Emer Szczygiel, Matron for our Emergency Department at King George Hospital, was recognised for championing Mental Health Awareness week.

She was nominated by Ashley Lotter who works in our Psychiatric Liaison Service which is provided by NELFT: “Emer rallied her Emergency Department team to make pledges to take time to listen and to understand patients with mental health difficulties, committing as a team to ensure that patients with mental health problems receive equal treatment and priority in the Emergency Department at King George Hospital. Emer then passed on these ideas to the team at Queen’s Hospital Emergency Department, who also took up the challenge to make pledges.

“We are proud to work with such dedicated emergency staff who are constantly striving to ensure our mental health patients and their families are treated with priority, patience, dignity and respect.”

Emer has worked in three of our hospitals over the years as a nurse: “I’ve worked at the Trust for 25 years, starting at Oldchurch, then to the new Queen’s Hospital before moving to King George Hospital. I’ve been the Emergency Department Matron at King George Hospital for two years now.”

“I think in the past sometimes staff could be afraid of patients with mental health problems because of the stigma of violence and aggression. But now there is much better interaction from staff to our mental health patients which means that we meet their needs, they are comfortable, and we take the time to speak to them. I have seen a step change with staff.”

“I have a conversation with every mental health patient each morning. While you’re saying hello, it also gives you another opportunity to quickly assess them to see how they are doing.”

Emer also spoke about how the work we do to support mental health patients should also tie into how we look after our staff: “We all work in a stressful environment and you end up spending more time with your work colleagues than you do with your family! It’s important that we look after each other. With the help of our deputy matron, Emma, we marked stress awareness week at work with a relaxation station and learning about mental health in our handovers.”

Talking about what she loves about being a matron, Emer said: “I really enjoy watching the team grow. Whatever I throw at them they just run with! I want staff to feel empowered - it’s not my team, it’s theirs.”

If you know a member of staff who always goes above and beyond for their colleagues and patients, why not nominate them for a You Made a Difference Award? Further details and the nomination form can be found on our website.

Support if you or a loved one are experiencing mental health problems can be found on the NHS website, and also through other organisations such as Mind.