My Blog

The weather changed dramatically overnight from our Indian summer into torrential rain! It didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the delegates at the 22nd International NPNR (Network for Psychiatric Nursing Research) Conference 2016 for the second day, being held in Nottingham.

I enjoyed my breakfast chatting with Dr Liz Collier from Salford University. She has invited me to present to her students about my journey of perinatal mental illness for a number of years now. It was thanks to her suggestion with Salford OneCPD that my book launch and subsequent conferences around my second book have happened – the next one is in Edinburgh on 22nd September. We chatted about presentational skills and I explained how my colleague Mike Coote and I deliver workshops on this. Perhaps they could be useful to PhD students who need some ideas on presenting their papers with more confidence and impact?

I packed then ‘paddled’ back over to the conference centre just in time for Professor Geoff Dickens from Abertay University to introduce the first keynote speaker of the day. This was one of the other people who had been in the filming session on Wednesday evening – Professor Steven Pryjmachuk from Manchester University. He spoke about ‘Nurses, research and children and young people’s mental health’.  He shared some examples of nurse research in this area. This included ‘The Incredible Years‘ parenting programme.  I was also pleased when Dr Tim Carter, whom I had met at the dinner the previous evening, was also cited as a great example, with his work on exercise for young people with depression.

Prof Steven continued with a range of tips for researchers to seek funding, etc. I was extremely pleased that he stressed that he felt it is important that service users are rewarded and recognised for their contributions in research. They need to be viewed as honorary research fellows to be viewed as colleagues not tokenism.

Following his presentation the delegates again were given a choice of different concurrent sessions with a wide range of topics. Throughout the two days I was very pleased to meet people again whom I have worked alongside over the past 11 years:

• Dr Mick McKeown from University of Central Lancashire – we did some work together on self-harm for ‘No Secrets’ in St. Helens.
• Ann Jones from the RCN for whom I did a session at their Congress in Harrogate, back in 2007. We both recalled the IT challenges that day
• Gillian Rayner from Salford University, who invited me for many years to speak to her students
• Lynda Smithies who is now at Keele University, for whom I also spoke to her students.

During my presentation I had mentioned how excited I had been in 2006 to be invited to be the opening speaker for the International Marce Society conference. I said how I was ready to get my passport out … then I was told it was ‘just’ Keele, 40 minutes away from my home! In my talk the day before, when I recalled this there was a shout of appreciation for Keele from the audience! Today, the ladies from the University there at this conference came to speak to me about my books, work and possible ideas for research. I’m sorry ladies – there is no ‘just’ about Keele and I hope to see you all again soon!

I enjoyed chatting to more delegates over lunch. There was a poster exhibition in the refreshment area and I spotted two concerning perinatal mental health.

 One was from the team at South London and Maudsley NHS Trust ‘Developing a Perinatal Mental Health Team providing Early Help in an Early London Borough’. I love the creative aspects of this. Please zoom into the photo to read the detail – that is a BIG bubble! More details can be found here.

I am so pleased that this is part of the ‘Think Family’ and SCIE organisation that I did some work with many years ago in Manchester.

The second was interesting called ‘The Life of B.R.I.A.M’. This reminds me of one of the anecdotes I use to help describe how overwhelmed with life I felt when I was so ill postnatally. I mention the Monty Python film ‘The Life of Brian’ because there is a scene of stoning.

That was how I felt at the the time – each stone raining down upon me as another thought or action I needed to do, that simply felt ‘too much’. A powerful way to start any presentation or written work is to have something that attracts attention – this poster does!

It stands for ‘Broad Re-Design Initiative for Anxiety Management : a nurse led therapeutic group for perinatal anxiety’, presented by Ed Freshwater from Birmingham and Solihull NHS Trust. I am pleased that they have reconsidered the presentational style they had been using for these sessions, e.g. idealised pictures; too much text, and also refocused upon service user contribution as the main focus.  This type of group that has a flexible structure is one that I feel benefits group members far more than being apparently ‘told’ what you should be thinking and feeling. Perinatal mental conditions are so very unique to each individual, so it makes sense to offer a flexible approach that truly meets those needs. They say that ‘slides used simple bullet points and diagrams to guide discussion, and relied upon expertise of staff to guide discussion rather than prescriptive content-led sessions’. Excellent! The only slight change I would suggest would be to call the ‘last’ part of sessions, the ‘second’. With anxiety and depression groups often limited to a specific number, a feeling of panic can build when the ‘end’ is approaching, if you feel that there is still improvement needed. You can focus on the perceived finality of the sessions and panic, rather than actually focusing on the session in hand. It is great that those that need further support are referred if needed, so that is why ‘second’ rather than ‘last’ may be a kinder word and concept. Keep up the great work!

The final session I joined was the second part of the Blogging and Social media workshop. I learned about using lists in Twitter. Thank you @WeMHNurses and @Mental_Elf.

I would like to that Rebecca Hoole from the RCN Events team who sorted all the arrangements and made the event run so well. The team at Nottingham Conference Centre who made it such a success, especially the catering team – the food was delicious! Also to Dr.Russell Ashmore and the committee of the NPNR for inviting me and making me feel so very welcome.

I had several conversations with people who made specific comment about my mention of the long term effects to women of perinatal mental illness and situations when they may feel vulnerable again. One of these is around the menopause and maybe hysterectomy. I do hope that perhaps I have sown the seed to look at future research around this. One of the amazing aspects of the work that I do is that I never know the full impact or outcomes my contribution may have made. It is what motivates me. As I was at this conference I received a message from a student who heard me speak at Hull last week,  that brought a tear to my eye:

‘I was once told by a wise woman at a very hard time in my life that people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime and I believe that you fit all three. You touch people to think about mental health and you may stay in their life for a season which will help them through their hard times but I believe you stay in peoples lives for a lifetime for the impact and positivity that you have’.

I share this as inspiration and encouragement for you – what is it that you are doing and can do to make this world better for others? I certainly feel that the lovely people I met at this conference are doing that.

My next exciting event is in Edinburgh this Thursday!

Elaine