Escape_magazine_issue_one__

Headliners is a youth media charity that offers a unique
multi-media learning through journalism programme for young
people aged 8-19. Working in partnership with other
organisations we aim to give young people opportunities to
undertake real journalism which results in magazines like the
one you see. We work with broadcasters and publishers such
as the BBC, Sky, ITV and The Guardian to place work we
do in the mainstream media. Our aim is to get the views of
young people heard by as many people, including
decision-makers, as possible.
Find out more about us at www.headliners.org
enquiries@headliners.org. Tel: 0207 749 9360.
Welcome to the first edition of
Escape.
We have been given this very
exciting opportunity by
Headliners, the Oxleas NHS
Foundation Trust and the Priory
School to produce our own
magazine on any aspect of
mental health of our choice.
Did you know that one in four
people suffer from a mental
health condition in the UK?
In this edition we explore issues
like insomnia, bullying and body
image affecting young people’s
mental health and offer some
healthy eating tips.
We also visited the Oxleas
membership committee and
found out how easy it is to
become a member!
We hope you enjoy reading our
special features and that if you
suffer from mental ill health - help
is at hand.
Escape 09
KKim
Tokunbo
Emma
Cathy
mairtin
Conor
Charlie
On the cover
Meet The Team
www.oxleas.nhs.uk esCAPe 3
4 Insomnia Heath Ledger special
feature. Looking at causes of
Insomnia and how to avoid it.
6 “She punched me in the face
seven times.” A 16-year-old girl
tells us about being bullied.
9 Suicide and social networking.
Worrying trend of teenagers leaving
suicide notes on social networking
sites.
12 Top tips for staying healthy.
Check out what Emma has to say
about looking after ourselves.
10 How healthy are we? The young
people talk about what they do to keep
healthy.
14 Interviews with Oxleas service
users. The reporters caught up with two
of them at the Valley in Charlton.
16 How to become an Oxleas NHS
Foundation Trust member. The team
interviews the membership committee.
Features
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health
and learning disability services for people living in the
boroughs of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich, and
specialist services to people living in Lewisham.
Find out more at www.oxleas.nhs.uk. Tel: 01322 625 700.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service: 0800 917 7159.

4 ESCAPe www.CamhsCares.nhs.uk
Insomnia
HHEATHEATH LLEDGEREDGER
confessed his “bodyconfessed his “body
was exhausted”was exhausted”
Reporter Mairtin Dwyer investigates
the common problem of insomnia that
the late actor suffered
he death of actor Heath Ledger in
January 2008 stunned his fans the world
over. He appeared to be in good health
and was halfway through filming ‘The
Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’. Yet underneath
the seemingly healthy exterior was a battle with
severe sleep deprivation. In a 2007 interview with
the New York Times, he discussed his problem,
admitting to sleeping “an average of two hours a
night”. He confessed that his “body was
exhausted”.
Ledger had been suffering from insomnia.
The NHS describes insomnia as “the disturbance
of normal sleep pattern” and it is a far more
common condition than people may realise – on
any given night, one in three people will be
struggling to sleep. Given the wealth of different
underlying causes of insomnia, this figure is not
surprising.
The causes can be sorted into categories which
will help each individual sufferer overcome their
affliction. It can be argued that, amongst young
people, psychological and existing psychiatric
problems are the most common causes of
insomnia.
The ‘teenage years’ are notoriously problematic,
with all manner of concerns, issues and events
having a negative effect on mental health. Add onto
this the pressures of school and work, along with
an increasingly hectic social life, and it becomes
apparent why insomnia is so prevalent.
Excessive school demands (revision, essays) can
result in students failing to get the required amount
of sleep each night - doctors recommend between
seven and nine hours. Staying up late to finish off
work due in the next day or cramming revision in
before exams can lead to erratic sleep patterns,
which in turn can result in insomnia.
Lying awake at night, attempting to drift off,
relationship problems can plague our minds. It can
make it hard to get to sleep. This too is having a
negative impact on our mental well-being.
So how can one overcome insomnia? The first
‘step’ is to recognise the symptoms – erratic sleep
patterns, difficulty getting to sleep, waking up
periodically during the night, excessive tiredness
after a supposedly ‘good night’s’ sleep. ►
T
On any given night one in
three people will be
struggling with insomnia

www.oxleas.nhs.uk ESCAPe 5
RReporter Mairtin
interviews Luke, 22
from Devon
There are various ways to treat
insomnia, through medication or other
means. Such methods are listed
opposite.
Although Heath Ledger is an
extreme case, the actor was proof
that, if left untreated, insomnia can
have severe consequences.
Those suffering from it may not even
realise they have a problem. If any
good can come from Ledger’s death,
it is that more people are made aware
of insomnia, and the dangers it can
hold. ■
If you want to talk to someone about
these issues turn to p18.
• Set a time to wake up each
day and stick to it!
• Avoid taking naps during the
day
• Avoid or limit tea, coffee and
chocolate
• Try to create a bedtime
routine – e.g. taking a warm
bath each night before going
to bed
• Exercise to ensure general
health and well-being
• Don’t watch the clock as you
go to sleep – it will only make
it worse!
Q: Hi, we are from
Headliners and we
are asking people
whether they are
aware about
insomnia which can
affect 1 in 3 people
and how the
Government can
make people more
aware of the
condition?
A: Actually, one of
my brother’s
friend’s girlfriend
has insomnia.
To be fair I don’t
know what can be
done to help with it,
just more about
obviously the
symptoms and how
it makes people
feel.
Q: Do you think
that more people
should be educated
on mental health
issues?
A: Yes, definitely. It
definitely needs to
be addressed a lot
more because
there is not enough
known about it.
How to
prevent
INSOMNIA

y story started in primary school when I was in year
three. There were a couple of boys that used to
push me to the floor and make fun of my stutter.
This carried on for a long time and they did it daily. I
moved house the same year so I was moved into a different
school.
I thought it would be a nice new start but I was wrong. The girls
in my year used to call me names like 'slut' and 'lanky' due to my
height. They were meant to be my friends but they abused my
trust. The boys in my school used to trip me up while I was
running and chuck paper balls at me. This carried on through
year three and year four. I had to move because it became so
bad.
I moved to another primary school again and was lucky not
to get bullied throughout years four to six.
In year seven at secondary secondary school I started
smoking as all my friends did it and peer pressure kicked in.
This was the start of the bullying and also because the
school was an all girl school people started spreading
rumours about me saying I was a lesbian and used to stick
chewing gum in my hair. The teachers didn't get involved
and blamed me because they knew they could handle me.
One day I was walking to the bus stop with these other
girls that were meant to be my friends and we were having
a joke calling each other names.
The next day everyone gathered round me and one of the
girls was trying to make me slap her. I refused, I didn't want
to resort to violence but she started punching me so I
slapped her back. When I broke free, I ran away and when
they found me again I got excluded for three days from
school while the other girl only got excluded for one day.
M
People started
spreading rumours about
me saying I was a lesbian
”
“
Recent statistics from the NSPCC show more than a third
of children experience bullying by their peers during
childhood. Louisa, 16, tells reporter Cathy Garland
her experience of being bullied at school.
model picture

REAL LIFE
After a couple of years I left school and
went to another one. When my friends
found out I was moving house and moving
school they threatened to beat me up.
When I went out with my new friends I
bumped into some of the girls from my old
secondary school.
One girl told the people I was with that I
was spreading rumours about her, which
was untrue. I defended myself but she
kept calling me racist and talked about my
mum being with a black man.
She then punched me in the face seven
times almost breaking my nose. I called
the police after this and now she has got a
criminal record.
During my time at my new school I didn't
really get bullied but while I was there
things continued to happen at my
previous school. They made a website
about me being a racist, which I thought
was stupid because I have half sisters that
are mixed race and I complained to the
police who found out who was involved.
People at my new school found out about
the website and it did cause a problem at
first but I explained what really happened
and it sorted itself out.
All of this affected me because at the end
of the day its proves that it can make
someone ill. If you cannot trust your
friends you learn not to trust anyone and
you rely on yourself and take on the
feeling of hatred and loneliness and other
feelings that surround being bullied. This
is why people go to counselling because
they become stressed and emotional.
This disturbs their mental health and
makes them ill and leads people to drastic
measures like suicide.
Bromley Council was asked what
measures it took in dealing with bullying in
schools across the borough.
A council spokesman said: “Bromley
Council is committed to working in
partnership with schools to ensure that
children and young people enjoy a safe
environment in which they remain free
from physical or emotional harm,
harassment, victimisation or ridicule
from others.
“All schools are legally required to have
anti-bullying policies and procedures in
place. The local authority supports each
school to implement these by setting a
standard and offering a framework for
schools to use.
“It provides professional development
and training opportunities to assist staff
and parents to widen their knowledge
about bullying issues and supports
borough-wide initiatives during
Anti-Bullying Week to share good
practice across schools.” ■
ChildLine 0800 11 11 - confidential
helpline for young people who have
a problem with bullying

Cathy: How do
you think
schools deal
with bullying?
David: Well
considering it’s
quite hard to
get things done
and get all the
resources in
they do quite
well.
Cathy: Do you
have any ideas
how schools
can improve
bullying?
David: I think
they need more
help with the
families of
those who are
bullied at home
and school.
Maybe this
would improve
the reaction of
bullying.
Cathy: Did you
get bullied
yourself?
David: I was
quite lucky I
didn’t get
bullied myself.
I just got called
a few
nicknames.
Cathy: How do schools improve bullying?
Emily: We are involved in this programme called the
bully box where the children put in their troubles and
worries and they can go and talk to teachers etc about
them.
Tokunbo: How did your school cope with bullying?
Alex: Not very well in coping with bullying. Teachers don’t
realise students are scared of telling them.
Tokunbo: How did your school deal with bullying?
Thomas: I never had much bullying at school and if we did it
was normally nothing serious. Our school had no really bad
bullies. If there was bullying the teachers would deal with it
quietly.
Charlie: How is your school with bullying?
Darren: They do like to think they do well
but it goes on behind their backs. It’s
worse than they think it is.
Charlie: How could you improve bullying at
your school?
Darren: Ask students to check up on it
more regularly instead of just leaving it
and thinking that the school is fine.
Charlie: How was your school?
Darren: It was very anti-bullying but it did
go on mainly from rugby players who
would always pick on the more intelligent,
academic students. They used to do
things like rugby tackle them and other
stupid things like that.
Charlie: Did you ever experience bullying?
Darren: No not really I was quite lucky.
BULLYINGBULLYING
We asked members of the public
We asked members of the public whatwhat they thinkthey think

he internet and social networking
are very popular in this day and
age, particularly among young
people. Anyone these days can
make their own website, join a social
network, start an online blog, and message
people from anywhere in the world.
Many people use the internet for harmless
innocent activities, but there have been
some serious instances that have put
social networking and online messaging in
a bad light.
We all know of suicide and victims leaving
notes, but in recent years a few written
suicide notes have transferred to message
boards and blogs. In June 2008,
Kazakhstani-Russian model Ruslana
Korshinova jumped from her nine storey
high apartment in New York, after writing
unhappy notes on her Bebo page.
In November 2008, American teen
Abraham K Biggs took his own life live on
an internet TV site, while being watched by
about a hundred viewers. He had
previously been writing about his plans to
commit suicide on a bodybuilding forum
where people had thought that he was
perhaps playing “boy that cried wolf”, and
some wrote messages encouraging or
mocking him of his threats. Abraham then
went on to film a live video of himself
overdosing on drugs and passing away
while many watched. A few of those
viewers contacted the TV site, who called
the emergency services, but by the time
they arrived at his home, he had died.
This incident is reminiscent of Britain’s
first online suicide video, by 42-year-old
Kevin Whitrick from Shropshire. He was
depressed after his marriage breakdown
and a car accident in 2006, so he hanged
himself in his home in March 2007 while
filming it live after being encouraged by
users in an insult chat room.
Since January 2007, there also have been
several incidents where teenagers in
Bridgend, Wales, committed suicide.
There was speculation of an online cult
because many of the victims were
members of social networking site, Bebo,
but the media has also been blamed for
glamourising suicide and influencing these
troubled teens.
Many people feel down from time to time,
a lot of us will probably suffer from
depression at some point in our lives.
Suicide is never the answer and these
examples of rare incidents may be very
sad, but hopefully they can act as a
warning to people.
So why do these people feel the need to
write these notes and broadcast their
suicides online? Well, sometimes it’s
easier to write something on the internet,
and they do it as a little cry for help, or
attention. They choose to leave the world
and do it in a most shocking way. ■
Suicide & Social Networking
Tokunbo reveals an increasing trend of troubled teens
leaving suicide notes on social networking sites as a
result of depression.
“
T
Don’t let yourself be
encouraged or
influenced by anything
negative online
”
It’s all very well using the internet to look
up help and advice for your problems, but
please don’t let yourself be encouraged or
influenced by anything negative online.
Think first and get help before doing
anything so drastic.
Anyone who needs help or wants to talk
to someone should call the Samaritans
24/7hr on 08457 90 90 90 or email
jo@samaritans.org.uk or Childline on
0800 11 11.

Q: What do
you like and
dislike about
yourself?
A: Mostly I like
my personality
because that’s
what is most
important. I don’t like
my skin problems.
Q: What do you do to
stay healthy?
A: I try to walk
everywhere and eat
five fruits a day.
Q: Do you exercise?
A: Yes but not all the
time.
Q: If so what do you
do?
A: I mostly walk and I
take part in clubs like
basketball etc.
Q: If there was
anything you would
change what would it
be?
A: Erm well just my
skin problems but my
body as well. I think it
has no curves and it’s
too pale.
Q: What do you like about yourself?
A: I like how I can draw quite good.
Q: What don’t you like about
yourself?
A: I don’t like how I’m too shy
sometimes. It can stop me doing
things.
Q: What do you do to stay healthy?
A: I try to drink plenty of water
and eat a good balanced diet.
Q: Do you exercise?
A: Yes, a little. I walk to places often and sometimes play on my hula hoop at
home.
Q: Is there anything you would change about yourself?
A: I would like to be a more confident person.
HEA
HOW
Q: What do you like and
dislike about yourself?
A: I like my
personality but I don’t like
the fact that I have to wear
glasses.
Q: What do you do to stay
healthy?
A: I eat a fair amount of
fruit and drink lots of water.
Q: Do you exercise?
A: I walk a lot.
Q: If there was anything you would change about
yourself what would it be?
A: I’d like to be a bit more outgoing around new
people.
Mairtin
Cathy
Tokunbo

Q: What do you like about yourself?
A: I like my personality and I am
happy with how I look.
Q: What don’t you like about
yourself?
A: I don’t like my weight sometimes.
A: I eat quite healthily.
Q: Do you exercise?
A: Yes I do exercise.
Q: If so, what do you do?
A: I walk a lot and I’m going to take up
jogging.
Q: If there was anything you would
change about yourself what would it
be and why?
A: There is nothing I would change.
Q: What do you like and
dislike about yourself?
A: I like my hair and bum LOL.
I don’t like my braces and pale
skin. My braces stop me from
smiling as much and I want to
have a tan.
Q: What do you do to stay
healthy?
A: I try to eat healthily and
drink two pints of water a day.
A: Yes, I do sit ups, lunges and lots of walking.
Q: What would you change about yourself?
A: I would change bad mistakes I made but
physically I would just like to be more toned.
LTHY
ARE WE?
Q: What do
you like and
dislike about
yourself?
A: I like my
eyes and hair
but I don’t like
my tummy.
Q: Why?
A: Because I
think I’m fat.
A: I walk more and stick to five fruits and vegetables a
day.
Q: Do you exercise?
A: Sometimes if I have time.
Q: If so what do you do?
A: Walk, sit-ups at night and go on my running
machine.
Q: If there was anything you would change about
yourself, what would it be and why?
A: I would change my tummy so I was more thin and I
would try to be more confident in speaking to the
public and I’d cut down on rubbish food.
Kim
Charlie
Emma

12 ESCAPe www.oxleas.nhs.uk
TOP TIPS FOR
STAYING HEALTHY
√Eat three meals a day
√Stick to ‘5 portions of fruit or
vegetables a day’
√Avoid eating snacks, if you feel
hungry have a small piece of fruit
and plenty to drink (most hunger is
caused by drinking less)
√Keep active (football, running)
√Base your meals on starchy food
(bread, cereals, rice, pasta)
√Cut down on sugary foods
√Take part in clubs (swimming,
dancing, trampolining).
SHAPEUP
WITH
EMMA
Emma Watkins is our
health reporter and offers
us advice.
BREAKFAST
• Orange juice, medium bowl of
porridge or a wholegrain breakfast
cereal with semi-skimmed milk.
One banana.
MORNING SNACK
• One apple.
LUNCH
• Medium baked potato with
baked beans (no butter), small fruit
scone without butter.
SNACK
• About 12 grapes.
EVENING MEAL
• Chicken curry with a tomato-based
sauce or vegetables and bean pasta
bake.
Mixed salad of lettuce, grated carrot,
onion, cucumber, tomato.
Low-calorie/diet fruit yoghurt.
healthy is a big part of everyone’s lives and to
stay healthy you have to exercise daily (walking
does count) and eat healthily. It’s not hard to
maintain but if you think hard and work hard you
will be fitter than ever in no time. It’s not just
about being physical, it’s also about thinking. If
you think you can do it you will succeed...
YOURTASTYMENU
Did you know... WHAT IS A PORTION? IT IS 80G OF FRUIT & VEG. REME
Feel great
eat wellStaying
HEALTH &

1. Instead of one digestive - swap for an apple
2. Instead of ice cream with cake - swap for fruit with low fat cream
3. Instead of chocolate covered biscuit - swap for a handful of
grapes
4. Instead of burger and chips - swap for grilled chicken sandwich
with small chips
5. Instead of a glass of coke - swap for a glass of sugar free squash
EMMA’S FOOD SWAP
MBER POTATOES COUNT AS A STARCHY FOOD NOT AS A PORTION OF FRUIT & VEG
WELL-BEING

Our reporters met Ben and Mustafa, two Oxleas footballOur reporters met Ben and Mustafa, two Oxleas football
players, during the Positive Mental Attitude London Footballplayers, during the Positive Mental Attitude London Football
League finale at Charlton Athletic Football Club.League finale at Charlton Athletic Football Club.
Mustafa: “ My social worker
is a great guy, who is getting
me working voluntarily and
playing this football. I have
only been playing for a
month or two. But I love it.
“It gives you routine in your
life that you desperately
need.
“So to get out there and get
n our life you don’t realise but
we take so much for granted.
We think we have problems.
But they really have. Hearing
their story it’s nothing
compared to our life, ” said
Emma.
Meet Mustafa Kemel, he suffered from
psychosis. His friend, Ben Whiteread has
aspergers and suffers from depression.
Both agree playing football and having a
basic routine in their lives has
been crucial in keeping them
mentally well.
“My senses were distorted,”
Mustafa explains. “I was feeling
too much when I should have
been rationalising feelings out
in my brain, which led to me
having a psychotic breakdown.
I later started hearing voices
and seeing things that weren’t
there. But it’s all gone now.”
Mustafa, 30, from Belvedere, has been
using Oxleas NHS mental health services
for six years.
Ben, 25, from Crayford, on the other hand,
explains that doctors are still doing tests to
work out his problems. Apart from having
aspergers, which is a type of autism, he also
suffers with epilepsy.
Both men play football with the Oxleas
football team.
• Charlie: “Why did you seek the help of
Oxleas? ”
Mustafa: “I seeked the help from Oxleas
because my parents told me I was ill and
took me to hospital.
“At first it wasn’t good as all I was
getting was a pill. When they asked
asked me how I was on the
medication, I told them I felt
dreadful. I then moved to Bexley
after being with Greenwich and I
found that they were much more
proactive in helping me fulfil my
dreams and aspirations.”
• Charlie: “How did you get into playing
football? ”
Ben: “I got into playing football for Oxleas
because I had to go through mental health
tests and saw the poster for football. My
social worker helped me to join the team.”
“Be physical
and active is
absolutely
essential.
You’ll never
get better if
you don’t.”
I
“TheExclusive Interviews!
“

the blood pumping and be
physical and active is
absolutely essential. You’ll
never get better if you don’t.”
• Conor: “Do you feel you
get enough support from
Oxleas, family and friends?”
Ben: “Yes.They are helping
me to get my own place.”
Mustafa: “I get too much! I
wish it was a bit less. But I
have to for some reason. I
see the social worker every
week.”
• Charlie: “What advice would
you give someone in your
situation with a mental health
problem? ”
Mustafa: “First of all you have to
admit to yourself that you have a
mental health problem.That’s
crucial. Then when you admit to
yourself that you have a problem
you can actually help yourself get
better.Then access the healthcare,
it’s all there.
“My advice to anyone who is
mentally ill that when you take a
medicine for example, it only
sustains you or contains you. It
will never cure you.The cure lies
in your hand. You have to keep
yourself busy. You have to get out
there and do the simple things in
life that you forget to do when
you are mentally ill.That’s why
you become mentally ill in the
ﬁrst place.
“The simple things like work,
social relationships, love, when all
these sorts of things break down
in life you become mentally ill
and to do things like playing
football or doing work gets you
back into a groove. It will help
you do the simple things in life
better.”
Ben: “I would say help yourself
and enjoy yourself. It helps to ﬁnd
a social worker to help you out.
That’s helped me alot.”
After speaking to Mustafa and
Ben the team felt the interview
gave them a real insight into how
people cope with mental health
problems.
“We learnt about how much
sport and basic routine helps
them to recover” Conor said.
Kim said: “It was informative.”
And again in the words of Emma,
“Hearing their story it’s nothing
compared to our life.” ■
“ You have to keep
yourself busy.
You have to get out
there and do the
simple things in life.”
cure lies
in your hand”

Conor: When was Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust set up?
Ann Rozier, head of governance and trust secretary: Oxleas became a trust in
1995 and became a foundation trust on May 1st 2006.
Cathy: Who is the head of Oxleas?
Ann Rozier: We have a board of directors, made up of executive directors, which
run the organisation and we have non-executive directors who scrutinise how
those executive directors run the organisation. There are six non-executive
directors and six executive directors. The executive directors are headed by the
chief executive Stephen Firn and the board is chaired by Dave Mellish.
Cathy: How does the board of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust work?
Anne Taylor, a non-executive director: It will talk about what our aims are for the
next year and for the next five years. What services we want to run. What are we
doing well. What do we need to improve on. Whether we want to expand our
services. We talk a lot about our finances. Obviously, if we don’t balance our
finances we don’t exist.
Ann Rozier: I think the board does two things. It looks forward, and it assures
itself that the services that are being delivered are of good enough quality. They
do that in several ways, for example they listen to patients. We have a national
patients’ survey every year. The board looks very closely at people’s experience.
There is also a national staff survey where staff in this trust are surveyed and
results come back. The board look very closely to see if staff are happy in their
environment.
Emma: What type of age
groups are the people who
seek help from Oxleas NHS
Foundation Trust?
Ann Rozier: Right from
children up to very old
people. All age groups.
Conor: Do you feel that
everyone from any age group can seek help from you?
Anne Taylor: Absolutely. For young people there are child and adolescent mental
health services (CAMHS). Then there are adult services and older adult
services.
Ann Rozier: Obviously because we are secondary care, people normally go to
see their GP. If they can help somebody they will, otherwise if people need
specialist care they will be referred to us.
Rosie Shrimpton, governor and chair of the membership committee: We
provide secondary services. Most people will be helped by their GP.
Anne Taylor: It’s a bit like going to the doctors and they send you for a
consultation to a specialist. That’s secondary care and we are secondary care.
So if it was counselling then the GP may well
have a counsellor as part of their service. If you
were particularly unwell they would probably
send you through to Oxleas.
Anne Taylor: Maybe just for a diagnosis or
diagnosis and treatment.
Emma: How successful is Oxleas?
Rosie Shrimpton: Oxleas is one of the best in
England says staff.
Ann Rozier: Since 2003, with the exception of one year, we have had the highest
rating scores possible for the quality of our services.
Charlie: Do you or have any of you used any of Oxleas services?
Ann Rozier: I haven’t but somebody close to me did. Yet we do have
people that work in the trust that have used our services.
Rosie Shrimpton: I haven’t. But we have service user governors.
Anne Taylor: I personally haven’t.
Rosie Shrimpton: I don’t have any
contact in my family. I think
it’s really important that people like
me get involved because this is
something that can affect every
family. We should all talk about it quite freely.
So I think it is quite good when somebody who
doesn’t have any obvious connection becomes a governor.
Charlie: Do you think we can share knowledge about mental
health that it can help you prevent it in a way?
Rosie: The importance of listening is one of the things that I do firmly
believe in and I think that females are much better at it than men.
A typical bloke in the pub is not going to talk about his feelings and
why should they? I am not talking about that everyone should bare
their soul to the world. But there are times when somebody will feel
under pressure and it’s having that friend to talk to and having that
person listen to you. That’s why I believe that’s one of the good things
about going into schools so that people can talk more freely.
I think the more people
know how you can slip
into ill health the more
you can do to prevent it
”
“
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and learning
disability services for people in Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.
Rated by staff as one of the best in the country,
the reporters visited the trust’s
membership committee.
Oxleas is one
of the
best in England
“
”
Find out more about Oxleas...
Find out more about Oxleas...
Ann Rozier,
Oxleas Trust Secretary
16 ESCAPE www.CamhsCares.nhs.uk

WHY BECOMEWHY BECOME
AN OXLEASAN OXLEAS
NHSNHS
FOUNDATIONFOUNDATION
TRUSTTRUST
MEMBER?MEMBER?
Ann Rozier: I think the more people know how you can slip into ill health the more
you can prevent it. You are at a very stressful time of your life with exams and
going on to university perhaps. It’s stressful and it can have adverse effects. But
you need to take care of your body and you need to take care of your mind. There
are things you can do, take time out for yourself, make sure you have someone to
talk to, those kinds of things.
Conor: Obviously you are really successful, but is there anything you
would change or improve?
Ann Rozier: The trust invests in things that can make services better, for
example making people’s experience of being in hospital better by providing
better information. Our staff go through customer care training so everybody is
treated well including families and carers. We provide psychological therapy
services too. We try to make the money stretch so that we can provide better
services.
Anne Taylor: We try to be as efficient as we can and keep looking at services
and say are we running those services efficiently? Could they be run in a
different way?
Conor: What would you say to encourage young people to become a
member of the trust?
Rosie Shrimpton: I would say from your experience you can see how interesting
it is, how relevant it is to everybody. Membership is free. You get an interesting
magazine every couple of months and invitations to events like at the O2. It’s an
opportunity to get involved and having a say about what you want.
Anne Taylor: And it doesn’t do any harm on your CV for university. ■
Oxleas Membership Committee
Conor: “I joined because I don’t think
there is enough connection with the
youth and I think I can help do that by
being a member.”
Cathy: “I have joined the trust to help
make a difference.”
Charlie: “I signed up as a member so I
can help them have more connections
with young people.”
Emma: “The reason I signed up was to
help people and to help give me an
insight about mental health services.”

18 ESCAPe www.oxleas.nhs.uk
WhWhoo can help?can help?
It may help to contact someone...It may help to contact someone...
Addictions
Turning point
www.turning-point.co.uk
info@turning-point.co.uk
0207 481 7600
Anxiety
First steps to Freedom
www.first-steps.org
0845 120 2916
Bereavement
Cruse Bereavement
www.cruse.org.uk
helpline@cruse.org.uk
0844 477 9400
Bromley Y
One to one counselling
www.bromley-y.org.uk
0208 464 9033
Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Services (CAMHS)
www.CamhsCares.nhs.uk
provides information about local
services and advice for young
people.
Childline
Children and young people can talk
about mental health problems,
bullying, exam stress, family
relationship problems, sexuality wor-
ries.
www.childline.org.uk
Freephone: 0800 1111
Depression
Depression Alliance
www.depressionalliance.org
information@depressionalliance.org
0845 123 23
Eating
B-eat (Beating eating disorders)
www.b-eat.co.uk
help@b-eat.co.uk
beat Helpline: 0845 634 1414
beat Youthline: 0845 634 7650
FRANK
Confidential advice for drug or
solvent misuse.
www.talktofrank.com
Freephone: 0800 776 600
In-volve
Various projects covering young
people’s treatment services,
information and guidance,
counselling and different activities.
www.in-volve.org.uk
Tel: 0207 474 2222
Mind
www.mind.org.uk
020 8519 2122
Mindinfoline 0845 766 0163
NHS Direct
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
0845 4647
NSPCC Child protection
helpline
This is for adults to call if they
suspect a child is being abused.
www.nspcc.org.uk
Freephone: 0808 800 5000
Relationships
Relate
www.relate.org.uk
relatedirect@relate.org.uk
Samaritans
www.samaritans.org.uk
jo@samaritans.org
08457 90 90 90
Schizophrenia
Sane
www.sane.org.uk
sanemail@sane.org.uk
0845 767 8000
The Who Cares? Trust is a voice
for children and young people in
care.
www.thewhocarestrust.org.uk
0207 251 3117
Youth2Youth (Y2Y) is a helpline
service, run by young people for
young people. It is for any young
person under the age of 19
who feels they need emotional
support.
www.youth2youth.co.uk
Helpline 0208 896 3675
Y
C
I
T
S
R
N
M
F
E
D
B
A

Can you separate myths about mental health from facts?
Try this quiz courtesy of Time to Change - www.time-to-change.org.uk
Questions from 1 to 8
please circle the answer
you think is correct:
1. Mental health problems are rare
a) Myth
b) Fact
2. People with mental health problems are
violent
a) Myth
b) Fact
3. People can recover completely from a
mental illness
a) Myth
b) Fact
4. On average, people with severe mental
illnesses die ten years younger
a) Myth
b) Fact
5. You can be open about mental health
problems without fearing you’ll be treated
differently
a) Myth
b) Fact
6. There's not much you can do to help a
friend experiencing a mental health
problem
a) Myth
b) Fact
7. People can't work if they have a mental
health problem
a) Myth
b) Fact
8. If you use a mental health service,
there's a one in three chance you'll lose
contact with friends
a) Myth
b) Fact
1.myth2.myth3.fact4.fact
5.myth6.myth7.myth8.fact
Answers:
www.oxleas.nhs.uk ESCAPE 19

Escape_magazine_issue_one__

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