Moorside Unit provides therapeutic activities to support patient recovery
The Moorside unit, a service delivered by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust (GMMH), provides care for adults and older adults who require mental health in patient care and is located in Urmston, Trafford.
The staff on the unit offer service users and their carer’s information about mental health, recovery and the choices and resources available to them.
Moorside Unit has introduced several new activities and groups to engage patients and provide therapeutic support in their recovery journey.
Staff noticed the positive difference that the on-site gym facilities were making to patients but felt that many individuals lacked confidence in the correct techniques and using the equipment effectively and safely.
By working alongside Beyond Empower, a small social enterprise, a new wellness programme has been introduced at the unit, to improve patients’ mental and physical wellbeing. Emma Pruce, an independent, certified trainer now visits Moorside each Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, to facilitate one to one training sessions with patients.
Emma says,
“I focus on weightlifting work and strength training with the patients, to ensure that they build a solid foundation and are comfortable using their bodies. Some of my clients at Moorside started off quite self-conscious when using the gym so we have really worked on building their confidence. The exercises we follow are inclusive and work on using muscles which benefits patients in their day to day lives, thinking about life after they are discharged from the unit. ”
“The sessions also give patients the space to talk to someone who is not involved in their day to day, many feel comfortable opening up to me about how they are feeling, and it gives them an additional, low pressure therapeutic outlet.”
Christian, a Moorside patient said,
“I’ve really been enjoying the personal training sessions; they are beneficial to my mind and body, and I look forward to them every week.”
There is also plenty on offer to exercise patient’s creativity muscles too!
Music industry recovery organisation, Key Changes, designed to boost mood, runs a three-week programme at Moorside, pairing patients up with a professional producer, trained to support mental wellbeing. Patients can write and record in 1-1 studio sessions, learn about the industry and create a digital release. The programme has been fantastically received and on completion, service users receive a certificate of achievement and can progress to an Artist Volunteer programme which provides the opportunity to earn credit for studio time.
Another popular group activity is jewellery making. Lisa, a patient at Moorside said,
“I find the sessions really calming. It means I need to focus and enjoy creating a lovely bracelet at the end of it.”
Bilal Siddiqui, Activity Coordinator for GMMH, who runs many of the creative sessions says,
“I really enjoy facilitating the jewellery making sessions. It gives patients the chance to relax, mingle with the other patients, chat to me and other staff and be absorbed in creating a colourful and personalised piece of jewellery. We run the mixed ward sessions to ensure that our activities are inclusive.”
Bilal also runs regular mixed wards sessions to encourage creativity, peer support and boost mood and relaxation. A selection of canvases (pictured) were recently created by service users, filled with vibrant colours which will be hung on the walls to enhance the space at Moorside unit.
Much of this work would not be possible without Moorside’s amazing volunteers, who facilitate and support many of the activities and groups which run at the unit.
Here is what a volunteer has to say about their experiences,
“I have been volunteering at Moorside for just over a year now. I volunteer because if I can just make somebody's day a little bit better by being there and showing encouragement, making them a hot drink, or just listening to them, it makes a massive difference to them and to myself. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to volunteer at Moorside. I hope I make a difference.”
Find out more about the Moorside Unit by visiting their webpage.
If you would like to enquire about volunteering opportunities and join the team at the Moorside Unit, please contact our volunteer Rhona Morrisey on rhona.morrisey@gmmh.nhs.uk.
