5th July 2023 is the 75th anniversary of the creation of the NHS.
It’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate the achievements of one of the nation’s most loved institutions, to appreciate the vital role the service plays in our lives, and to recognise and thank the extraordinary NHS staff – the everyday heroes – who are there to guide, support and care for us, day in, day out.
Combined Healthcare will be marking the day by launching a multi-media and virtual reality experience, “Mental Health Reflections – Past. Present. Future.”
This will provide a rich insight into perspectives and reflections on NHS mental health services – spanning a number of decades and containing contributions from frontline staff, service users and their families.
The Reflections experience will be able to be enjoyed in a variety of ways:
- A dedicated section on the Combined Healthcare website, containing videos, pictures and downloadable content;
- Virtual Reality experiences of some of the key reflections, available to be enjoyed on any VR headset – delivered in conjunction with Staffordshire University, plus a VR walkthrough of our brand new facilities delivered at Harplands Hospital through our Project Chrysalis programme; and
- A beautifully designed souvenir book – available for free download.
Three epochs will be covered by “Reflections”:
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- Past – long-serving frontline staff from North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare reflect on their decades of experience of joining the NHS and working in mental health services – their first few months, what has changed over the years, highs and lows and the people who most influenced them;
- Present – service users and their families reflect on the services they have received, the way they they were treated, what worked and what could have been better; and
- Future – staff and young people currently receiving mental health treatment, reflect on what an ideal future for NHS mental health would look like.
Your chance to be part of the Reflections Vault
We are offering staff and service users the chance to be part of this celebration by submitting ideas for our “Reflections Vault”.
The vault will contain a ‘Time Capsule’ digital collection of artefacts, items and objects which provoke memories and relections amongst their owners and creators. Examples could include a piece of medical equipment or uniform from times gone by, an old photograph of premises and staff from yesteryear, or a drawing, poem or painting expressing emotions or memories. The only precondition is that it must be relevant to the provision of NHS mental healthcare.
For each item in the Vault, we will film its owner or creator showing it off and talking about what it means to them and the memories or emotions it provokes.
If you wish to submit an idea for inclusion in the Reflection Vault, please send an email marked “Reflections Vault Idea” to the Comms Team at communications@combined.nhs.uk.
Entries need to be received by Friday 26th May. We will then be in touch with the successful applicants to arrange filming and inclusion.