Trust celebrates Nurse's debut book on Mental Health Nurses Day

CHESHIRE and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) has proudly to celebrated Mental Health Nurses Day (21 February 2025) as part of the celebrations recognising 1 of its Nurses becoming a published author.

'Thriving in Mental Health Nursing' is the debut book by CWP Lead Mental Health Practitioner Laura Duncan. The book offers an insightful and holistic guide for mental health professionals at all stages of their careers.

Drawing from her extensive experience including:- complex mental health, perinatal care, and acute mental health services; Laura provides a 360 degree perspective on what it means to be a mental health nurse today. Whilst most mental health nursing books focus on clinical skills and patient conditions, this book adopts a holistic approach to the profession by covering topics like managing personal trauma when providing trauma focused care, understanding wellbeing, and maintaining hope.

Laura's journey into mental health nursing began with her background in drama, where she led workshops for a wide range of people including:- children with special educational needs, people with lived experience of mental health, and women's groups. Her passion for mental health grew during her time as an arts therapy support worker on a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit, leading her to pursue a career in mental health nursing. She has since worked across a wide range of settings, including:- academia and is currently supporting patients at GP surgeries with mental health support.

Reflecting on her career, Laura highlights how rewarding mental health nursing can be. "1 of the most fulfilling aspects of my job is seeing the real impact early interventions can have. I recently worked with a gentleman in his mid 60's who was struggling with severe low mood. By our 3rd appointment, he was brighter, reconnecting with friends, and visibly improving both mentally and physically. Moments like these remind me why I do this work."

However, Laura also acknowledges the challenges within the field. She speaks about her own experience during the pandemic and emphasises the importance of self care and seeking support. "As mental health nurses, we often feel like we're the ones who provide support and don't need it ourselves. But if we're struggling, we can't help others. We need to talk, escalate concerns, and ensure leaders listen to the needs of staff."

She encourages those considering a career in mental health nursing to:- "Go for it!." She added:- "There are so many opportunities, whether in clinical practice, charity work, or academia. It's tough, but it's rewarding. If you care about people, this is the place for you."

Find out more about career opportunities at CWP: Latest vacancies, visit the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust's website.

 Charity launches photography competition to find images of community from across the UK

THE Mental Health Foundation is inviting people across the UK to take part in a photography competition to celebrate the launch of the new:- 'Community' category in its Positive Mental Health Image Library.

Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week (12-18 May), which this year is focused on community, the charity is seeking photographs that reflect the power of community to support good mental health. Being part of a supportive community is essential for mental health, helping people feel safe, valued, and connected.

The charity welcomes submissions from everyone, regardless of photography experience or equipment. What matters most is capturing an authentic moment that reflects a positive sense of community.

People are invited to submit their own high quality, high resolution images to be added to the library and be available for use by media and other organisations to illustrate mental health. A selection panel will shortlist the most impactful images, with members of the charity's Personal Experience Network voting for their favourite. The winning photographer will receive £200 in high street vouchers. To be considered, Community images must be submitted by 21 March 2025.

Alexa Charnley, Director of Fundraising and Communications at the Mental Health Foundation, said:- "We know that the images we see every day help shape the way we think about mental health. Too often, images reinforce negative stereotypes and focus only on poor mental health. By sharing photographs of real moments of connection, resilience, and wellbeing, we hope the Positive Mental Health Image Library can help shift the narrative and promote a more positive and empowering understanding of mental wellbeing. We are particularly excited to launch this new Community category of the library as that is also the theme we have chosen for this year's Mental Health Awareness Week. We want to celebrate the power of our communities to support good mental health and wellbeing."

The Positive Mental Health Image Library is an initiative by the Mental Health Foundation designed to transform the way mental health is portrayed in the media. The library provides a collection of high quality, positive, and authentic images that depict real people engaging in activities that support their mental wellbeing. By offering these images for free use, the charity hopes to promote a more hopeful and accurate representation of mental health.

The Positive Mental Health Image Library was made possible thanks to funding from Pinterest.

As well as the new Community category, the collection includes:- images portraying Nature, Connection, Creativity, Movement, and Workplace, each showcasing the everyday ways people can nurture their mental wellbeing.

To enter the competition people are invited to submit their images to the Positive Mental Health Image Library by:- 21 March 2025. The winning image along with the finalists will be uploaded to the free-to-use image library.

For full terms and conditions and to enter the competition visit:- MentalHealth.Org.UK.