"My experience on a Student Mental Health Nurse placement at a CHT mental health recovery community."

Alice Turay is a Student Mental Health Nurse at Anglia Ruskin University on a nine-week placement at Highams Lodge, our CQC-regulated high-support mental health recovery community in east London.

"My name is Alice, and I'm in my first year of training as a mental health nurse at Anglia Ruskin University. I have always been interested in mental health, but my decision to become a nurse followed a personal experience where someone I knew faced some challenges, and I didn't know how to support them. I wanted to empower myself and help others.

This placement with CHT is my third clinical placement, but the first one where I've seen staff and residents interact in such a relational way.

Here at Highams Lodge, residents are involved in their own care and can raise concerns at community meetings, which other residents and staff members can hear and respond to. My first community meeting was fascinating. One of the residents was chairing the meeting; another was taking minutes. I hadn't seen this level of responsibility and autonomy in a mental health setting before.

I've really enjoyed the hands-on experience and getting to know the residents.

On Tuesdays, I'm involved in community meetings where staff and residents discuss all community matters. We also have a reflective group where staff and residents are able to share what's gone well for them that week and raise concerns or discuss challenges.

In budget meetings, residents can place their food orders for the week, decide what they want to cook for the community and order their ingredients. On Friday, there's a movie night, and residents choose which movie to watch. Then, there's the therapeutic programme, which includes gardening, psychosocial groups, and psychotherapy. I think all these things really help residents take ownership over their own lives.  

In other placements, I've had minimal interactions with people being treated, outside of administering medications. Here, it's different. It really feels like a community - like a home. I really get the sense that staff are here to support, not to do things to or for residents. It feels more equal. So much so that, on my first day, I mistakenly thought a resident was a staff member!

I am gaining so much valuable learning from this placement, and I cannot wait to share my experiences with peers on my course!"

"Alice's placement is our third from Anglia Ruskin University, and having her part of the team has been absolutely brilliant. She's engaging, friendly, and enthusiastic. From day one, she was introducing herself to the community, getting involved to make the service run smoothly, supporting our residents effectively, and attending all the therapeutic groups on offer. It's been so beneficial to our community to have her positive energy at Highams Lodge" Alistair Dinsmore, Service Manager at Highams Lodge

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We are proud to have a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, like Alice, who are committed to improving the lives of residents in our seven recovery communities across London and the South East. Learn more about clinical placement or employment opportunities.