Trust launches new restraint reduction training | Press releases

In 2010, 23-year-old Olaseni (Seni) Lewis died soon after being restrained by police officers at Bethlem Royal Hospital. Learning from Seni’s story, and working with his family, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has made a number of improvements focusing on preventing restraint and escalation of conflict including: 

1. Using Quality Improvement methods to test and implement interventions to drive safer, more collaborative care. 
2. Developing our training so that it is certified against the Restraint Reduction Network National Training Standards. 
3. Using data to understand the reasons behind the use of restraint to help us develop alternatives.
4. Engaging and working with people with lived experience of mental healthcare and restraint, carers and the wider community. 
5. Implementing Seni’s Law – the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act.
6. Continuing to work to improve physical healthcare monitoring for all patients who use our services. 
7. Establishing a regional safety collaborative across the South London partnership and contributing to the national collaborative focused on reducing restrictive practice - As part of this work the Trust’s Adolescent Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) has been recognised nationally for their improvement in reducing use of restrictive practices. 

 

The Trust has also reviewed its Promoting Safe and Therapeutic Services training, introducing a variety of changes and these changes are now being launched as part of the new Seni Lewis Training Programme.

This training will replace the Promoting Safe and Therapeutic Services (PSTS), aiming to change organisational culture and staff attitudes towards using restraint, focusing on preventative strategies. The training is designed to increase confidence and staff abilities in improving relationships with service users and the whole South London and Maudsley community, particularly those from Black and other racially minoritised backgrounds.  

This new training was piloted throughout October and December 2022 with a range of staffing groups and with members of the involvement register and Lambeth Black Thrive community, and it is now being rolled out across the Trust.

Lewys Beames,  Nurse Consultant - Restrictive Practice, who has been working to refine the new training course, said: “As a Trust, it is crucial that we continue to engage our staff and wider communities in the vital discussion about (Seni Lewis’ tragic death and ensure his story is never forgotten. This new training programme was developed through a partnership with Seni Lewis’ family, service users, carers, Black Thrive community members and Trust staff and builds on what we have learnt over the last 12 years. It advocates a system wide approach to improving patient safety including reducing the use of forceful or restrictive practices and is, at its core, about improving experiences of, and safety in, mental healthcare services.”