Beyond the hospital

There are a number of services that provide unique support for service users, families and carers. Southwark Service User and Carer Advisory Group (SUCAG) members are people with lived experience of local adult mental health services. The group brings a service user and carer perspective to discussions with staff about service improvements and developments. The occupational therapy garden at Bethlem Royal Hospital, Bethlem Gallery and Museum, SLaM Recovery College and SLaM Volunteering Programme are all initiatives part-funded by Maudsley Charity to provide creative outlets and wellbeing support for service users. Learn more about these projects here.

"The Gallery is a vital social hub for our artists, many of whom have used our Trust’s services. We knew we had to act quickly and set up ways for people to connect virtually. We work a lot with clinical teams to provide opportunities for patients on the wards so they could access our online workshops." Sam Curtis, Curator at Bethlem Gallery

"We started to deliver a huge variety of webinars that were free and available to anyone, anywhere. We’ve had some really positive feedback and some people told us that we were the only social connection they had to keep them going. We’ve had people from around the world as well as in the UK joining our webinars." Rachel Perera, Practitioner Trainer (middle left)

"Bethlem Occupational Therapy Garden has really come into its own during the pandemic. There’s no doubt about it. It’s reinforced what we knew about nature therapy and how it can help to relieve stress and anxiety." Peter O’Hare, Head Occupational Therapist

"During lockdown we made a series of films about ourselves and the work that we do in SUCAG. Individuals were asked to contribute something about their role on SUCAG or just whatever they wanted to share. I was really proud of how we were able to work together and create something that came from the heart." Daniel O’Byrne, member of Southwark Service User and Carer Advisory Group

"Volunteering is life transforming and empowering. During the pandemic it’s enabled me to get out and helped me overcome my fears. I’ve been delivering mobile phones to hospitals to help service users keep in contact. I also phone some service users every week to see how they are doing. I make sure I am there and available for them. And they always say “thank you so much for calling”. Volunteer Lorraine Dunstan

"We had to think about how to engage our audiences in a completely different way. That has resulted in enhanced website content, social media and virtual tours. In between lockdowns, we were able to open the Gallery and Museum in a limited way." Colin Gale, Director of Bethlem Museum of the Mind

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