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Compass REACH Learning and Development Day 2020

Published on: September 7, 2020

Lifelong learning in healthcare is essential to ensure the continued learning and development of our skills, but importantly to encourage and gain insight into new trends, different ways of working, and learning from the experienced. 2020 has brought about many changes in our world and daily life continues to change for many people, including the emotional wellbeing and health care needs for young people in North Yorkshire. With this in mind, we were keen that the Compass REACH team take some dedicated time to explore aspects of new learning and development.

The Compass REACH team are keen learners and have explored numerous topics in great detail through activities such as specialist lead area updates and monthly micro workshops which are each devoted to a new topic of learning. This culture of learning and development has seen exponential growth in personal development, and as a result, the young people of North Yorkshire gain a better quality of care in relation to their substance misuse, emotional wellbeing and mental health, and their sexual health.

The ‘Learning and Development Day’ was an idea designed in part to help with the acquisition of new knowledge, but also an opportunity to reflect on the differences we see locally, regionally and nationally to assist in the teams insights into national trends and how our colleagues in Compass services experience similar issues in other parts of England.

The day began with Compass REACH Young People’s Nurse, Melanie Simcoe delivering a very detailed session on eating disorders and exploring the complexities that surround problematic eating such as co-morbidities of mental health problems and use of substances. Melanie explored both theoretical and practical aspects of supporting people with eating disorders to help demonstrate the realities of the difficulties that young people in particular, face in accessing care and support.

Drawing from the experience of our colleagues in Warwickshire, Robyn Fisher and Alastair Casemore shared some insights into their experience with young people’s substance misuse in the area, and gave the Compass REACH team an opportunity to explore similarities and differences in presentations compared to national reporting and discuss complexities and challenges of supporting some of the most vulnerable young people in society.

Again utilising learning from other Compass services, Service Manager Steve Baird and Young People’s Drug & Alcohol Worker Fay Denton used two recent complex case studies to help demonstrate the realities of some of the challenges we face when caring for young people’s needs. Fay very kindly gave an insight into her work with highly complex cases in the London Borough of Enfield, and reflected on her role within a multi-disciplinary team approach.  

The Compass REACH Nurse Team Leader, Ashley Greaves led on the latter sessions of the day, exploring different models of care and psychosocial approaches, and dealing with crisis moments giving the team some very practical advice and reminders of ‘how to get it right’ in moments of heightened risk.

The whole day focused primarily on exploring opportunities for personal and team development and growth, its success was evident in the subsequent reflections and discussions which it brought about. The team shared that they found the insights of their Warwickshire and Enfield colleagues really powerful given some of the differences and complexities of the care needs of the young people they see.

Nurse Team Leader, Ashley Greaves, commented on the day stating, “Compass REACH are continuing to explore areas for learning, and continue to impress with ambition to grow and expand with a view to delivering high quality care. It was really pleasing to see how beneficial the day was for everyone in the team, and a huge thank you is in order for our colleagues who took time out to support the day and deliver sessions for us too”. Compass REACH continue to expand their learning and look forward to a number of upcoming sessions such as specialist lead area updates, and recent learning from the Compass equality and diversity steering group.

If you would like to help support future learning and development days for either Compass REACH or other Compass services, please get in touch with Ashley Greaves on 01609 777662 or 07919 367640 to discuss.