Latest News

Our Trust was delighted to host members of the Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce as part of World Mental Health Day celebrations. The theme this year was ‘Workplace Mental Health’, so we were thrilled to be able to share top tips for looking after your mental health, as well as showcasing the work of our Employment Specialists with a range of employers from Wandsworth.

South West London and St George’s has partnered with Phase Space Ltd to launch an innovative pilot programme that uses specially designed hypnotherapy-based virtual reality (VR) to support patients with psychosis on their journey to recovery. 

Springfield Village Park is a new 32 acre new green space in Tooting. It will open in stages, with the first stage now being enjoyed by local communities. The full site will have a pavilion café, amphitheatre, gardens, children's playgrounds, ponds, a new footbridge and a youth shelter. There will also be areas for sports activities that are accessible to all.

South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust are pleased to launch additional free mental health training programme for local residents. Designed to break mental health stigma, raise mental health awareness and improve mental health literacy, the programme has so far trained over 130 community Champions as is still growing!

It’s OCD Awareness Week (13-19 October), a worldwide event dedicated to raising awareness of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a condition characterised by unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviours that can significantly impact daily life.

On World Mental Health Day (10 October), the Trust joined development partners to host two local schools at Springfield Hospital as part of our celebrations. In the newly opened area of Springfield Park, we first welcomed students from Saint John Boscoe College to cut the ribbon on a youth shelter which was designed by former student Stephanie.

Vasile Taut, a specialist pharmacist, has been named as the winner of the Trust’s Exceptional People Award for August 2024. Vasile joined SWLSTG in November 2022 and has been a highly valued member of the pharmacy team ever since.

Today, we celebrate the vital role pharmacy technicians play in healthcare. These dedicated professionals work behind the scenes to ensure our patients receive the right medications, safely and on time. At SWLSTG, we’re proud to have an exceptional team of pharmacy technicians who go above and beyond for our patients. Join us in celebrating three of our exceptional pharmacy technicians: Joy, Sumathi and Jay!

Today on Allied Health Professions (AHPs) Day, we’re proud to spotlight Jessika, an occupational therapist, and Ross, a specialist dietitian, who are both making a real difference in our eating disorder services.

Kistnen Kiswah has been a devoted member of our Trust for nearly three decades, serving as a Community Psychiatric Nurse within the Merton Older People’s Mental Health (OPMH) Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). His long-standing commitment has been instrumental in supporting the mental well-being of older adults in the community.

New signs have been installed on benches across Springfield Park, offering a simple yet impactful way to raise awareness of mental health support, especially in times of crisis. The signs display the Trust’s 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Line (0800 028 8000) and the recently launched NHS 111 for Mental Health service.

This year's World Mental Health Day is all about workplace mental health, and we know how hard it can be to stay on top of things when life gets busy. That’s why our Recovery College team has created a simple, practical guide full of nervous system hacks.

As we mark World Mental Health Day today, we have so much to reflect on from the past year.  We have continued to work in collaboration with our patients, carers, staff and communities to improve our mental health services and facilities. We have taken important steps on our journey to become actively anti-racist.  And we have worked to break mental health stigma in all its guises.

A new system to improve how the Trust and its partners carry out assessments and treatment under the Mental Health Act will be rolled out early next year.

The system, eMHA, will mean that important information, such as statutory forms, will be completed and held on a specially designed electronic platform rather than on paper, meaning safer and more effective ways to ensure those patients who are most unwell are protected when they at their most vulnerable.

Following final approvals, progression of a new housing development at Springfield Village will support funding for the redevelopment of Tolworth Hospital. 

Work to improve the care and experience of our adult patients and support our communities to live well and stay well is picking up pace. Our Better Care Programme works with both acute and urgent care and our community services together to improve the lives of our adult patients and tackle the mental healthcare challenges seen across our system.

After another challenging year, this is a brilliant opportunity to say thank you to our exceptional staff for the amazing work they do each and every day. 

Melissa Chambers has been named as the next recipient of the Trust’s Exceptional People Award, having been selected as the July 2024 winner. Melissa, an Occupational Therapy Technician in our Shaftesbury Clinic, has been working at the Trust for 5 years – and has enjoyed every minute of it.

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of Black people – both in society and the NHS. It’s a chance for all of us to reflect on the achievements that have shaped the world we live in today.

At SWLSTG, we’re incredibly proud that half of our workforce comes from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds. This diversity strengthens our ability to provide compassionate, inclusive care for everyone in our communities.