Marion, described in her interview as a force of nature, explains her experiences with her own treatment under the mental Health Act led her to set up Star Wards, a way to structure and recognise excellent practice in Inpatient mental health care.
Marion is passionate about making the best of the time of staff and patients, and recognises the under-resourced nature of the service.
An interruption from the public service announcement meant we were able to bring Buddy into the conversation a little earlier than planned!
We discuss how the barriers between professionals and service users are artificial in the light of the one in four people who experience mental health issues every year.
We talk about Buddy, Marion’s Support Dog, and how invaluable he is in helping Marion to self-manage her mental health.
We also talk about the wider benefits of pet ownership for people with lived experiences of mental distress, and how Marion hopes to improve access to pets through the Star Wards programme, which recognises the priorities for Inpatients as
- Internet Access
- Access to pets
- Replacing “Ward Rounds” with individual Consultant appointments.
I am an Occupational Therapist, who writes about health, particularly mental health. I am interested in social media and Web 2.0, and where these technological advances can support wellness and health.
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