Category Archives: Access to services

Episode 25 – The effects of lockdown on mental health. A discussion with Dr Uttom Chowdhury



The second in a three-part series discussing the effects of COVID 19 and lockdown restrictions on the wellbeing of young people. Aisling and Ava met Doctor Uttom Chowdhury, an expert consultant child and adolescent psychiatric who specialises in neurodevelopmental disorders and works at CAMHS. We discuss how the pandemic has affected people’s wellbeing with a particular focus on tics and Tourette’s and Uttom shares his words of wisdom and support for families.


Episode 24 – The effects of lockdown on mental health. A discussion with Professor Tamsin Ford.



The first in a three-part series discussing the effects of COVID 19 and lockdown restrictions on the wellbeing of young people. As lockdown restrictions began to ease, hosts Aisling and Ava were joined by Professor Tamsin Ford, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Cambridge and an internationally renowned child psychiatric epidemiologist. Listen to find out what all that means, and hear us discuss the data around how the wellbeing of young people has been affected by the pandemic and the support available to young people.


Episode 23 – Using virtual creative activities to manage mental health..



Throughout lockdown, Bedfordshire and Luton CAMHS have experimented with running groups virtually. One of the most successful formats has been virtual group creative sessions. These have built on the principles of art therapy and brought young people together to make art via Zoom. In this podcast, the staff and young people involved in a group that ran at the start of the year discuss how the sessions worked and what we got out of attending.


Episode 21 – The benefits of exercise on mental health



In this episode, Aisling is joined by professionals and young people to discuss the mental health benefits of physical exercise. We discuss the pressure to exercise in lockdown, some of the barriers to exercise we have encountered the past year and the pros and cons of the options that are available to us online.

Today’s episode is hosted by:

Aisling Callaghan – User participation lead for Luton CAMHS

We are joined by:

Jade Horsley who is the Satellite Club Link Officer for Team Beds & Luton

Rob Lindsay, Sports Development Officer for Bedford Borough Council

Racheall Monton, yoga instructor

Claire Rourke- Clinical Trial Manager, Ready Trial, University of Hertfordshire,

Molly- CAMHS service user,

Sam- CAMHS service user.

Links to the organisations mentioned in this episode..

https://readytrial.co.uk/ – Research study of Physical Activity in Young People

https://bedfordsportlive.crd.co – Bedford Sport Live – Activity sessions at home.

https://camhsspace.crd.co – CAMHS Space – Delivered by Bedford Borough Council in partnership with East London Foundation Trust CAMHS team and supported by Team Beds & Luton

https://www.teambedsandluton.co.uk/what-are-satellite-clubs    Satelite Clubs – Team Beds & Luton-Satellite Clubs are physical activity projects which provide inactive young people between 14-19yrs new opportunities to be active in a fun and social environment, helping to create positive experiences and promote active lifestyles.


Episode 17 – BAME and Access to Mental Health Services (part 2)



In the second of this 3 part mini series, we continue the discussion..

Cultural diversity and access to services is an issue that is high on the agenda for CAMHS and there is no better way of understanding the needs of the BAME community than hearing directly from the young people that have accessed the service. Today, we are privileged to have four of our ex service users talk about judgement, understanding and how important it is for clinicians to be curious and open to challenging their own beliefs. We also are very happy to welcome Helen Anderson, a CAMHS Clinician based at the Bedford Clinic. Helen has joined the discussion today to further her understanding of the challenges and difficulties that our young service users experience and to discuss the changes that can be made to make the CAMHS service more inclusive and accessible to all.

 

Come listen..


Episode 16 – BAME and Access to Mental Health Services



Cultural diversity and access to services is an issue that is high on the agenda for CAMHS and there is no better way of understanding the needs of the BAME community than hearing directly from the young people that have accessed the service. Today, we are privileged to have four of our ex service users talk about judgement, understanding and how important it is for clinicians to be curious and open to challenging their own beliefs. We also are very happy to welcome Helen Anderson, a CAMHS Clinician based at the Bedford Clinic. Helen has joined the discussion today to further her understanding of the challenges and difficulties that our young service users experience and to discuss the changes that can be made to make the CAMHS service more inclusive and accessible to all.

So come and take a listen..