Forward Leeds recently welcomed a group of visitors from Tartu University Hospital Psychiatric Clinic in Estonia. They travelled to Leeds to learn more about how services here support people experiencing both mental health and substance use difficulties.
The visit was part of the Estonian team’s work to develop dual diagnosis care pathways within their own services. Leeds was recommended to them by Dr Duncan Rastrick, a well-known psychiatrist in this field who was the clinical lead at the Leeds Addiction Unit. He suggested Forward Leeds as an example of a comprehensive, person-centred service.
“It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase all the great work that happens here at Forward Leeds to an international audience,” said Dr Jonathan Mitchell, who is Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Lead of the Co-occurring Mental Health, Alcohol, and Drugs team at Forward Leeds. “We’re proud to share how our teams deliver integrated, person-centred care for people with both substance use and mental health needs. Visits like this highlight the dedication of our staff and the strength of partnership working across Leeds.”
During their time in the city, the visitors toured several sites. As well as the Forward Leeds hub in Armley they also visited the Leeds recovery hub 5 WAYS and St Anne’s Residential Detox and Rehabilitation service. They also met with staff from across Forward Leeds’ community outreach and harm reduction teams.
The Estonian team said they were inspired by the comprehensive nature of the services on offer in Leeds and impressed by the person-centred approach that underpins Forward Leeds’ work. Several visitors even joked that they would love to come and work at St Anne’s.
Forward Leeds staff, in turn, learned more about how addiction and mental health services operate in Estonia. “We discovered that in some areas they’re ahead of us,” said Dr Mitchell. “For example, all their prescriptions are fully electronic, and they were surprised we still use paper!”
At the end of the visit, the Estonian team invited Forward Leeds staff to visit Tartu in the future to continue the learning exchange and share ideas on best practice for supporting people with complex needs.