C&I as a Trauma Informed Organisation
“Being trauma informed is listening with your mind and listening with your heart to people’s experiences and situations, and skilfully holding them in mind with compassion, kindness and knowledge. Asking someone what’s happened to them, rather than what’s wrong with them does not mean you are trauma informed. This is just the beginning. It is understanding how trauma impacts on our lives and being proactive in making changes.”
A. Rose, Service User Lead for C&I’s Trauma Informed Model
Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust (C&I) is committed to being a Trauma Informed Organisation. A Trauma Informed Organisation:
- Recognises and acknowledges that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma and inequality cause or contribute to the development of mental health problems.
- Incorporates knowledge about trauma in all aspects of the organisation and provides environments where people feel safe enough to disclose what has happened to them.
- Develops policies and practices to reflect this trauma awareness, ensuring that the key message of ‘what has happened to’ rather than ‘what is wrong with’ a person is fundamental.
- Seeks to create conditions that reduce harm and promote healing, especially for individuals who have already experienced trauma (e.g., single sex inpatient wards and safe spaces).
- Recognises the importance of working collaboratively to enable service users to feel empowered and to build trust.
- Challenges and addresses trauma in our workforce as well as in those we serve.
- Has guiding principles of Safety, Empowerment, Collaboration, Choice and Trustworthiness and Equity.
Being trauma informed is a duty of care for the whole organisation and requires a whole cultural change in how we operate. A trauma informed approach must be embraced in all aspects; as well as in direct therapeutic interventions, it should be integrated into leadership, estates services, human resources, research and strategic priorities.
In 2020, the C&I Board made a commitment to becoming a Trauma Informed Organisation and the Trust’s Clinical Strategy (2020-25) endorses a trauma informed clinical approach within our services.
How to get involved
If you would like more information, please contact the Trust’s Trauma Informed Leads:
Shirley McNicholas, Women's Lead
Email: Shirley.McNicholas@candi.nhs.uk
Philippa Greenfield, Consultant
Email: Philippa.Greenfield@candi.nhs.uk