Ground breaking Life Rooms service opens within secure services

MERSEY Care NHS Foundation Trust has launched a ground breaking new Life Rooms service designed to help some of the most vulnerable members of society within its high secure mental health services.

The new service has been unveiled within Ashworth High Secure Hospital, 1 of only 3 high secure Hospitals in the country. It will provide an extensive and enhanced range of social support, resources and educational sessions to patients requiring a high secure environment for the 1st time in the service's history.

"We know The Life Rooms has already had a real impact and has been widely welcomed in our communities. Its services provide access to learning and support positive mental and physical health, practical 1 to 1 help with employment, training and debt management in a safe and welcoming environment. Having these opportunities available within secure care will support the social factors that may impact our patients' recovery and rehabilitation. It gives the highest quality NHS care to support enhanced recovery and build confidence through a range of courses like drama, music, gardening and the gym. Part of the success of this approach to prevention and recovery is where clinicians and therapists work with patients, supporting their needs directly. This has been the strongest thread in the creation of a Life Rooms in a high secure setting and will give patients even more support with their individual recovery." said Tori Wolfendale, Operations Lead for Mersey Care's Allied Health Professionals.

As part of treatment for its secure patients, Mersey Care will deliver occupational therapy, meaningful activity and learning opportunities, including an 'Activities of Daily Living Kitchen' which allows patients to practice a range of instrumental tasks including meal preparation and cooking, so they are better equipped to care for themselves independently when they move on from services.

The new Life Rooms will support up to 96 patients a day and provides structured courses, many of which have been developed alongside patients, and delivered by some of the most experienced forensic care practitioners in the NHS.

Elaine Darbyshire, Mersey Care's Executive Director of Communications, Estates and Participation, who has driven this project, said:- "Since 2016 The Life Rooms has become a focal point for our communities around Liverpool and Southport. We wanted to bring that care model to some of the most vulnerable and restricted people in our care, who have no access to the community. This is an equitable offer to those in our care regardless of their status and abilities, who are often our most isolated and regulated patient groups. It gives our secure patients some additional support to help them move on from secure services safely and sustainably and hopefully supports them to a life beyond care."

The Life Rooms at Ashworth was officially opened by Trust Chair, Rosie Cooper, and Executive Director of Nursing and Deputy Chief Executive of Non-Clinical Services, Trish Bennett.
 

New survey of public health shows strong link between poor health and loneliness

ADULTS in England who reported bad or very bad health are more than 3 times as likely to report feeling lonely than those with good or very good health.  Published by NHS England, the Health Survey for England, 2021 Part 2 reports on the nation's health and surveyed 5,880 adults about a variety of topics including their health, physical activity and gambling.  62% of adults reporting bad or very bad health said they felt lonely at least some of the time compared to 18% with good or very good health. The report also found that 77% of adults reported good or very good general health. 70% of men and 59% of women met the 2011 aerobic guidelines for weekly physical activity.  10% of adults reported having participated in online gambling (excluding the National Lottery and other lotteries) during the last 12 months. For most of 2021, interviews were carried out by telephone, rather than in person because of Covid19 Pandemic precautions. As a result of these changes in data collection, findings from 2021 are not directly comparable with those from previous years.

Loneliness:-

In 2021, 18% of those who reported good or very good health reported that they felt lonely at least some of the time.

This proportion increased to 35% of those with fair health and to 62% of those with bad or very bad health.

22% of people in England reported feeling lonely at least some of the time.

27% of adults reported that they never felt lonely whereas 6% reported that they often or always felt lonely (chronic loneliness).

Adult health:-

77% of adults reported good or very good general health. 6% reported bad or very bad health.

40% of adults had at least 1 longstanding illness or condition. This included a higher proportion of women (43%) than men (37%).

Gambling:-

50% of adults reported having participated in some form of gambling activity (including the National Lottery and other lotteries) in the last 12 months. Among those who had gambled, their Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores identified 5.8% as engaging in at-risk or problem gambling

10% of adults reported having participated in online gambling (excluding the National Lottery and other lotteries) during the last 12 months. For these adults, their PGSI scores identified 18.2% as engaging in at risk or problem gambling.

People who had gambled and spent money on 4 or more different gambling activities in the last 12 months were more likely to engage in at-risk or problem gambling (27.8%) than those who gambled on 2 or 3 different activities (4.6%) or only 1 activity (1.6%).

Physical activity:-

A higher proportion of men (70%) than women (59%) aged 16 and over met the 2011 aerobic guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate activity, 75 minutes of vigorous activity or equivalent per week.

Levels of aerobic activity varied by areas, with those living in more deprived areas being less likely to have met the guidelines. The proportion of adults meeting the 2011 aerobic guidelines was lowest (53%) in the most deprived area quintile and highest in the least deprived area quintile (68%) and in the second least deprived quintile (70%).

The Health Survey for England is commissioned by NHS England and carried out by the National Centre for Social Research in conjunction with UCL, which co-authors the report.