Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

The Emergency Department at King’s Mill Hospital is already very busy today 9 June at 11.30am
If you think you need your NHS but it’s not an emergency, please:
• Think NHS111 first. You can visit 111.nhs.uk online or call 111 for advice on where to go to access the treatment you need.
• Seek advice from your local pharmacist, who may be able to help, including by suggesting over-the-counter treatments for many less serious conditions. Most local pharmacies can supply NHS treatment for conditions including sore throat, sinusitis, UTI, and impetigo (restrictions apply). Visit https://pharmacyfirstnottinghamshire.com Some local pharmacies are open out-of-hours.
• Contact your GP team during their normal opening hours for all other conditions.
• Only attend our Emergency Department if it is an emergency - please consider other treatment choices.
Thank you for your continued support.

Carers Week 2026 8–14 June
This week shines a light on the incredible contribution unpaid carers make every day while also recognising the challenges they face.

This year’s theme, “Building Carer Friendly Communities,” is all about creating supportive, inclusive environments where carers feel valued and supported.
Together, we can make a difference.

Please share your feedback on alcohol support in Nottingham. Your views will help improve services and ensure support is available.

The link to the survey is in the post below.

📢 Help shape the future of alcohol support in Nottingham

We want to hear from you. Your feedback will help improve services, break down barriers, and ensure support is there when people need it most.

📝 Take a quick survey and share it with others: https://ow.ly/95bt50Z4AEE

It covers:
• Drinking culture in Nottingham
• Awareness & access to support
• What could work better

Your voice can make a real difference 💬

Looking for a social work role where you can make a genuine difference while developing specialist skills?

Join our Social Care Team at Rampton Hospital and become part of a supportive multidisciplinary environment where no two days are the same.

As a Social Worker, you'll work with forensic patients and their families, contribute to complex assessments, collaborate with experienced professionals, and help ensure social perspectives remain at the heart of care.

"I have really enjoyed my first year working as a Social Worker at Rampton Hospital. It is unlike any other social work role I have ever experienced – in many positive ways.

"Working at Rampton gives you the opportunity to make a tangible difference in people's lives while being part of highly skilled multidisciplinary teams. The role is incredibly varied; one day you may be supporting families to maintain important relationships with their loved ones, the next you could be contributing to assessments, working alongside psychology and occupational therapy colleagues, or helping to build a fuller picture of a patient's life and social circumstances.

"The social work perspective is genuinely valued here, ensuring that patients are seen as people, not just through a clinical or forensic lens. The team is supportive, encouraging and brings together colleagues from a range of professional backgrounds, all willing to share their knowledge and expertise. It's a unique and specialist environment, and I'm proud to be part of the Social Care Team at Rampton Hospital."

✅ Band 6 role £39,959 - £48,117 per annum
✅ Permanent, full-time and part-time opportunities
✅ £3,000 High Secure Allowance
✅ Extensive support, supervision and development opportunities.

Find out more and apply today online: https://www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/vacancies #!/job/UK/Nottinghamshire/Retford/Nottinghamshire_Healthcare_NHS_Foundation_Trust/Social_Work/Social_Work-v7996808?_ts=1

Rampton Hospital to host ‘New to Care’ recruitment and information event!

The Trust is excited to announce a unique opportunity for individuals considering a rewarding career in healthcare. Rampton Hospital, a high secure forensic hospital, located near Retford, will host a 'New to Care' virtual recruitment event on Tuesday 30 June 2026, from 5pm to 6pm.

This event is designed for those new to the healthcare sector who are curious about what it's like to work as a Health Care Assistant (HCA) in a high secure hospital setting. Attendees will gain insights into working with individuals with mental health conditions and learning disabilities and learn more about the crucial role HCAs play in delivering exceptional care.

Find out more and register for your place online: https://www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/latest-news/rampton-hospital-to-host-new-to-care-recruitment-and-information-event-7851

Today, we are delighted to officially welcome Mark Axcell as Chief Executive of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Mark joins the Trust with extensive experience leading large and complex mental health, learning disability, community and integrated care organisations. Following a comprehensive and inclusive recruitment process involving patients, colleagues and stakeholders, he begins his role at an important time for our organisation.

Mark said: "I'm really pleased to be joining the Trust at this critical time. I look forward to working with colleagues, partners and our communities to continue to improve our services. Having spent much of my career leading mental health and community organisations, I understand both the scale of the task and the importance of getting it right for patients and staff."

We look forward to working with Mark as we continue our journey to improve services and support our colleagues.

Hospital community garden celebrates ‘Outstanding’ award from the RHS!

Highbury Community Garden, based at Highbury Hospital in Bulwell, Nottingham, has once again been recognised for its commitment to community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening excellence, after receiving an ‘Outstanding’ rating through assessments supported by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

This marks the tenth consecutive year that the garden has entered the Britain in Bloom – It’s Your Neighbourhood awards, and the tenth year in a row it has achieved the highest possible rating. The award was collected on behalf of the garden by Anthony, Live Team Green Space Volunteer and Karen, Community Gardener.

One regular service user shared: “The garden is a place of calm and peace. It’s a haven for me from the noise of the ward. I feel myself relax here and enjoy the variety of activities. Staff make everyone welcome – they don’t put any pressure on you to take part but support you to follow your interests, creating opportunities and making sure activities are accessible to everyone.”

Volunteer James also reflected on the impact of the space, saying: “From personal experience, the garden helps bring peace and quietness to a cluttered mind. It is a place where people can engage with one another without the constraints of hospital life. They can see new life emerging, which always brings hope.”

Highbury Community Garden is a therapeutic green space located within the Highbury Hospital site. It was established and continues to be developed by the Trust’s Live Team, working closely with the wider hospital community. The Live Team coordinates the day-to-day running of the garden, its ongoing development, and the sourcing of external funding to support its sustainability.

The garden provides a welcoming hub for nature-based, recovery-focused activity, supporting people to build confidence, purpose, connection and wellbeing. It hosts a full timetable of activities and is used by all wards on site, as well as community groups including the Peer Support Dementia Hub. It also plays a key role in bringing people together through events such as the annual Animal Roadshow. Over the past decade, the garden has supported hundreds of patients, staff and volunteers.

Chief Nurse at Nottinghamshire Healthcare, Diane Hull, said: “Highbury Community Garden is a wonderful example of how therapeutic environments can positively support people’s recovery and wellbeing. Achieving an ‘Outstanding’ rating for ten consecutive years is a real testament to the dedication of the Live Team, volunteers and everyone who uses and cares for the space. We are incredibly proud of the impact the garden continues to have for our patients, staff and local community.”

The garden also supports people beyond their time in hospital. As a member of the Nottingham Growing Network, it helps create green pathways into the wider community, enabling people to continue accessing the health benefits of green spaces and nature-based activities following discharge.

From the garden, the Live Team also distributes free gardening packs to people receiving care from the Trust, supporting them to experience the wellbeing benefits of gardening at home. Over the past eight months, 118 gardening packs have been distributed, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

Julie Galano, Head of Awards for All, The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Highbury Community Garden is a thriving community space supporting local people’s wellbeing by giving them the chance to learn, grow and connect with others through a shared environmental project. We’re proud to fund the truly life changing work happening here thanks to National Lottery players, and we’re delighted to see the project receiving such well deserved recognition for its dedicated work from the RHS.”

In addition, the garden works closely with local partners such as Bulwell Arts Festival, running annual art workshops for patients which culminate in a public exhibition of patient artwork.

The ongoing success of Highbury Community Garden is supported by a dedicated team of volunteers. Currently, five Trust green space volunteers work alongside the Live Team to maintain and develop the garden.

Diane Hull added: “Spaces like Highbury Community Garden show how creativity, nature and partnership working can make a real difference to mental health care. We are grateful to our volunteers and funders, including the National Lottery Community Fund, for helping us sustain and grow this valuable resource.”

Pak Ling Wan, RHS Community Programme Manager, said: "It's a remarkable achievement to receive an 'Outstanding' rating 10 years on the trot, through the East Midlands in Bloom led RHS It's Your Neighbourhood programme, and is testament to the care and hard work of the team at the Highbury Community Garden. We know that green spaces in hospitals are hugely beneficial to patients, visitors and staff, and would like to congratulate everyone involved for their dedication in making such a positive difference to the community."

Over the years, a range of grants have been secured by the Live Team to support the garden’s running costs and development. The Trust is currently grateful to be supported through funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, helping ensure the garden continues to thrive for years to come.

You can also watch a short video of the garden on YouTube: https://youtube.com/shorts/O7JMyduo00w?feature=share

May is and we’re sharing Terry’s story. Terry suffered a stroke at 73 which left him struggling with communication, balance and ongoing fatigue. However, with invaluable support from the Trust’s Community Stroke team, he is now recovering well as his speech improves, and he regains his independence. Terry’s story is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact a stroke can have and why raising awareness, recognising the signs, and supporting recovery is so important. You can watch a video of Terry sharing his story here: https://orlo.uk/7UxoY

Terry was a Primary School Head Teacher who retired early due to a heart condition. He has been married to his wife, Terri, for 50 years.

He is a very active member of Mapperley and Arnold Rotary Club, organising charity events in the community and he leads a Memory café for those people living with dementia and their carers. He is also actively involved in Calverton U3A, running a social group for men.

At the time of Terry’s stroke, he experienced violent vomiting as he was going to bed and woke up early morning feeling confused and unstable.

“I passed off the vomiting as food poisoning as we had been out for lunch,” explained Terry. “I then woke up at around 4am and again at 11am feeling very confused and unstable and difficulty in speaking. My wife realised I was having a stroke, as my face was also drooping slightly on the left-hand side. She phoned for an ambulance immediately having seen the FAST adverts on TV.

“While waiting for the ambulance, I felt frightened and emotional as I realised, I was having a stroke, and I knew what the consequences might be.”

The paramedics monitored Terry, and he was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham. After scans and being offered a clot buster injection he was taken to the Acute Stroke Care Unit.

“I was in QMC for four days where they discovered my carotid artery was 95% blocked and they confirmed a right hemispheric stroke,” said Terry. “I was added to the waiting list for right carotid endarterectomy and bovine patch repair, a surgical technique to mend or strengthen, cardiac, vascular or soft tissue damage.

“The operation was done within two weeks of the stroke. I was in hospital for a further four days because my blood pressure was very low.”

Terry was then referred to the Trust’s Community Stroke team who provide specialist rehabilitation to people over 18 for the first 12 months following a stroke.

Tiffany Coulter, Speech and Language Therapist at the Trust said, “The stroke team supported him with reviewing and assessing his balance in and out of the home and with fatigue management. They also assessed any cognitive deficit post stroke as well as assessing and supporting his communication needs to access his activities of daily living and to enable him to return to all the positive things he contributes to in the community.”

Terry added “We are very impressed with the support we received from the stroke team. They explained what had happened to me, so I had a clear understanding of my situation. They gave me strategies for everyday living and how to move forward and encouraged me to set targets and were very encouraging when I achieved them.

“Tiffany accompanied me and supported me in my first major target which was to attend the Memory café and talk to the clients and carers.

“The team also encouraged me to start driving again as I had passed the cognitive tests and peripheral vision test for the DVLA. This was a huge step in achieving independence and improved my self-esteem.”

Although Terry is recovering well, the stroke has affected his day-to-day living, but this has not stopped him from leading an active life.

“I miss being able to communicate easily as I organise many events,” says Terry. “I particularly find it difficult to answer complex questions, especially over the ‘phone. I have to take things more slowly than I used to do in getting around as my balance was affected, but using a walking stick helps greatly. I suffer still from stoke fatigue which can be very frustrating, and I usually need a nap in the afternoon and go to bed much earlier than I used to. Since the stroke I have a loss of appetite and food tastes very bland to me.

“However, I am determined not to let the stroke stop me from leading an active life, I have just had to adapt a little bit. I watched my father battle to get back to fitness after his stroke when he was 60, and this inspired me to fight back and not give up. That is so important to me and my family.”

A stroke also has a profound impact on family members and Terry’s stroke brought anxieties to his wife and daughter.

“My wife and daughter have experienced tiredness, anxiety for my health and changes in routines. But they have also felt a sense of relief now they have seen the progress being made and the positive outcomes.”

Terry’s wife said, “We are proud of his determination and are glad to see a lot of the old Terry back again.”

Terry has achieved many of his short term aims and now wants to become more fluent in his speech, walk more and become less reliant on his walking stick for balance.

“I still need to improve my fine motor skills particularly on the laptop, which I still find frustrating,” says Terry. “My longer-term aims are to resume active leadership of the Memory Café and increase my participation in Rotary Club activities. I also am hoping to tackle the large wooden model which I received as a gift at Christmas, just before my stroke.

“We are also looking forward to planning more active holidays in the future and spending quality time with my grandchildren when circumstances allow.”

You can find more information about the Trust’s Community Stroke Team on the Trust's website: https://orlo.uk/xfT8T

Find out about stroke on the NHS website: https://orlo.uk/xtvEF

Our next Board of Directors meeting held in public is on Thursday 28 May 2026, Conference Room, Highbury Hospital, Highbury Road, Nottingham NG6 9DR.

If you need urgent help for your mental health this bank holiday, you can call 111 and select the mental health option.