Unite In Health

Unite In Health Unite's health sector comprises over 100,000 members from all types of groups and associations.

If you are not already a member of Unite and wish to join please visit our website.

30/04/2025

episode 174 - Good mental health, children and schools

On this weeks we're joined by guest Sam Chapman to talk about the Good mental health, children and schools.

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by posting on Bluesky and including the hashtag .
SC: Sam is a mental health nurse and Specialist Practitioner in mental health having worked in mental health services since 2003.
Sam has had the privilege of working with adults and young people who have experienced mental health difficulties. She currently works at Aston University as a Teaching Fellow and is the programme lead for the pre-registration mental health nursing programme. Sam is currently undertaking her Doctoral studies including co-production workshops with young people in one UK secondary school as part of her Doctoral research. Sam is passionate about enabling young people to influence and shape research, and generally passionate about understanding the world that young people live in, creating research outcomes underpinned by young peoples lived experiences and knowledge.
Some Bluesky links to follow are:
VG - https://bsky.app/profile/vanessamhn.bsky.social
NL - https://bsky.app/profile/niadla.bsky.social
DM - https://bsky.app/profile/davidamunday.bsky.social
SC - https://bsky.app/profile/sam--chapman.bsky.social

Credits:
Presenters: Vanessa Gilmartin, Nicky Lambert & David Munday
Guest: Sam Chapman
Theme music: Tony Gillam
Production & Editing: David Munday

12/02/2025

episode 173 - Substance use in nurse education
On this weeks we're joined by guest Dr Natalie Finch. Natalie is talking about substance use in nurse education.
You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .
NF: Natalie is a registered mental health nurse. Her clinical background is in co-occurring mental health and addiction disorders. Natalie currently works as an Assistant Professor at the University of Bradford and is the field lead for undergraduate mental health nursing. Natalie has a special interest in embedding substance use into nurse education. Her masters degree focused on substance use, and her related research on supporting students to care for people with mental illness who use drugs was awarded an impact prize by the Society for the Study of Addiction. Natalie is passionate about partnership working in education to enhance learning opportunities and ultimately improve patient care.

23/10/2024

episode 171 - Physical and mental health - Nutrition, sleep and hydration
On this weeks we're joined by guest Linda Pert to talk about Physical and mental health - Nutrition, sleep and hydration

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .

LP - I qualified as a mental health nurse in 1994 in Plymouth. From 1997 I spent over 20 years working in high secure forensic services at Rampton Hospital, I moved to the community setting in 2018 and worked in Bed Management, Crisis Team, Street Triage and a Community Mental Health Team within Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. I have just reached the end of my training to be an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) with Sheffield Hallam University, whilst working in a Community Mental Health Team for Notts Healthcare. I have a new challenge ahead as I am about to return to the ward environment with a new role as an ACP on a psychiatric intensive care unit with Solent NHS Trust.
I have a passion for research and sit as Vice Chair on the Chief Nursing Officers Shared Professional Decision Making Council for Research. My specific interest is identifying service gaps and developing ways to address them in my work and that of my team. I have recently written and delivered a training package for my masters dissertation with the aim to improve the physical health of those under our care. My idea is for a bottom-up approach where mental health practitioners engage with patients in such a way as to start to address the real fact that SMI patients die an average of 20 years too soon. Mental and physical health are inextricably linked and I believe we need to have this holistic view in all our patient interactions. It doesn’t require much of a change in our approach, just a little extra knowledge and confidence and a curiosity about all aspects of our patients life and lifestyle.

Some X links to follow are:
VG - https://x.com/VanessaRNMH
NL - https://x.com/niadla​​​​​​​​
DM - https://x.com/davidamunday

Credits:
Presenters: Vanessa Gilmartin, Nicky Lambert & David Munday
Guest: Linda Pert
Theme music: Tony Gillam
Production & Editing: David Munday

16/10/2024

episode 170 - Restraint Reduction Network

On this weeks we're joined by guest Alexis Quinn to talk about the Restraint Reduction Network.

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .

AQ - Alexis Quinn is a former schoolteacher, professional athlete and author of two books: her ground-breaking memoir, Unbroken, and Autistic & Expecting, a guide for autistic parents to be. Alexis speaks on neurodivergence, trauma, restraint, solitary confinement and mental well-being. She is a psychotherapist and works as Manager of the Restraint Reduction Network.

Some X links to follow are:
VG - https://x.com/VanessaRNMH
NL - https://x./com/niadla​​​​​​​​
DM - https://x.com/davidamunday
AQ - https://x.com/AQuinnUnbroken

Credits:
Presenters: Vanessa Gilmartin, Nicky Lambert & David Munday
Guest: Dr Michaela James
Theme music: Tony Gillam
Production & Editing: David Munday

19/06/2024

epsiode 166 - Children's wellbeing though their own voices

On this weeks we're joined by guest Dr Michaela James to talk about Children's wellbeing though their own voices.

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .

MJ - Dr Michaela James is a research officer at Swansea University’s Medical School. Her main research areas include the health and wellbeing of young people, in particular physical activity. She manages HAPPEN Wales, a national network aimed at improving the health, wellbeing and education outcomes of primary school children across Wales. A lot of her research involves advocating for the wants and needs of young people in their local communities to improve physical activity using citizen science, self-report surveys and data linkage.

12/06/2024

episode 165 - How risk management practices can impact on patient recovery

On this weeks we're joined by guest Kris Deering to talk about How risk management practices can impact on patient recovery.

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .

KD - Kris Deering: Senior lecturer in Mental Health Nursing and Evidence Based Practice lead at the university of Exeter. 12-year experience in acute mental health care including senior practitioner in a crisis team. Currently researching ways to improve the quality of service user care within inpatient settings with a focus on making risk management more focused on a personalised recovery.

22/05/2024

episode 163 - Looking for improved patient safety: Designing effective Search training in mental health inpatient wards

On this weeks we're joined by guests Marie Ash, Samantha Blake, Stephen Haupt & Karia Wilson-Palmer to talk about Looking for improved patient safety: Designing effective Search training in mental health inpatient wards.

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .

MA - My name is Marie, I am the Senior Peer Support Worker in the Safe from Su***de Team, a Peer Support Worker uses their lived experience of using services to support others in their Recovery Journey, Moorland View is the ward I was often a Patient on and being part of the training offered hope to all that recovery is possible.
I love listening to Westlife and have a collection of 23 pairs of Brogues!

SB - I started my career as a Graduate Mental Health Practitioner working in Primary Care and I went on to work as a practitioner in a Community Mental health Team, and now work in the Safe from Su***de Team as a clinician in quality improvement. I am interested in patient safety and enabling all to participate in improving healthcare. I have two children a son and a daughter, I am a Christian and I have started learning Greek and will be going to Zakynthos this summer.

SH - Registered mental health nurse, currently working as the simulation lead for DPT creating various types of simulation training for improved patient and staffing outcomes in DPT.
My hobbies are around travelling, skiing and I’m currently learning Italian! I have no kids, thankfully as I would make a terrible parent!

KWP - ​​Dual qualified nurse, currently working as a Clinical Lead with the Su***de Prevention Team Devon Partnership Trust
Semi-retired, wife- and mother to 3 grown up boys, keen gardener and lover of dogs.

01/05/2024

episode 161 - Journey into academia - transferring skills

On this weeks we're joined by guest Tegan Blackhurst to talk about the Journey into academia - transferring skills

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .

TB: Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing at De Montfort University, Leicester since November 2023. Qualified as an RMN in 2018 and specialised in Perinatal Mental Health Nursing (inpatient and community.) Trained in EMDR and CBT skills.

24/04/2024

episode 160 - How we see nurses matters: Angels, sexpots or professionals

On this weeks we're joined by guests Jane Fisher and Lucy Judge to talk about How we see nurses matters: Angels, sexpots or professionals.

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .

JF - Jane Fisher is a mental health nurse lecturer and service user. Jane has worked across a variety of clinical settings with over fifteen years front line NHS nursing experience. After developing her own mental illness, Jane's passion for mental health nursing and desire to break down the stigma surrounding mental illness became a lifelong mission. Jane entered the field of mental health nurse academia to bridge the gap between personal experiences and professional expertise. Her unique perspective has enriched her teaching and clinical practice in profound ways. As a mental health nurse lecturer, Jane has a deep-seated passion for nurturing the next generation of mental health nurses. Her teaching style is not limited to textbooks and theory; it encompasses the lived experiences that have shaped her understanding of mental health. Jane is an internationally published mental health academic and has also authored a children's book exploring maternal mental health. Jane is a living testament to the transformative power of embracing one's past and channelling it into a passion for education, advocacy, and writing. Her academic biography reflects her unwavering commitment to the field of mental health nursing and her dedication to breaking down barriers and stigma surrounding mental illness.

LJ - Lucy Abigail Judge (BSc & BA Hons) is a recently qualified Mental Health Nurse who is a practitioner in the Urgent Care Pathway. Lucy has experience working on inpatient units, particularly acute wards and also in the community within urgent care. Lucy has been published in the British Journal of Mental Health Nursing and is in the process of another publication discussing the prospective use of animal therapy on acute wards.

10/04/2024

episode 159 - Using quality improvement in practice

On this weeks we're joined by guest Auzewell Chitewe to talk about Using quality improvement in practice.

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .

AC - Auzewell "Auz" Chitewe is an experienced healthcare leader, passionate about Quality Improvement and transformational change. Responsible for delivering the quality improvement plan at East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) - a mental health, community health and primary care provider rated 'outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Also an Improvement Advisor and faculty on the application of quality improvement methods with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
Auz trained as a nurse and is an Improvement Advisor working as Associate Director for Quality Improvement at ELFT.
In addition to his support of frontline improvement projects, Auz is experienced in developing and delivering system-wide work programmes, collaboratives and learning systems. Some of his work has centered on improvement to reduce bed occupancy, improve access to services, joy in work, and improving population health using the Triple Aim framework (patient experience, population health outcomes and value for money).
He has experience providing strategic and operational leadership in organisations looking to building a culture of continuous quality improvement that involves everyone. He is a recipient of the NHS Leadership Academy Award in Senior Healthcare Leadership and is a senior member of faculty for coaching and teaching on improvement science across professional, communities and organisational boundaries.
His leisure interests include shooting 360º photography.

21/03/2024

episode 156 - Surviving in Scrubs

On this weeks we're joined by guest Dr Chelcie Jewitt to talk about Surviving in Scrubs an organisation started by two doctors on a mission to raise awareness about sexism and sexual assault in healthcare.

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .

CJ - Chelcie is an Emergency Medicine trainee, interested in health inequalities, particularly those faced by women. Throughout her training she has been a victim of, and witness to, multiple incidences of sexism and misogyny. This prompted her to found the Sexism in Medicine project, which has led to the hard-hitting report published with the BMA in August 2021. She campaigns for equality in the workplace, speaking at national and international conferences, collaborating with multiple organisations in order to tackle this issue. This latest campaign, focuses of giving victims of workplace misogyny a voice, bringing about change through the power of their testimony.

13/03/2024

episode 156 - Stronger Together: An evaluation of a quality improvement initiative to reduce su***de risk and improve patient safety through carer collaboration

On this weeks we're joined by guests George Adams and Debbie Frances to talk about Stronger Together: An evaluation of a quality improvement initiative to reduce su***de risk and improve patient safety through carer collaboration.

You can join in the discussion by commenting on the Facebook Live chat or by tweeting and including the hashtag .

GA - I am Georgina Adams and I have worked for the last year as a Clinical Lead in the Safe from Su***de team (Su***de prevention) with Devon Partnership Trust . The focus of my work is building and improving family and carer involvement as this is so important for patient safety, carer well being and su***de prevention. In this role I have been lucky enough to have joined the co production team creating Stronger Together training, which is I first met and started working with Debbie. We now co deliver Stronger Together to carers and practitioners. I qualified as a social worker in 1993 and worked in frontline child protection work until I joined DPT in 2020 as the lead social worker at a forensic psychiatric hospital before I joined the Safe from Su***de team. Working with families and carers has always been important to me and is at the heart of my values and ethics.

DF - I am a former parent carer for a young adult with complex mental health issues. As a consequence of my experiences of mental health services over many years, I am passionate about working to improve the quality and safety of services available to those in need of support, and changing the way in which services engage with carers and families. I have a particular interest in su***de prevention, and provide lived experience input into my local NHS mental health trust’s su***de prevention work. This has included the co-design and delivery of the ‘Stronger Together’ training programme, which aims to inform, support and empower carers of those affected by suicidal behaviours. I am Co-Chair of the Trust’s Carer Strategy Implementation Group, and was involved in co-producing their new carer strategy.
I have broad-ranging experience within the mental health and voluntary sectors, most recently as a freelance Mental Health Trainer and Lived Experience Carer Consultant, specialising in carer support, and co-production and collaborative working within mental health services. I am a guest tutor at Exeter and Reading Universities.
In 2018, I was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to research initiatives that prevent the escalation and recurrence of mental illness in young people, leading to me travel to Australia and Finland in 2019 and 2020 respectively. In July 2023, I completed a Masters in Mental Health Recovery & Social Inclusion at the University of Hertfordshire, with Distinction.

Address

128 Theobalds Road
London
WC1X8TN

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Unite In Health posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Unite In Health:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram