People with a personality disorder diagnosis are more likely than others to need acute hospital admission or acute community care. Their physical health is impacted by the trauma they have experienced; by things they may do to help cope with that trauma; and by their previous experiences of healthcare and relationships with healthcare professionals.
This means that we may see in our practice, occasions where someone in crisis is experiencing intensely disturbed behaviour, identity, mood, and perception, that can leave the patient, other patients, and ourselves feeling overwhelmed.
Nurse Consultant for Mental Health, Ian Noonan, and Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Abi Smith, have listened to colleagues in the ED, wards, and community and have arranged training to support your work with this patient group.
Abi is looking forward to working with you and says "The training delivered is to provide staff with an understanding of what Personality Disorder is and how this may present itself. We discuss what Trauma Informed Care is in relation to working with patients with personality disorder and an overview of therapeutic risk taking, what is it and how this is used in practice when working with and managing risk in patients with Personality Disorder. We introduce some basic skills and interventions staff on the wards can take into consideration when supporting patients."
There are sessions available at HRI and CRH and you can find details and dates on the intranet: Trauma Informed Care Training - CHFT: Staff Intranet
Dates at HRI - all will be held in the Learning Centre
Monday, 5th October - 10:00 to 12:00
Monday, 2nd November - 10:00 to 12:00
Monday, 7th December - 10:00 to 12:00
Date at CRH - all will be held in the Learning and Development Centre
Wednesday, 30th September - 14:00 to 16:00
Wednesday, 28th October - 14:00 to 16:00
Wednesday, 25th November - 14:00 to 16:00
Wednesday, 16th December - 14:00 to 16:00
More dates will be added for Spring and Summer 2027.
To book a place, please email nikki.burn@cht.nhs.uk