Devon nurses supporting university students with their mental health up for top accolade
A unique campus based team of nurses working with university students to prevent mental health crisis has been shortlisted for a prestigious UK award.
The University of Exeter community mental health team, part of Devon Partnership NHS Trust, is a finalist in the Mental Health Nursing category of the RCNi Nurse Awards 2019. The profession’s top accolade for nursing excellence attracted almost 700 entries this year.
They will find out whether they have won at a ceremony in the Westminster Park Plaza hotel, London, on July 3. The RCN Nurse of the Year 2019, selected from all the category winners, will be announced on the night.
A student’s death by suicide at the University of Exeter led community service manager John Lilley to lobby for a nurse-led mental health team on campus, offering a dedicated secondary care service.
He secured funding for the service, provided in partnership with the university and Devon County Council, and he and his team designed it.
The team aims to reduce emergency assessment, increase timely access to therapy and react rapidly when needed.
It provides supervision and guidance to encourage student well-being, supports those at higher risk and attends student union, university and fresher events to raise the profile of mental health services.
RCNi managing director Rachel Armitage says: ‘Nurses in all areas are increasingly under pressure but they still deliver exceptional innovation and outstanding, compassionate patient care day in, day out.
‘The RCNi Nurse Awards are a chance to recognise the achievements of nurses like John and his team and showcase nursing excellence.
‘Our judging panel has faced an almost impossible task in selecting a shortlist from hundreds of high-quality entries this year. We look forward to celebrating the strength and diversity of our profession at the awards in July.’
