A health and social care trust in Northern Ireland has appointed a mental health nurse to its occupational health team for the first time.
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, which covers Ards, North Down, Down and Lisburn, said the move “strengthened its commitment to staff wellbeing”.
“My own lived experience of mental health difficulties has also given me a different perspective”
Harmony Chapman
It added that the new post would provide specialist advice and compassionate support to staff across the trust, while helping colleagues manage mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Harmony Chapman, a mental health nurse with almost 14 years of professional experience across a range of mental health settings, has been appointed to the role.
Ms Chapman said: “I was delighted to be appointed to the role of mental health nurse within the occupational health department of the South Eastern Trust.
“I was impressed that the health service not only recognised the need for mental health support for its staff, but was also willing to invest in its people by appointing a mental health nurse,” she said.
Ms Chapman highlighted that her professional experience had given her a “good understanding of mental illness across various settings and ways to promote wellness and recovery for staff”.
“The role has also given me valuable insight into the daily challenges and pressures staff face which I think is very important in this role,” she said.
She added: “My own lived experience of mental health difficulties has also given me a different perspective.
“At times, this has significantly impacted my ability to work and required me to navigate mental health services and occupational health support.
“I have perspective from both sides of the coin as a practitioner and as someone who has required support,” she noted.
“Personally, this is an exciting opportunity for me to give back to staff who give so much to others in their various roles,” Ms Cooper said.
The trust’s lead nurse for occupational health services, Karen Walker, said: “We are really excited to be expanding our multidisciplinary team with the addition of Harmony in her role as our first mental health nurse alongside additional physiotherapists.
“This strengthens our ability to provide early specialist support for both mental health and musculoskeletal health and ensures our staff have access to the right support when they need it.”