Colleagues from the Mental Health Liaison Team, led by Advanced Nurse Practitioner for Trauma Informed Personality Disorder Pathway, Abi Smith, have been supporting reflective learning sessions for colleagues in response to specific patients' needs. These have been so positively received, that Abi is offering some more sessions which anyone can attend. 

Nurse Consultant for Mental Health, Ian Noonan, said: "We often care for people who have experienced significant trauma. People with a personality disorder diagnosis require acute hospital admission for investigation and treatment of physical health problems at nearly three times the rate of people without those diagnoses." 

Trauma informed care training can help us avoid re-traumatisation by recognising that what happened to someone in their child- or early adulthood can really inform how they relate to their feelings about their bodies; experience of physical and psychological symptoms; and their relationship with healthcare professionals. 

We can really impact on this be shifting our thinking from "what is wrong with you?" to "what has happened to you?". Ian explains that this: "is not about asking someone to explain or relive traumatic experience, but acknowledging that someone who has had those experiences may need additional support so we can work together to achieve and respect:

• Safety
• Trustworthiness and transparency
• Peer Support
• Collaboration and mutuality
• Empowerment, voice, and choice
• Cultural, historical and gender issues"

The training lasts two hours and is available on the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, 8th January at 13:30 in HRI Boardroom
• Monday, 3rd February 13:30 in HRI Boardroom
• Wednesday, 5th March 13:30 in HRI Boardroom

Places are limited and booking is required. To book a place, please email nikki.burn@cht.nhs.uk 

To read more about trauma (and importantly about hope), Mind has a really useful and accessible summary What is trauma? - Mind