Outstanding Contribution to the Sector, Mental Health Awards 2024
In October 2024 Peter Woodhams, Carer Consultant with Meriden Family Programme for over 20 years received the Outstanding Contribution to the Sector award at the Mental Health Awards 2024.
Peter is a hugely valued member of our team and has contributed to and led on multiple projects with Meriden over the years. Many of you who have completed BFT training with us will have met Peter and heard his story. Every time Peter gives this talk we receive so much positive feedback about how powerful hearing his family’s story is. We’re so pleased that Peter has been recognised in this way.
You can read more about Peter’s story here: https://www.bsmhft.nhs.uk/about-us/news/peter-woodhams-received-a-mental-health-award/
You can read more about the Mental health Awards here: https://www.facebook.com/thementalhealthawards
Board Challenge Award 2014
On 13 November 2014, the Meriden Family Programme launched the Recovery for Families, Friends and Carers website. It was named the Overall Winner in the Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s (BSMHFT) ‘Board Challenge’. The Programme proudly accepted this award, which recognised the development of its website resource for families and carers.
This was the ninth year that BSMHFT had held these awards. They celebrate the innovative and leading practice of teams across the Trust. They provide teams with the opportunity to showcase their work so that others can apply learning in their own areas.
Representatives from the Trust Board and Governors formed the judging panel. In 2014 there were 46 entries of which 11 made it to the final in the following five categories:
- Engaging with service users and carers
- Service improvement
- Recovery and wellbeing
- Bright idea
- Listening into Action team award
The Meriden Family Programme submitted their entry under Category 1 – Engaging with Service Users and Carers.
About the website
The Meriden Family Programme launched the Recovery for Families, Friends and Carers website on World Mental Health Day in 2014.
It offers helpful information for carers and service users, available 24/7 at the click of a button.
The site includes sections for young carers and siblings.
Families and friends can also read about the experiences of other carers.
Feedback has been positive.
“It helped me realise that one of the first things I need to do to support my son is to look after myself.”
— Carer
The Trust’s Caring Minds charity funded the development of the site.
Health Service Journal (HSJ) Mental Health Innovation Award, 2008
On 1 December 2008, the Meriden Family Programme won the Health Service Journal Mental Health Innovation Award.
The judges chose the Programme from 70 entries in its category and over 800 entries overall.
The ceremony took place at Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Hosts included Richard Vise (HSJ Editor), Health Secretary Alan Johnson, and comedian Dara O’Briain.
The HSJ Awards are one of the biggest events in healthcare.
Over 1,300 guests attended to see 18 awards presented to the UK’s most inspirational healthcare professionals.
On receiving the award, Dr Gráinne Fadden, Programme Director said “There is a clear message here from the judges that there is no point in innovation unless systems are established to make the innovation sustainable. This is what we have done and we are delighted that our long-term commitment and persistence has been acknowledged.
Most of all we are delighted that the needs of families are highlighted through us winning this award. There are many areas where services to families need to be improved, and the fact that a family programme has been honoured in this work gives a very clear message that families are important.”
— Dr Gráinne Fadden
The British Psychological Society (BPS) West Midlands Branch “Psychologist of the Year” Award 2008
In 2008, the BPS West Midlands Branch launched a new award for members who promoted psychology in their community and showed its value. The judges wanted to see innovative work in the region. Entries could be self-nominated or submitted by the community. The award was open to all psychologists, not just clinical. Judges were Dr Sue Gardiner and Dr Dennis Trent. West Midlands carers nominated Dr Gráinne Fadden for her work developing family services, supported by testimonials from families helped by the Meriden Family Programme. The winner was Dr Joe Kiff, who created The Psychology Wiki (www.psychology.wikia.com).
Dr Gráinne Fadden came in second place for her work developing and sustaining the Meriden Programme. The judges were extremely impressed with the scale and impact of the Programme.
“This is a very impressive scheme which deserves all the praise it is acquiring. One day every county will have a service such as this because families will demand it. The testimonials are extremely moving. Congratulations to all involved”
— Dr Sue Gardiner
“A project with wide applicability and direct impact on the population, this is user focussed and has achieved good agency involvement”
— Dr Dennis Trent
“I was privileged also to see your entry and felt inspired and impressed by your work. For entering the award and your contribution to the arena of Psychology in the West Midlands and beyond, I thank you”
— Helena Taylor-Knox
In third place was Jennifer Heathcote-Osborne for supporting families where there is parental separation and custody disputes (www.maypole.org.uk).
Board Challenge Award 2008
On December 19th, 2008, the Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust (BSMHFT) awarded the Meriden Family Programme 3rd place in its “Board Challenge” for the Black and Minority Ethnic Caring for Carers Programme.
The aim of BSMHFTs challenge is to celebrate and learn from innovative ways of improving services within the Trust. In 2008, it focused on five of the Trust’s ten strategic goals. These help shape mental health services across Birmingham and Solihull. These goals cover every aspect of the Trust and how each contributes to the service user experience.
The Meriden Programme submitted their BME Caring for Carers programme under Category 1 which seeks to “Eliminate stigma; Remove barriers and create opportunities for new development.”
“The main objective of this award is to recognise and reward those teams and individuals who can demonstrate positive achievements in the promotion of equality and inclusivity and a real and practical commitment to tackling inequalities.”
— Lakhvir Rellon, Director of Diversity (BSMHFT)
The Caring for Carers programme is an innovative training programme for carers of people experiencing mental health difficulties. The programme has a specific emphasis on the needs of Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) carers. The training brings together small teams of carer workers and carers for an initial three-day training event. During these three days, the teams learn practical skills. After the training they can deliver an 11-week carer education package. This package focuses on the experiences of mental health service users from Black and minority ethnic groups, their families, and communities.
With support from NIMHE (formerly the Care Services Improvement Partnership), Meriden has delivered three training programmes since 2007 and established close links with a variety of statutory and third-sector agencies. Several BME Caring for Carers programmes have been delivered across the West Midlands through these partnerships.
For further details of the Caring for Carers programme, please visit the “Our Work With Carers” section of the web-site.
Health & Social Care Awards 2005
Health & Social Care Awards, 2005
Sponsored by the Department of Health and the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, the aim of the awards is to bring public recognition to the hundreds of outstanding examples of dedication, innovation and success at the frontline of both health & social care.
The Midlands & East Region received over 2,000 entries across 15 award categories, and we became one of three finalists for the Social Care Award. The award was a great recognition of the achievements and value of the programme.
On the 6th July 2005, the Meriden Family Programme won the Social Care Award in the Health & Social Care Awards 2005 – Midlands and East Region.
From left to right: Mr Darren Jordan (BBC newsreader), Dr Gráinne Fadden (Meriden), Mrs Marie Crofts (Meriden), Ms Sue Turner (Chief Executive, BSMHFT), Mr Chris Mansell (Meriden), Mr Robert Strawford (Family Member), Mrs Val Strawford (Family Member)
National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) Positive Practice Award, 2004
The Meriden Family Programme was announced as joint winner of one of the first Positive Practice Awards presented by NIMHE. The award category was Modernising Mental Health Services. Entries had to show how evidence was translated into clinical practice. This matched what the Meriden Programme had aimed to achieve for the past five years.
We were delighted to win such a prestigious award and attended the ceremony on 11 June 2004 in London. Gráinne Fadden, Marie Crofts and Peter Woodhams represented the programme. It was inspiring to hear about projects across the country where staff, service users and carers worked together to improve mental health services.
It was an honour to represent the programme. The real winners are the committed managers, trainers, therapists, carers and service users across the West Midlands. Their enthusiasm for working with families makes the Meriden Programme possible, and we congratulate them.
Recognition for the Meriden Programme
