2023 Nominees and Winners

After a fantastic inclusive day, we are delighted to announce our finalists and winners of the 2023 National Service User Awards:

The complete list of categories and finalists is as follows:

Celebrating Diversity

Winner:
LGBTQ+ Folk & Friends
Women’s Service Education Department, Rampton Hospital, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

The service user created cartoon characters to raise awareness, helping to give insight into the broad spectrum of diversity, relating to LGBTQ+. Showcasing the different gender identities and sexual orientations in a fun way.

Other finalists:

  • Cygnet Celebrating Diversity and Culture – East Hampton, Cygnet Hospital Bury, Cygnet Group
  • Co-Production for New Building – Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
  • Celebrating 75 years of Windrush Anniversary – Arnold Lodge, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

The project that won the service user choice vote was Co-Production for New Building, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Hope and Positivity

Winner:
Vicki’s Makaton Teaching
Cygnet Elms, Cygnet Group

Vicki has been working hard since being at Cygnet Elms to teach other service users and staff the sign language Makaton. Vicki set up weekly sessions with both service users and staff in group settings and 1:1 tutorials. Vicki is very patient and is a great teacher and leader.

Other finalists:

  • Welly Fest 2023 – Welly Fest Planning Committee, Yorkshire and Humber Involvement Network
  • Co-Production of Sing & Sign & Seated Exercise – Maplewood Ward, Mersey Care Whalley, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
  • Stockton Hall Recycling initiative – Stockton Hall Hospital, Priory Group
  • Charity Car Wash – Cygnet Elms, Cygnet Group

The project that won the service user choice vote was Welly Fest 2023, Welly Fest Planning Committee, Yorkshire and Humber Involvement Network.

Innovation in Recovery

Winner:
Deepness Ltd Radio and other projects
Deepness Ltd

Ron Coleman is a mental health activist, and has led the hearing voices movement. After developing cognitive memory problems, he started Deepness – recognising there was no real peer support for people with dementia. From this, he has started a radio station for people with dementia that now has 250,000 listeners a year, and written a document so people with dementia can use Alexa to plan their day.

Other finalists:

  • Hearing Voices Support Group – Rampton Hospital, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
  • Reflections on Restrictive Practices Workshop – Cheswold Park Hospital, Riverside Healthcare Ltd

The project that won the service user choice vote was Hearing Voices Support Group, Rampton Hospital, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Community and Collaboration

Winner:
On Myself
Stockton Hall Hospital, Priory Group

On Myself is a short animation about a patient at Stockton Hall Hospital. The video is designed to be a small snapshot of what it is like in a secure service with a diagnosis.

Other finalists:

  • Ridgeway Recovery Awards – Ridgeway, Roseberry Park Hospital, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
  • Man Chat #It’sOkaytoTalk – Phoenix Ward, Cygnet Hospital Wyke, Cygnet Group
  • Community Day at Ridgeway – Ridgeway, Roseberry Park Hospital, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
  • Restraint, a Patient Perspective – Francis Willis Unit, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust
  • Stockton Hall Community Christmas Fayre – Stockton Hall Hospital, Priory Group

The project that won the service user choice vote was Restraint, a Patient Perspective, Francis Willis Unit, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust.

Lived Experience Leader

Winner:
Leanne Walker
Derbyshire’s Living Well Programme, Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Leanne, a former CAMHS service user, has been recognised nationally for her efforts to ensure that young people can participate in their care and in service improvements. Now Leanne has edited a book, through an international publisher, enabling young people to describe the importance of participation in their own words.

Other finalists:

  • Autism Training – Cygnet Elms, Cygnet Group
  • Martina – Somerset Recovery Partners, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
  • Femi Gbadamosi – St Ann’s Hospital, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey NHS Mental Health Trust
  • Lee Millington-Millar – Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke, Cygnet Group
  • Co-Production Leadership within the WYCRP – CREST, NHS Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

The project that won the service user choice vote was Femi Gbadamosi, St Ann’s Hospital, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey NHS Mental Health Trust.

The Mark Britton Service User Choice Award

Winner:
Femi Gbadamosi
St Ann’s Hospital, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey NHS Mental Health Trust

Femi is the first Peer & Lived Experience Manager in Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health (BEH MH) Trust and demonstrates the power of lived experience and the impact this can have on service users, carers, but also staff too. Femi is a real inspiration, a trailblazer and an asset to the Peer and Lived Experience workforce.