to Clock View? (is it optional or are

they usually referred?) Some patients are referred for assessment by somebody like a GP. At that point a decision is made if they need to be in hospital or not. Some patients come under a section due some professional involved in their care (GP, CPN, psychiatrist, psychologist, etc.) noticing they have become unwell. Some patients ask to come in voluntarily as they are aware they have become unwell. 6. Is there one aspect of mental health that is the most common at Clock

View? (for example, depression) I would say depression or paranoia is the most common.

7. What does a patient’s recovery process consist of?One to one time with their named nurse, medication, meetings with their doctor, OT activities and one to one time spent with HCA’s and Peer Support Workers. Specific needs are pinpointed and catered for. Each service user is given a recovery pack on admission. Recovery pack contains welcome to Morris ward booklet, welcome to Clock View document, Recovery College prospectus, safety plan and leave card. The welcome to Morris ward booklet contains an A – Z of support services they can access when discharged. Each service use is supported in

understanding the nature of their illness and given suggestions on how best to manage their illness. Each service user has a private room. 8. What does a normal day consist of at Clock View?Breakfast starts at 8 AM. First medication round is at 10 AM. Depending on what day it is there will be some sort of ward OT activity happening such as the gym, art, staying well group etc. Some days patients are able to go out on a day trip. If a patient has come in voluntarily they are often given leave to go out for a number of hours. Other patients are allowed escorted leave with a member of staff. Lunch is 12 – 1 PM. Second medication round is 2 PM. Visiting hours are 2 – 4 PM and 6 – 8 PM. Evening meal time is 5 – 6 PM. Third medication round is 6 PM. Supper is 9 – 10 PM. Final medication round is 10 PM. Some days the patient will see their doctor for chat and a review. Some day they will have a one to one with their named nurse. 9. Taking on the ‘think family’ approach, do many patients’ families need

support during the recovery process? What does this support consist of?

Many patient’s carers and families do need support. We have a carer’s champion who does a weekly forum for families. They are also encouraged to get involved in the care plans if the patient wishes this to happen. They are given an information for carers pack. They are invited to attend review meetings with the patient’s doctor and named nurse so they are kept informed of the patients progress. They are able to access support organisations to meet other carers in a similar situation. 10.Are there any patients that you’ve worked with in the past that have

stuck with you to this day? (due to patient confidentiality this question can be left out)

I have a really good relationship with one patient on the ward. He is a long term patient. 11.Is it common for patients to return to hospital after they are

discharged? It is usually for the same problem? We do get an occasional patient who gets readmitted within 3 months. In general most patients do not get readmitted. If they do get readmitted it is normally for the same issue and normally due to lack of support once discharged. If they live alone returning to that isolation can have a detrimental effect on their mental health as they have been used to having support around them in hospital.

Louise Quinn – Occupational Therapist

12.How long have you worked in mental health for? 13 months 13.What do you specialise in? As an occupational therapist (OT)14.Why did you want to work in mental health? Occupational therapy

allows me to work with an individual to provide support when their mental health prevents them from doing the activities that matter to them. I work holistically with the individual to help identify strengths and difficulties they may have in everyday life and will help them to work out practical solutions. I find it rewarding when I can see people regaining hope and empowerment especially when people begin to identify goals that can help maintain, regain or improve their independence by using different techniques that I can teach them or support them in any way that is meaningful.

15.What procedures do patients go through when they are first admitted to Clock View? From an occupational therapy perspective; when a new service user is admitted onto the ward within at least two days at the most I will have introduced myself, explained my role to them and OT service for the ward and begin to build rapport with them.

16.Is there one aspect of mental health that is the most common at Clock View? (for example, depression) It appears to be very variable from mild/moderate/severe depression, bi-polar, schizophrenia, personality disorder, crisis induced stress.

17.What does a patient’s recovery process consist of? A persons recovery involves themselves being at the ‘centre’ of their care, in Clock View we work within an multi-disciplinary team approach and to into consideration both medical and social

18.What does a normal day consist of at Clock View? From an occupational therapy perspective; we run a range of activities throughout the day. These activities have been chosen as resources to support a person on their journey to recovery i.e. health promotion, anxiety management, recovery/education groups, self-esteem/confidence building, exercise groups, community based groups and social inclusion groups. The individual is encouraged to attend, if they decline what is on offer we aim to seek out what the individual is interested in and we work together to support them to become involved in this. Much of the groups we offer are that of the community, i.e. Everton in the community or adult learning courses whereby these can be continued after discharged in the community. We aim to provide opportunities and promote an individual’s physical and mental health by helping them identify their strengths and become socially included in their community.

19.Taking on the ‘think family’ approach, do many patients’ families need support during the recovery process? What does this support consist of? We have a carers link who is a nurse, their role is to continuously provide support whether it’s verbal or sign posting to other services while their relative is an in-patient. The carer’s link is available to arrange and meet at any time for the relative/friend to discuss any concerns that they may have and the carer’s link will advise or seek further support if required. Families and carers are usually concerned and want to help. Families often need support and encouragement. Our team on Morris ward provide information for families. We may want a family to be involved, but are still bound by medical confidentiality. We will usually ask for permission to give information about the individual to be shared with their family.  At the same time, families have to live and cope every day with problems. Our team ask about what the individual is happy for their family to know, and what they do not want discussed with them.

20.Is it common for patients to return to hospital after they are discharged? It is usually for the same problem? From an OT perspective if someone is unfortunately readmitted back into hospital we help them to identify what their triggers were and help them change the situation if it can be changed by having in place appropriate services. It does happen at times unfortunately.

Anna Gillam – Peer Support Worker

1. How long have you worked in mental health for?I have worked in mental health for 9 months.2. What do you specialise in?My role is a peer support worker which means that I have lived experience of mental health issues and have been hospitalised as a result. My role is to support service users in their recovery through sharing experiences of how I felt, what I did and what has enabled me to remain well. I am on the therapeutic side of recovery rather than medical. It offers service users another choice about who they would like to discuss issues with. In my experience, service users have a great distrust of psychiatrists and welcome someone who they can relate too.3. Why did you want to work in mental health?My illness returned and I could not cope with my previous job. I still wanted to be in a caring profession that could benefit others and support them in some way. I applied for this job because it asked specifically for lived experience of mental health issues. There is such a lack of understanding about the devastation mental health issues can have on the individual and those around them. There is also a terrible stigma with regards to mental health and this can cause discrimination. Unfortunately, cases that are highlighted in the tabloids are extreme and only serve to fuel this discrimination. People with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia are NOT axe wielding maniacs. They are more likely to hurt themselves than others. I want to show that there is hope and recovery is a journey. I will never consider myself “cured”. This illness is with me for life, but I intend to control it and not let it control me. People need to know they are not alone in the way they feel and need to be able to discuss openly these issues with someone who can understand.4. What procedures do patients go through when they are first admitted

to Clock View?The service users are brought to the hospital and assessed by the psychiatrist. Their belongings are itemised. Any object deemed a risk hazard is removed and stored in the patient property cupboard. Staff have keys to access this. Each patient has a folder that contains notes from hospitals, doctors etc along with a medication card. All medical information is transferred to the hospital and put in the patient notes on the computer system. A care plan is drawn up with the named nurse and physical health assessments carried out. They are informed of their rights as outlined in the mental health act. They are shown around the ward, introduced to other patients and staff and escorted to their own private room. Bedding and towels are provided. There is a laundry room with access to a washing machine and dryer for personal laundry. Observations are done every hour, but if a patient is very unwell they are done more frequently and often a member of staff is at their side if they are thought to be at risk of self-harming. They are given a recovery pack which contains information about the ward, an A-Z of support organisations and information for patients and carers.

5. At what point are patients admitted to Clock View? (is it optional or are they usually referred?) There are several ways a patient can be admitted to Clock View.a) A transfer from another mental health hospitalb) A referral from their doctor.c) Escorted from A&E.d) Brought in under a mental health act section.e) Escorted by police and ambulance service.f) Voluntarily come into hospital if they recognise that their mental health is deteriorating.

6. Is there one aspect of mental health that is the most common at Clock View? (for example, depression)

There are a variety of mental health issues and often one issue causes the other. I would say that paranoia and schizophrenia are common but also depression and self-harm as a result of the paranoia. There are many patients who suffer with drug and alcohol abuse as a way of self-medicating to escape their depression. As someone who used alcohol myself to self-medicate, I feel I can offer even more support to these patients, only disclosing relevant information and nothing too personal.7. What does a patient’s recovery process consist of?Recovery is very much tailored to the needs of the individual focussing on positive aspects of their personalities. Counselling sessions are offered. The patient is made to look at what their triggers might be (things that cause a breakdown) and also to be aware of early warning signs that they may be becoming unwell and ways in which to avert a crisis. Each patient is encouraged to take an active part in their recovery and make their own choices. Suggestions are made and support offered but they are NEVER told what to do. The only exception is the medication, but even then the patient has a right to know why they are taking the medication and what it does. The difficulty lies often in whether the patient wishes to engage in the opportunities that are offered. Some do not or cannot participate so we have to find alternative ways of helping which can be difficult if the willingness is not there.8. What does a normal day consist of at Clock View?There are many opportunities for support throughout the day and on a daily basis. The O.T. department offers 1: 1 counselling and group sessions based on the needs of the individual e.g. anxiety management, low mood and depression. There is an Art Therapist who takes patients to the art room to work on projects of their choice. Three meals a day are provided-breakfast, lunch and supper and then an evening snack. The meals are chosen the previous day on the menu. Visiting times are 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. There are physical health activities and music activities. Some patients have leave and are able to leave the hospital for certain lengths of time. Some can go out alone and others need to be escorted. They are seen by the doctors at different times and also spend some 1:1 time with their named nurse. There is a meeting every morning to discuss the progress of each patient and to highlight any issues.

This is done off the ward and is attended by doctors, nurses and other members of staff. There are day trips on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday for those who have leave and depending on the availability of staff. A patient forum meeting is held fortnightly so that the patients can voice any concerns about the way the ward is run.9. Taking on the ‘think family’ approach, do many patients’ families need

support during the recovery process? What does this support consist of?

Caring for someone who has a mental health issue can be fraught for the family. Carers are invited to meetings where they are informed about the patient and are given the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns. A carer forum is held weekly on the ward where carers can come together and support one another and discuss issues with the Carer Champion. They are also given Information for Carers pack with contact details of support networks. As a peer support worker, I introduce myself to families explaining what my role is and offering support for them also.10.Are there any patients that you’ve worked with in the past that have

stuck with you to this day? (due to patient confidentiality this question can be left out)

There have been several patients with whom I have formed excellent professional relationships but there is one in particular. He came to our ward after a suicide attempt, suffering from severe depression. I introduced myself and over the next few days we had several long discussions. He really appreciated the time I spent with him and in particular the fact that I could relate to how he felt through my own disclosure of how I felt when in a severe depression. He told me that he had never talked to anyone before (that includes psychiatrists, doctors, counsellors etc.) who actually understood how he felt and could totally empathise with him. He realised he was not alone. We worked together to focus on the positive aspects of his life. Upon discharge he wrote a letter to my supervisor expressing how positive an experience it had been talking to a peer support worker. This is what my job is about.11.Is it common for patients to return to hospital after they are

discharged? It is usually for the same problem? If a patient does return to hospital it is usually for the same reason. Although no-one really wants to be in hospital, it is a safe environment with round the clock support. Everything is provided and there is company if it is wanted. The problem occurs upon discharge and lack of support in the community. Often a patient returns home, but after a couple of days the old habits creep back, particularly if they live alone. Loneliness for a mental health patient can be devastating. We provide all the information on the ward but after discharge it is down to the patient to act. This isn’t always easy. They need someone to accompany them to the various organisations, but of course care- coordinators, social workers, Community Psychiatric Nurses etc. have heavy caseloads and cannot always spend as much time as they would like with their

clients. There is a big gap from hospital to home and if there was more support there would be less re-admissions. Those who abuse drugs and alcohol often return to those crutches and the cycle begins over again.