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National Mental Health Nurses' Day is celebrated on February 21st every year. 

The day was created to show extra appreciation for the essential work of our mental health nurses and to promote the profession as a rewarding career.

At Oxleas, we have mental health nurses working with people of all ages in lots of different environments, from community settings, to prisons, hospitals and homes.

To mark this special occasion, we caught up with some of our mental health nurses, to find out more about these kind and caring individuals.

Julius is a clinical team leader on our Hazelwood Ward and has been a mental health nurse for 10 years, having been introduced to the profession by a good friend.

By far the best thing about his role Julius said is:

The joy of seeing patients living very well in society having once been acutely mentally unwell and unable to function.

Temitope is a mental health nurse in our Bromley Mental Health Hub, she says that seeing her patients return to their normal lives is by far the most rewarding part of her job, which she’s been doing for some 20 years. Temi looks after her own wellbeing by swimming, playing table tennis and travelling.

Neil’s mum was a nurse and he decided he wanted to follow in her footsteps, he’s been happily in his role for 21 years.

Neil says: 

Having meaningful conversations with patients is the best part of my job.

Sport and fitness are also very popular amongst our mental health nurses, like Temitope, Neil looks after his wellbeing outside of work by keeping fit, spending time with family and appreciating the things to see and do in London.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the recovery of our patients is one of the most rewarding part of the job for all the mental health nurses we spoke to.

(Caption left to right: Neil and Julia)

Julia qualified in 1983 and has worked for Oxleas ever-since, starting as a nursing assistant at Goldie Leigh Hospital and loving it. 

Julia said: 

Being able to positively influence nursing practice as a Practice Development Nurse is very rewarding, but privately, when I accidentally meet past service users and hear how their lives have developed and improved brings me real joy. Outside of work, I relax by watching football, taking yoga sessions, going on walking holidays and looking into local history.

Catherine Seaborne, Head of Nursing in our Community Mental Health Directorate, has been a mental health nurse for 20 years and was seconded from her role as a health care assistant, she says:

Seeing patients recover and return to work or university is the best thing about my job. Outside of work I enjoy family, friends and walking my dog – it’s often the little things that make the biggest difference.

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