NFMHS Mission, Vision and Values

Our Mission Statement guides us in everything we do.

NFMHS Mission Statement

The NFMH service is a safe caring place where we work together to provide high quality specialist forensic services to individuals who require care in a therapeutic secure setting.  We will offer an environment where rehabilitation, stabilisation, safety and person centred care will support patients in their individual recovery.

Vision

Our Vision is for NFMHS to be a centre of excellence that supports recovery through the delivery of high quality forensic mental healthcare to patients and their families.

Values

Our core Values will help us to deliver our Vision and exhibit what is important in terms of service delivery and what we believe in. 

Our five core Values include:

1. Dignity, Privacy & Respect

  • We will provide services to our patients that respect dignity and privacy, demonstrating professionalism and ensuring a safe environment at all times.
  • We will demonstrate our commitment to respecting patient’s dignity by listening and providing opportunities to co-produce care plans, information on treatment and access to daily activities.
  • We will show kindness, consideration & empathy in all our communications & interactions with patients, recognising their individuality and fundamental worth.

2. Person Centred, Recovery Focused Care

  • We will provide patients and their families with the opportunity to learn what recovery is, reflect on what recovery can mean for them as an individual and incorporate it into all aspects of their care.
  • We will recognise patient’s individuality, strengths, needs and goals, working with them to co-design care plans focused on well-being and recovery.
  • We will work collaboratively with patients and their families, listen & respond to needs to ensure patients feel supported and cared for.

3. Safe & Effective Services

  • We will work with patients and their families to deliver high quality safe services in an open and transparent manner.
  • We will deliver services, determining safety and effectiveness through measurable goals and outcomes, supported by independent reviews.
  • We will foster a culture of excellence based on research and development, teaching and training sustained through evaluation and routine outcome measurement.

4. Team Work

  • We will support a culture of open communication where contributions from all patients, carers, staff and partners are valued equally.
  • We will support staff to work in a multidisciplinary team through the provision of appropriate support and leadership.
  • We will promote a culture of learning, innovation and creativity, supporting staff to achieve their full potential.

5. Trust

  • We will foster an environment of trust through open, transparent and consistent communication and information sharing.
  • We will demonstrate integrity, consistency and accountability in all areas of patient care.
  • We will seek feedback and welcome challenge to inform service improvements.

Our Ethics and Guiding Principles

The NFMHS is a tertiary mental health service and an integral part of the HSE. As such it is guided by the principles of medical ethics and the professional codes of the nursing and allied health professions.

  • Respecting the autonomy of the individual, ensuring the individual is notified of proposed decisions and is entitled to make representations (MHA S4(2).
  • Acting in the best interests of the person at all times and to do no harm, with due regard being given to the interests of other persons who may be at risk of serious harm (MHA Section 4(1)). Decision makers shall have regard to the welfare and safety of all persons detained and to the public interest (CL(I)A 2006 S11(2)).
  • Respecting confidentiality
  • Respecting dignity, bodily integrity, privacy and autonomy (MHA Section 4(3)).
  • Ensuring that all decisions made are in accordance with justice, with respect for rights and responsibilities as defined by law.
  • All decision making accountable for reasonableness.

As a national service with unique statutory responsibilities, the NFMHS must be able to accommodate any level of need for mental health treatment in conditions of therapeutic security, no matter how serious the risk or grave the challenge to the safe delivery of treatment.

Our Model of Care

Our model of care is based on peer-reviewed literature, seminal research in the mental health space and service specific international and national recommendations.

Our model of care is reflective of the objective of mental health care in ensuring the facilitation of the recovery and reintegration of the service user into their community. The facility itself is a therapeutic agent and must promote, dignity, personal respect and be restorative. The design objectives are to comply with best practice standards for high secure and medium secure facilities to create a high quality secure living environment for patients and staff.

7 Pillars of Care

The current clinical model of service in the Central Mental Hospital is based around 7 Pillars of care. These are listed below and will be used as guiding pillars for the new service in NFMHS. Each pillar focuses on a specific element of patient care. Care plans are built around the pillars, with many or all of the pillars founding the care base.

Pillar 1 Physical treatment: Patients are encouraged to engage in a variety of physical activity. This ranges from gym machines, stretching, football, walking groups, yoga and fitness classes.

Pillar 2 Illness, insight wellness and recovery: Illness insight is essential to maintaining a focus on the recovery process. When a patient comes in initially and during their stay in CMH there are regular assessments/ risk assessments to ensure the right care plan is in place. Wellness and recovery are focused on through mental health education, mental health commission related activities and 1:1 sessions with staff across the MDT.

Pillar 3 Drugs and Alcohol: When patients have had links to drugs and alcohol this pillar encompasses appropriate assessment, Education and Aftercare. There is also the additional benefit of after care plans and support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

Pillar 4 Offending Behaviour: Any potentially harmful behaviour is assessed through this pillar. This behaviour is then examined and assistance given through family therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy.

Pillar 5 Psychosocial Occupational and rehabilitation: Patients are promoted to develop independent living skills. These include ward chores, activities of daily living and unit based cooking sessions.

Pillar 6 Education, Occupational Creativity: Education and occupation are large parts of the patients’ days. There is a wide array of educational activities available, including current affairs groups, music sessions, class based learning and computer classes. Patients are also encouraged to use their natural creativity through activities such as musicals, quiz groups, band practice, pet therapy and art activities.

Pillar 7 Family and Social Networking: Family and social involvement is heavily encouraged. Examples of family related networks include family visits both hospital based and home based. Additional to this are social networks such as the Irish Advocacy Network, transitional leave and community meetings.