The MPFT Podcast

We know that the experiences of patients, carers, and families are really important. Their voices should help guide how we lead, how we work, and how we make decisions every day. And we want the people who use our services, our staff, and community partners to work together equally to help improve what we do. MPFT launched its Co-Production Lived Experience and Community Voice Strategy, also known...

A pioneering partnership is taking a preventative approach to supporting the mental health of young people involved in or at risk of becoming drawn into crime and violence in Staffordshire. The Violence Reduction Team Wellness Project sees MPFT's Lauren Cockroft working closely with Staffordshire Police to identify vulnerable individuals and intervene in helping them access the right help when...

MPFT is committed to offering those with lived experience the opportunity to become part of the Trust and work within our teams to provide their unique insights in support of service users. An increasing number of Peer Support Workers are joining MPFT and for this edition of The MPFT Podcast we were joined by Amy Hill, who works as a Peer Support Worker with our Perinatal and Maternal Mental Healt...

Relationships aren't easy, family life is stressful, and couples and co-parents face many challenges. In this episode, Caroline talks to Ginty Thorley and Caroline Porter as they explore why reducing parental conflict matters so much for children’s emotional wellbeing and family relationships. They discuss how everyday disagreements can escalate, the impact this has on children, and practical...

It’s normal to expect to feel happy, excited and positive during pregnancy and when a baby is born. However, it doesn't always happen like this. Up to one in five women experience mental health problems in pregnancy or in the first year following the birth of a child. Without support, these mental health issues can have significant and long-lasting effects on the woman, the child, and wider fa...

Join Health Visitors Stacey and Carol as they talk about protecting your child through vaccination. Vaccinations protect children from serious illnesses like measles, meningitis, polio, whooping cough and more. Discover how this works, why the national schedule might change, common myths, managing potential side effects and more. Using NHS and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidelines to provid...

Psychosis is a severe mental illness which affects up to 3% of the population and is associated with significant impairment in social functioning and shorter life expectancy.  Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) teams seek, identify and reduce treatment delays at the onset of psychosis and promote recovery by reducing the probability of relapse following a first episode of psychosis. Timely acce...

In this episode Caroline speaks to Paul from Everyone Health Staffordshire. They dive into a growing trend that’s been making headlines, sparking debate and raising serious questions for teenagers, parents, schools, and health professionals alike — vaping among teenagers. Commissioned by Staffordshire County Council, Everyone Health offers free smoking cessation services alongside a range of other...

On this edition of the MPFT Podcast, Chloe and Maria from our South Staffordshire Mental Health Support Team are interviewed by Mehak about the range of ways MPFT's mental health support teams can support children and young people in schools across Staffordshire with their mental health and wellbeing. More information about the team can be found at - www.mpft.nhs.uk/services/mental-health-supp...

Assistant Director of Communications, Katie Dale, is joined by MPFT's Chief Executive Neil Carr and Chief People Officer Alex Brett to talk about the impact of the High Potential Scheme (HPS). They discuss Katie's own HPS experience, and the value the HPS brings to systems, organisations and participants, and showcase the incredible success of the High Potential Scheme to date. A transcrip...

On this edition of The MPFT Podcast, we are delighted to be joined by Logan who opened up about his mental health struggles from adolescence into adulthood. After receiving support from MPFT's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Transitional Care Team, Logan wanted to talk about his journey to help others who may be struggling to understand the range of support out there. T...

For this episode, Peer Support Worker Lee Porter is joined by Esme, a service user of MPFT's Eating Disorders Service. Esme shares her journey through anorexia nervosa, reflecting on the challenges, turning points, and the daily choices that shape recovery. Together, they explore the complexities of the disease, the importance of seeking support, and the hope that comes with recovery. MPFT pro...

Bullying can have a lasting impact on a child’s emotional well-being and development. In this episode, we explore what bullying looks like today — both in person and online — and how parents can recognize the signs early. We’ll share practical strategies for supporting your child, fostering resilience, and working with schools to create a safe environment. Whether your child is experiencing bullyi...

The move from childhood to adulthood can be a stressful time of change for all young people and their families. When a young person is experiencing mental health issues that transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, or CAMHS for short, to adult mental health services can be particularly challenging. A new Transitional Care Team has been launched in Staffordshire by the Trust to...

Making time for our own wellbeing is hugely important. For this latest episode we're joined by Sarah Hodgkins, Team Leader of the MPFT Staff Wellbeing Hub to explore how the Hub supports people who work for the Trust. MPFT staff can visit the Staff Wellbeing Hub SharePoint site to make a referral or find out more - https://c9online.sharepoint.com/sites/MPFT-Team02/SWHMPFT/SitePages/Staff-Wellb...

Most often the best place for a person to receive urgent care is in the community and, where possible in their own home. A core aim of the new NHS 10 Year Plan is to shift care from hospital to the community. The Integrated Care Coordination for Urgent Care Service, or ICC for short works to do just that. For this episode, we'll be talking about how the service works to coordinate the care a p...

For this episode of The MPFT Podcast we're joined by Dr Gary Lamph, an Honorary Consultant Nurse (Mental Health) with MPFT and a Reader in Mental Health Nursing at Keele University, who has been selected for the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s (NIHR)  Nursing Research Leadership Programme . Gary reflects on his impressive career, alongside his excitement at his new role which...

Reciprocal mentoring is a two way process where those paired together both gain as a mentoring pair through formal-and-informal group and one-to-one sessions. As part of MPFT’s journey to ensuring equity for all, members of the Trust Board took part in a reciprocal mentoring programme with colleagues from different ethnic minority backgroundsto hear about their experiences and gain a greater under...

Welcome to this latest edition of The MPFT Podcast! For this episode, Naomi Martin from the MPFT communications team is joined by  Victoria Campbell, or Vicky, who’s doing amazing work as a Respiratory Nurse Consultant and one of only a few national Respiratory Champions in the UK. She’s helping to change the game for people with lung conditions, not just in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Tent, but al...

In this episode Kristy, a Specialist Health Visitor in perinatal mental health talks to Darren, a dad who will share his experiences and struggles which have led him to now work with and support other men, helping them to build resilience. To speak to a Health Visitor please call 0808 178 0611 A transcript of this episode is available to download ⁠⁠. Links & Info: Families Health and Wellbeing...

In this latest episode with our 0-19 Service, Caroline, Kristy and Laura talk about Infant Mental Health and Wellbeing. Good infant mental health enables infants to feel safe and secure and it establishes the foundations for children’s ongoing social and emotional development. If you would like to talk to a Health Visitor please callthe Hub on 0808 178 0611 or text 07520 615 722. Our Hub is open M...

Welcome to this latest edition of the new look MPFT Podcast! For this episode we're focusing on the opening of our new mental health crisis care facility at St George's Hospital in Stafford. Mark Fletcher from the MPFT communications team is joined on this chat by Shelley Evans, MPFT Service Lead for Mental Health Urgent Care Services in South Staffordshire. Operating 24 hours a day, seven...

We’re back with another edition of the new look MPFT Podcast and for this episode we’re focusing on the brilliant work of our Governors. Governors are volunteer representatives who play a crucial role in the governance of NHS Foundation Trusts such as MPFT, and serve as an invaluable link between our members, the public, our Board and the wider Trust. Our Chair Jackie Small sat down with our Lead...

We’ve relaunched the MPFT Podcast and have a fresh new look! As well as being able to listen to episodes via your podcast channel of choice, you can now also view episodes through our YouTube channel - ⁠www.youtube.com/@mpftnhs⁠ For this episode we’re celebrating our ‘Good’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for our adult acute mental health wards and psychiatric intensive care unit, wh...

In this latest MPFT Podcast episode with the Families' Health and Wellbeing 0-19 Service, we hear from Health Visitors Caroline, Kristy and Carolyn talking about Baby Blues - a common experience for many new parents in the first few weeks after giving birth resulting in low mood and tearfulness. A transcript of this episode is available to download⁠⁠ . To speak to a Health Visitor please call 0808...