Going to school when you’re in hospital

by | Feb 12, 2022 | Uncategorized

Going to school when you’re in hospital

When young people use mental health services at South London and Maudsley NHS Trust as inpatients, their education isn’t interrupted or delayed. In fact, many young people find the continuity of education at the Bethlem and Maudsley School both reassuring and normalising during what is, for many, a very significant time in their lives.

“There is routine, a school, teachers, classrooms, progression and people talking about life beyond this period in hospital, a focus on the future,” said Maarten Crommelin, Head of School.

“But with the Bethlem and Maudsley School, no educational journey is imposed on our young people — we start with their needs first and then provide a personalised education approach based on that. Each journey is different.”

a young girl holding a leaf

Maarten Crommelin, Head of School at the Bethlem and Maudsley School

The school teaches young people who are inpatients or use community services at two sites, the Bethlem Royal Hospital in Bromley and at Maudsley Hospital in Denmark Hill.

While some young people join the hospital school from schools they will return to following their time at the Trust, some young people don’t yet have a school placement or have fallen out of the system. As a result, the school works closely with families, carers and community teams to support young people to reintegrate with their schools in the community following their time in hospital.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, some of these processes changed, but the school remained open and teachers adapted quickly to remote teaching.

“We were focussed on making sure we could reach all our pupils, virtually and face-to-face and have worked to support our pupils in remaining engaged with daily education, preparing for the future, building assessment evidence for last year’s interrupted GCSEs and achieving qualifications whilst in hospital” said Maarten.

“We are working to equip our pupils with what they need to succeed in the next steps of their education pathways, and look forward to our day patients returning and to be able to resume seamless reintegration for pupils back to their schools in the community.”

The school, which has just received an Outstanding OFSTED inspection, also offers careers education, helps young people to identify college placements, organises school trips to the theatre and encourages young people to continue with hobbies. It is also forming partnerships in the wider community, currently working together with the City of London Sinfonia and Young Minds.

Maarten added: “We continue to work with the hospital and the teams we work with in shared working to support young people. As a school we need to be building on our third outstanding OFSTED and developing our outstanding practise further for the benefit of our learners.”

The Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School has an exciting future. The Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People, which is set to open its doors in 2023, will be the new home to the Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School’s departments based at the Maudsley site.

“We are pleased to have worked closely with the designers and architects so the space in the new building will enrich pupils’ learning and education,” said Maarten.

Architects impression of a classroom in the new Pears Maudsley Centre — doors open in 2024

The school is in a unique position to be able to support children and young people with mental health needs in the wider community and internationally at a time when children’s mental health has been highlighted as a priority.

Maarten added: “We work closely with Southwark to share our expertise and together with our partners at the Trust we’re also putting hospital education on the international stage. We have a lot to look forward to.”

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Body Dysmorphic Disorder — how do I know if I have it?

Body Dysmorphic Disorder — how do I know if I have it?

by | Feb 10, 2022 | Blog Post, News, Pears Maudsley Centre

Body Dysmorphic Disorder — how do I know if I have it?

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a condition which is common in children and young people. It is a mental health condition where people spend a lot of time worried and upset over their appearance and spend lots of time trying to fix it. BDD impacts around one or two people in every 100 people and can be treated. But how do you know if you have it?

a young girl holding a leaf

Dr Amita Jassi is Consultant Clinical Psychologist National and Specialist OCD, BDD and Related Disorders Clinic, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Jassi said: “As you’re developing and growing it’s normal to think about your appearance or identify a part of your appearance you don’t like very much. But for some people this can be more distressing and upsetting and have a big impact on your life. It is important to remember that having BDD does not mean you are vain or obsessed with yourself.”

To raise awareness for Children’s Mental Health Week, Dr Jassi has shared three points which may help people to recognise the symptoms of BDD.

1. You are concerned about a perceived flaw in your appearance

BDD is a preoccupation with a flaw or something wrong with your appearance that you see but other people might say they can’t see or don’t think its big deal.

It is important to remember that everyone spends time thinking about their appearance. People with BDD tend to worry about specific areas or features.

2. You are spending a lot of time thinking or worrying about it

People with BDD will spend a lot of time and headspace thinking and worrying about their appearance. These concerns may be distressing may even stop you doing things your friends are doing and impact your social life and relationships.

3. The things you are doing to make you feel better cause you more distress

People with BDD work hard to fix or hide their appearance. Some people with BDD find the steps they take to make them feel better can cause more distress, they don’t help to fix the appearance and take up lots of time. This could include going to a lot of effort with makeup, spending a lot of time choosing clothes or checking the mirror a lot. Young people with BDD may find they are spending a lot longer than their friends to leave the house or get ready for school. They may realise they are avoiding lots of situations because of their appearance worries too.

Help and support

Dr Jassi said: “Help and support is available. People with BDD sometimes feel the best thing is to change your appearance or alter it. We know this is not helpful and may only make you feel better in the short term, may not make you feel better at all or even make you feel worse. Getting help is important because symptoms probably will not go away without treatment and may even get worse.

“Support available for people with BDD including talking therapies (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy), with or without medication. We know this can make people feel much better.”

If people think they have BDD, the first step is to speak to a GP and ask to be referred to a mental health team.

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts provides assessment and treatment for young people with Body Dysmorphic Disorder across the UK. Find out more https://slam.nhs.uk/national-services/child-and-adolescent-services/body-dysmorphic-disorder-service/

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South London and Maudsley marks Children’s Mental Health Week

South London and Maudsley marks Children’s Mental Health Week

by | Feb 8, 2022 | News, Pears Maudsley Centre

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust is marking Children’s Mental Health Week, which runs from 7-13 February 2022 with a full calendar of activities and information.

This year’s theme, organised by charity Place2Be, is Growing Together, and throughout the week the Trust will be sharing tips from our clinicians about supporting young people and their families. We will also be sharing updates about our exciting plans on the Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People and our ambition to transform the mental health of children and young people.

Developed by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College London’s  Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) and the Maudsley Charity, the centre is due to open its doors in 2023. The new facilities and the work to be undertaken there are a timely response to rising mental health problems amongst children and young people – a trend exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

David Bradley, Chief Executive of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“The mental health of children and young people has never been so important, and together with our partners, we are embracing the opportunity to truly transform mental health care and research for children and young people.

“I look forward to marking Children’s Mental Health Week and hearing from our experts in child and adolescent mental health services, our clinical academics and researchers from IoPPN, about our activities to support our communities throughout the week.”

Look out for:

  • Parenting tips from Professor Stephen Scott, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, and Professor of Child Health and Behaviour.
  • Simple tips and tricks in our animated Families Under Pressure Series, formulated by researchers and NHS mental health experts, which are backed by science and proven to work with families.
  • Advice and signposting to urgent mental health support for children
  • Opportunities for young people to get involved in research
  • Guides and information for people worried about a young person’s eating, weight or shape from our Eating Disorders clinicians
  • Advice and guidance on Body Dysmorphic Disorder from Dr Amita Jassi, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the National and Specialist OCD, BDD and Related Disorder Service for Children and Young People
  • A conversation with Maarten Crommelin, Head of School at Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School who shares what it’s like going to school when you are in hospital
Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School rated Outstanding by OFSTED

Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School rated Outstanding by OFSTED

by | Jan 17, 2022 | News, Pears Maudsley Centre

Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School has maintained its Outstanding rating following an OFSTED inspection in November 2021.

The school caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs who use services at the Bethlem and Maudsley hospitals. This was the first inspection since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

The report found the school has very high expectations for pupils, including for their behaviour, and said families and pupils very much appreciate the work of staff. Inspectors also praised the consistency and stability that the school provides at a key moment in their lives.

John Ivens, Executive Headteacher, Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School, said: “This is the third ‘Outstanding’, inspection that the school has had in a row. The result is a testament to how the staff and the students work together – finding a path to a happier future.”

David Bradley, Chief Executive, said: “Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School and the staff who work there are a real asset to South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

“I would like to pass on my congratulations to the school’s leaders who have been praised in the report for their excellent subject knowledge and the stability the school provides at this significant moment for pupils.”

The Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People is set to open its doors in 2023. It will be the new home to the Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School.

New affordable housing to help fund world leading mental health care

New affordable housing to help fund world leading mental health care

by | Oct 6, 2021 | News, Pears Maudsley Centre

A new housing development on De Crespigny Park in Southwark took a step closer last night after Southwark Council’s Planning Committee voted in favour of the scheme. The plans include the construction of 187 new homes and a nursery.

Part of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust’s ambitious modernisation plans, the new homes will be built on surplus land on the edge of the Trust’s Denmark Hill campus.

The land is currently occupied by buildings used by the Trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) which will be moving to the new £65m Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People currently under construction in Denmark Hill.

The existing buildings (Mapother House, Michael Rutter Centre and Professorial Buildings) are no longer fit to provide high-quality modern mental health care.

When the Pears Maudsley Centre opens its doors in 2023, it will be a world-leading centre for children and young people’s mental health, bringing together clinicians from South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust with researchers from King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience to work alongside each other and develop new innovations in care.

The approved modernisation plans, will see the surplus land redeveloped to provide much needed new homes in the heart of Camberwell. The 187 new homes have been designed to be in keeping with the area and meet the needs of families, couples and single people.

Fifty per cent of the new homes will be affordable and 70 per cent of those will be available at social rents. A car free development, it will create an attractive public realm and will improve pedestrian and cycle networks locally.

The development will help fund improved mental health services and forms part of the Trust’s ambitious plans to invest more than £140 million in modern new services and facilities to improve patient care and experience for local people.

Chief Executive, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, David Bradley, said:

“Southwark Council’s decision helps to ensure we can provide modern facilities fit for the highest standards of 21st century mental health care.

 

“We also take our responsibility as an anchor institution very seriously and the 50 per cent affordable housing at the heart of these plans will be a significant boost for families and individuals in need of high-quality homes in Southwark.”

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