Mental health workers book-up to boost patient morale

Pennine Care helps local mental health service users improve their confidence and wellbeing through the innovative ‘Get Into Reading’ project

Local mental health workers are helping to boost the well being and confidence of people with acute mental illness through an innovative reading group initiative, which is being run as part of a partnership between the national charity, The Reader Organisation, and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.

The ‘Get Into Reading’ project aims to use the benefits of reading to help a variety of people, including those with mental health problems, to improve their health, wellbeing and confidence to aid their recovery.

The current reading groups being run by Pennine Care have been so successful that The Reader Organisation, with the support of the Trust, now plans to run three-day training packages during January and February to enable staff to facilitate their own sessions and take over those currently facilitated by the Reader Organisation staff.

Get Into Reading involves small groups, which get together each week to listen to stories and poems being read aloud from selected books by the Reader Organisation facilitator, during which they break at regular intervals to share their views.

And the groups are not only improving the confidence and social skills of patients but also reducing their stress levels and feelings of social isolation. Indeed, statistics have shown that 84% of the members attending the reading groups felt more able to relax, with 78% noting an improvement in mood and some 75% saying that they felt that they were able to think about things in a different way.

Commenting on the success of the project, Claire Yates, The Reader Organisation’s Reader in Residence for Pennine Care, said: “Reading aloud or listening to someone reading aloud, builds connections between people and creates a stimulating, friendly, ‘no-pressure’ environment in which discussions can take place across social, educational and cultural boundaries.

“The correlation between poor educational attainment, unemployment and mental health issues is well recognised and the initiative’s success has been clear from the positive reactions we’ve had from patients within mental health wards. Indeed, Pennine Care service users have expressed that they’ve not only enjoyed sharing memories and thoughts from the group sessions but are also benefitting from the positive and friendly environment in which they take place.”

The Trust’s Medical Director, Henry Ticehurst, who was integral in establishing the initiative at Pennine Care, said: “The Trust recognises the value of the reading initiative as it’s not only improving people’s experience of our services but is also boosting engagement as staff can increase the role they play in improving the wellbeing and confidence of patients.”