Celebration event for first term of Norfolk and Suffolk recovery college

The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Recovery College celebration event at Dunston Hall. Speaker Sue Howlett. Picture: Denise Bradley

A health trust is celebrating the success of its first term in a series of workshops and courses to empower people with mental health challenges to become experts in their own recovery.

Around 70 people attended a celebration event for Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s (NSFT) Recovery College, which was set up earlier this year.

More than 120 students attended one day workshops and courses on offer in the first term of the college, which are run from Hellesdon Hospital in Norwich, and have been staged across Norfolk and Suffolk.

The NHS trust set up the Recovery College in October to empower people with mental health issues to understand their condition and educate themselves to help them get better.

The success of the first term was celebrated at Dunston Hall on Monday. Certificates of achievements were also awarded to students who attended courses at the Recovery College by NSFT chairman Gary Page.

Lyn Skipper, Recovery Project Lead for the Trust, said: “The launch of the Recovery College has not only been met with great enthusiasm from members of staff but service users and carers. The Recovery College follows an educational approach which complements assessment and treatment already offered by the trust, by helping people to understand their problems and learn how to manage these better in order to pursue their aspirations.

“The college is at the heart of our trust-wide commitment to recovery and we believe great starting point for improving the way we deliver our services.”

Th initiative provides a range of courses and workshops to patients, carers and members of staff. The sessions are designed to contribute towards wellbeing and recovery and are delivered by people who have the personal experience of living with mental health difficulties. The next term is due to start in January

For more information about the Recovery College visit www.nsft.nhs.uk/en/Service-User-Involvement/Recovery-College/ or telephone 01603 421169 or email recovery.college@nsft.nhs.uk

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