Posted on: 10 May 2021
What started as a fun challenge to alleviate staff anxieties during the first national Covid-19 restrictions has become a joyous culture changing movement for all the brave, kind and strong staff at Northwick Park Mental Health Unit.
During the national restrictions last spring, Gbemisola Akinterinwa, Harrow Home Treatment Team (HTT) Team Leader and Audrey Rugge, Discharge Lead, put forward an idea to do the One Million Step Challenge. The challenge involved staff walking 10,000 steps a day, at their own pace, over three months.
The challenge brought staff together and boosted morale as they all supported and checked in on each other to see how they were doing.
Gbemisola said “At what was a difficult time for staff, this challenge created a joyous buzz, a distraction from the worries; something we’d like to continue.”
Last year a new dance challenge set to the song Jerusalema by Master KG featuring Nomcebo began to take the world by storm. This was perfect timing as Gbemisola and Audrey were looking for ways to continue the idea generated by the One Million Step Challenge.
“So, it was decided, the next challenge was going to be a dance one. Thankfully this time there were less steps” said Gbemisola.
Audrey shared a video of Gbemisola doing the Jerusalema Dance challenge on her YouTube channel and showed it to teams across Northwick Park Mental Health Unit.
On World Mental Health Day, staff across Northwick Park Mental Health Unit took part in the Jerusalema dance challenge and showed that dancing together is a perfect way to spread joy and help our mental health.
See the Northwick Park Hospital’s Jerusalema Dance challenge flash mob below:
Gbemisola said, “Keeping our staff in high spirits has a positive impact on patient care. When we are happy, our patients are happy.”
After establishing staff wellbeing events such as these it was agreed to have a Bafta style ceremony where staff were thanked for going above and beyond to support patients during the pandemic.
They decided to call the ceremony Brave, Kind and Strong to perfectly reflect the inspirational qualities of staff.
Staff dressed up to the nines to walk down the red carpet and receive their award. To ensure each and every staff member felt appreciated for the work they have done and continue to do, the team displayed a huge banner with all their names on it under the words Brave, Kind and Strong.
The joy hasn’t stopped there and continues to flow at Northwick Park Mental Health Unit. Audrey put together care packs from charities for staff, which included getting scrubs donated by the Harrow for the Love of Scrubs community.
Celebrations now happen regularly, the team started the Harrow Voices Together Network who get together to celebrate important events during the year, most recently they celebrated Black History Month. Themed Christmas celebrations have taken place and when it’s someone’s birthday they go all out. For all these celebrations Gbemisola works hard to transform work stations into imaginative and fun retreats that boost morale.
Audrey said, “Everyone has played their part in making it a fun place to work, our ideas are welcome by all and we all work together to create that long standing boost to staff morale and create a community that champions the idea we are all in this together.”
What started off with one step, or perhaps millions of steps, has now turned into a culture changing movement. The Harrow Home Treatment Team have created a supportive, happy and joyful place to work for all the brave, kind and strong staff at Northwick Park Mental Health Unit.