CNWL

🌈 Today marks the first day of Pride Month 🌈

At CNWL, we’re proud to stand alongside and support our LGBTQ+ colleagues, patients, service users and communities this month and every month.

Pride is a time to celebrate identity, inclusion, visibility and equality, while continuing important conversations around acceptance, wellbeing and belonging for all.

This year, CNWL will be joining both the London and Surrey Pride parades and we can’t wait to celebrate with you. See you there! 🏳️‍🌈

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📚 Supporting your child through exam season

Exam season can be a difficult and stressful time for many children and young people, often bringing feelings of pressure, worry and anxiety.

Our Milton Keynes Mental Health Support Team (MHST) has created a helpful resource to support children and young people in understanding and managing exam-related stress.

The presentation includes practical tips and coping strategies to help build confidence, reduce anxiety and promote wellbeing during exams. There is also accompanying audio guidance available.

Find out more here: www.cnwl.nhs.uk/news/struggling-exam-stress-support-children-and-young-people

The CNWL CLASH team had a fantastic time attending the Afro Hair and Beauty Show 2026 Live 💜
Afro Hair and Beauty LIVE

Throughout the day, the team engaged with more than 200 attendees, providing advice and support on:
✔️ STI testing
✔️ HIV awareness & PrEP
✔️ Contraception
✔️ Vaccinations
✔️ Accessing CNWL services

The team also carried out on-site sexual health screening and created safe, open conversations around sexual health within our communities.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to speak with the team and helped make the day such a success! 🙌

Eid Mubarak to all our staff, patients, and communities celebrating.

This special time of year reminds us of compassion, generosity and the importance of supporting one another.

At CNWL, we are proud to celebrate the rich diversity of our workforce and the communities we serve. Thank you to everyone working across our services today to keep patients safe and cared for.

Wishing you and your loved ones peace, joy and wellbeing.

CNWL Healthcare Support Workers in Milton Keynes recognised with National Nursing Award 👏

Chantal and Julie have been recognised at national level, receiving the Chief Nursing Officer Support Worker Excellence Award. 👩🏼‍⚕️

These national awards, run by NHS England, are all about recognising Healthcare Support Workers who consistently live and breathe the NHS values in their day‑to‑day roles and those who make a lasting impact.

Well done to Chantal and Julie! Read more about what the win means to them here: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/news/cnwl-healthcare-support-workers-milton-keynes-recognised-national-nursing-award

Varsha Chauhan Gawde, Young Adult Pathway Lead at CNWL, has written a blog sharing an insight into her role and how occupational therapy is making a difference at a neighbourhood level.

She writes about what the Young Adult Pathway is, how it works, different people and organisations she works with and what opportunities for young people have come from working with the Discover Together college.

Read Varsha's blog here: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/news/supporting-young-adults-joining-dots-across-care

There’s an exciting new initiative coming to Brent in June! ⚽
Brent on the Ball is a community event designed to bring people together and spark conversations about health and wellbeing through sport. At the heart of the day is a mixed‑ability football match involving residents, service users, carers and NHS staff, delivered in partnership with the Silver Jubilee Park Charitable Foundation (SJP).

The event acts as a catalyst for local engagement, working with community organisations to increase participation in sport and physical activity, break down barriers and create inclusive opportunities for people across Brent.

There will also be fitness sessions, mural‑making and drop into workshops on health, diet, exercise and lifestyle run by CNWL, Brent Council and SJP.

📅 Thursday 4 June
🕙 10am to 3pm
📍Hendon FC, Silver Jubilee Park

Fancy coming along? Grab your ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brent-on-the-ball-neighbourhoods-united-tickets-1987123706498?aff=oddtdtcreator

There are different ways in which to engage patients, service users, carers and families in conversations and there are ways to do this successfully. Different people will need different things to help them join as equals.

Here are 7 steps to successfully use good practice in involvement and co-production. Although this isn’t an exhaustive list, it is a good place to start to ensure you are creating an equal, safe and inclusive environment for co-production.

Find out more tips in our Good practice in involvement and co-production information document here:https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/application/files/1017/7824/6893/Good_practice_in_involvement_and_co-production.pdf

Building connections through patient activities on TOPAS ward 🎨🐣

Patients have been showing off their art, music and easter egg hunting skills over the last few months, with one patient even taking time out to teach a member of staff how to play Amazing Grace on piano! 🎹

Patients have also been on a sensory stimulation journey thanks to Omi Mobii+ that’s funded by CNWL NHS Health Charity. The projector brings colourful, moving images onto tables and floors, allowing patients to interact simply by reaching out or moving their hands. It’s been helping to improve physical activity and coordination and keep minds active. As well as reducing anxiety, promoting relaxation and helping to lift moods.

Read more about TOPAS Ward and other positive feedback stories here: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/news/campaigns/you-made-difference-case-studies

Dr Ed Beveridge, our Divisional Medical Director, has been named the new co-chair of the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership.

Ed’s new role is about working with partners across mental health, public health and to***co control, including Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) - an independent public health charity - he’ll help push for a more joined-up, accessible approach to stopping smoking.

Ed says: "I'm proud do have the opportunity to work with other experts in the field to make sure people with mental health conditions are less likely to start, and get the best support to stop smoking - they deserve no less.”

Read more about Ed's new role and what he wants to achieve here: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/news/cnwl-medical-director-takes-national-role-tackle-smoking-mental-health