from left: Mark Stewart, Paul Hawkins, Lesley Vard, Dr Richard Blennerhasset, Brid O’Meara, Niall Delaney, Brother Dominic Barry and Stephen Boss

Congratulations to Saint John of God Hospital which recently won the Nursing Project of the Year Award at the Irish Healthcare Awards for its project on “Changing observation practice in a mental health setting”. This new approach to patient observation marks a shift in emphasis from a paternalistic approach to one where patients are actively involved in their own care and recovery.

Director of Saint Joseph’s Centre, Brid O’Meara, who led the project while still a member of staff at the hospital says: “At present there are no national guidelines for patient observation in acute mental health settings in Ireland. We hope Saint John of God Hospital’s work in this area may influence future practice.”