Isobel McDowell

Assistant Team Manager, Community Mental Health Team for Older People, Western Health & Social Care Trust

FoNS Inspire Improvement Fellow

As I walk down the corridor, I just listen and observe actively, hearing those lovely warm conversations of our team supporting each other. If I hear or observe someone anxious or stressed, I consider how we can support them. The fellowship has enabled me to look at things through a completely different and much wider lens. The team has given me feedback, that they feel more aware how they can equip themselves to do what they are doing whilst keep themselves well. I also see things around the workplace like the initiatives we have done, such as Compassion Focussed Therapy model flash cards on people’s desks, which staff are using as tools to talk about how they are feeling and what they are doing to protect themselves as well.  I have had numerous conversations with the team and others as to how creating caring cultures is central to well-being. This agenda has grown within the trust since the challenges experienced during Covid 19.

I’ve always been passionate about the importance of mental health in your working life as well as for the people we care for. The FoNS programmes helped me with the knowledge and skills to find a way that I could aim to achieve this in practice.