Placement Overview
| Placement Title | Ferndale Ward – Edenfield Centre |
| Trust | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) |
| Your Placement Contact | Mohammed Khoshdel & Kevin Myles – Send Email |
| Placement Contact’s Role | Ward Manager – Mohammed Khoshdel & PEL – Kevin Myles |
| Placement Address | Edenfield Centre, Bury New Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 3BL |
| Placement City/Town: | Prestwich |
| Placement Phone & Website: | 0161 358 2073
https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/medium-secure-services/ |
| Your University Contact: | Sam Roper – Send Email |
About this placement
What is organised for students on commencement of placement?
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to Ferndale ward at Edenfield for your upcoming placement. To ensure a smooth start, please read the following guidance carefully:
📞 Before You Arrive
Make contact in advance to introduce yourself, confirm your start date, shift pattern, and discuss any placement expectations.
Uniform must be worn throughout your placement.
🗓️ First Day Induction
A local and learner induction/orientation will take place on your first day, where possible.
A key induction session will also be arranged to support your integration.
You’ll be introduced to the Manager, Practice Education Lead (PEL), and the wider team and confirmation on your assessor and supervisor will be finalised.
🔐 Safety & Security
Strict compliance with safety and security protocols is required at all times.
Prohibited items: Mobile phones, electrical devices, and lighters are not permitted on site.
Only essential belongings may be brought into Edenfield. This can include your food and drink. Energy drinks, such as Red Bull, Lucozade, Monster or cans of soda and not allowed. If unsure, please ask when you call.
📧 Welcome Pack
A welcome letter or pack will be emailed to you prior to your placement, where possible.
🚗 Parking & ID
Free on-site parking is available. Your NET2 badge will grant access.
You must always carry your GMMH learner ID badge.
If you do not have one, please contact the Practice Education Facilitator (PEF) immediately using the details below.
Do not attend placement without your ID badge.
What are the arrangements for mentors/assessors?
To support your learning and development throughout your placement, the following supervision and assessment arrangements will be in place:
👥 Assessor & Supervisor Allocation
Where possible, learners will be assigned an assessor and supervisor(s) prior to starting placement.
An initial interview will be conducted by your assessor or supervisor during your first week, where feasible.
🔄 Day-to-Day Supervision
You will primarily work alongside multiple supervisors throughout your placement.
These supervisors will observe your practice and provide regular feedback to your designated assessor.
📝 Progress Reviews
Your assessor will meet with you at both the mid-point and final point of your placement. You can also have time with your Assessor/Supervisor at any other point if you wish to raise something.
These meetings are designed to review your progress and provide constructive feedback on your development.
Where possible, these review sessions will be scheduled in advance to ensure adequate preparation. It is your responsibility to come to these meetings prepared and with an open mind. They are designed to help you on your journey to become a nurse.
What shift patterns are students allocated for learning?
To ensure a safe and productive learning experience, please review the following guidance regarding your working hours and shift patterns during placement:
📅 Weekly Hours & Shift Structure
Learners are contracted to work 37.5 hours per week in practice.
This typically consists of 2 short shifts and 2 long shifts per week.
🕘 Shift Timings
Shift Type Time’s Break Duration Notes
Short Shift (AM) 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM 30 minutes As per Trust policy
Short Shift (PM) 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM 30 minutes As per Trust policy
Long Day 7:00 AM – 7:15 PM 60 minutes As per Trust policy
Night Shift 7:00 PM – 7:15 AM 60 minutes As per Trust policy
🔒 Breaks must not be taken at the start or end of your shift. Your welfare is important and adequate rest and time off the ward is paramount in our thinking. You can’t pour from an empty glass.
🔄 Shift Planning & Flexibility
You are expected to engage with the full 24/7 shift pattern, including nights and weekends.
Shifts can be negotiated if needed but must be planned in advance.
Any changes to your rota must be agreed with the Manager or Practice Education Lead (PEL).
You are an adult, with adult responsibilities and we will try to accommodate your shift requests as best we can. However, bear in mind you are here to learn, so there is an expectation that you attend handovers and MDT meetings, as these are invaluable learning experiences.
🏖️ Annual Leave
If you intend to use your 1-week annual leave during placement, or any portion of it, this must be:
discussed in advance
Agreed with your Higher Education Institution (HEI)
⛔ Working Time Limits
You must not exceed 48 hours of total work per week, including:
Placement hours
Bank shifts
Study days
Any other employment.
As mentioned previously, your welfare is important and adequate rest is paramount to your own wellbeing.
What patient care situations are available in this placement?
🏥 Patient Care & Clinical Experience
Edenfield Placement Overview
Your placement at Edenfield offers a comprehensive and immersive experience in mental health care. You’ll work alongside experienced professionals, engage directly with patients, and develop a wide range of clinical and therapeutic skills. This environment is designed to support your growth as a reflective, skilled, and compassionate practitioner.
👥 Therapeutic Interventions
You’ll be actively involved in delivering and observing therapeutic approaches that support recovery and emotional wellbeing:
1:1 Sessions: Engage in direct therapeutic conversations with patients, focusing on emotional support, goal setting, and progress monitoring.
Group-Based Interventions: Participate in structured group activities such as psychoeducation, mindfulness, or creative therapies that foster peer support and shared learning.
Psychological Support: Work alongside the Psychology Team and PWPs to understand how psychological formulations and interventions are tailored to individual needs.
🩺 Health Improvement Activities
Mental health care is holistic, and you’ll gain exposure to services that promote physical and spiritual wellbeing:
Screening & Vaccination: Observe routine health checks and immunisation efforts that protect patient health.
Podiatry & Physiotherapy: Learn how physical health services contribute to mobility, comfort, and overall wellbeing.
Chaplaincy Services: Understand the role of spiritual care in supporting patients’ emotional resilience and personal values.
Dental & Optical Care: Explore how oral and visual health are managed within inpatient settings.
Lifestyle Improvement Initiatives: Support programmes that encourage healthier living, such as smoking cessation, dietary education, and physical activity groups.
🧩 Complex Mental Health Care
You’ll work with patients who present with a range of complex and co-occurring conditions, gaining insight into multidisciplinary approaches to care:
Severe Mental Illness: Support individuals with diagnoses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.
Substance Misuse: Learn how addiction impacts mental health and how integrated care plans address both issues.
Personality Disorders: Observe therapeutic strategies for managing emotional dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, and risk behaviours.
Challenging Behaviours: Develop skills in managing aggression, non-compliance, and distress with empathy and professionalism.
Neurodiversity: Gain understanding of autism spectrum conditions, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental differences within mental health care.
Mental Health Act: Learn how legal frameworks guide treatment, rights, and safeguards for patients under compulsory care.
📝 Core Clinical Processes
You’ll be involved in the operational backbone of mental health care delivery:
Admissions, Transfers & Discharges: Observe how patients enter, move through, and leave services, including risk assessments and care planning.
Shift Coordination: Participate in planning daily activities, allocating staff roles, and responding to emerging needs.
Primary Nursing: Take responsibility for a small caseload, building therapeutic relationships and coordinating care.
Holistic Care Planning: Learn the full cycle of care—Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Review—tailored to each patient’s needs.
CPA Coordination: Understand the structured process for managing complex cases, involving multidisciplinary input and regular reviews.
Therapeutic Relationships: Build trust and rapport with patients, using communication and empathy to support recovery.
De-escalation Techniques: Practice strategies to safely manage agitation, aggression, or distress while maintaining dignity and safety.
🔐 Professional Standards & Security
You’ll be expected to uphold professional values and contribute to a safe, respectful care environment:
NMC Code of Conduct: Apply principles of accountability, compassion, and professionalism in all aspects of care.
Confidentiality: Maintain strict boundaries around patient information and privacy.
Holistic Care: Deliver care that considers biological, psychological, and social factors affecting mental health.
Security Measures: Understand and apply both procedural (e.g., searches, observations) and relational (e.g., rapport-building) security practices.
🛠️ Additional Clinical Skills
You’ll have opportunities to develop practical skills essential for mental health nursing:
Self-Harm Management: Respond to incidents with sensitivity, using clinical protocols and emotional support strategies.
Medication Management: Learn safe administration practices, side effect monitoring, and patient education.
CTMs & CPA Reviews: Attend ward rounds and formal reviews to observe multidisciplinary decision-making and care planning.
Physical Observations: Conduct routine checks such as blood pressure, temperature, and weight to monitor physical health.
Handovers: Practice clear and concise communication during shift changes to ensure continuity of care.
Shift Coordination: Support the organisation of daily ward activities and staff responsibilities.
Depot Injections: Observe or assist in administering long-acting antipsychotic medications under supervision.
1:1 Therapeutic Sessions: Facilitate structured conversations that support patient reflection, goal setting, and emotional regulation.
This placement is your gateway to becoming a confident, capable mental health nurse. If you engage, you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of patient care, stronger clinical skills, and a clearer sense of your professional identity.
What nursing model is used for planning care?
🌱 The Recovery Model
The Recovery Model is a person-centred approach to mental health care that focuses on empowering individuals to lead meaningful lives, even while managing mental health challenges. It shifts the focus from simply treating symptoms to supporting personal growth, autonomy, and hope.
🔑 Key Principles:
Hope: Belief that recovery is possible
Personal Responsibility: Encouraging individuals to take charge of their own wellbeing
Self-Advocacy: Supporting people to speak up for their needs and preferences
Meaningful Roles: Helping individuals reconnect with work, relationships, and community
Individualised Care: Recognising that recovery looks different for everyone
🧠 In Practice:
Care plans are co-produced with the patient
Emphasis on strengths, not just deficits
Encourages positive risk-taking and personal choice
Supports holistic wellbeing—mental, physical, social, and spiritual
📋 Care Programme Approach (CPA)
The CPA is a structured framework used in UK mental health services to coordinate care for individuals with complex needs. It ensures that care is planned, delivered, and reviewed in a way that is safe, effective, and person-centred.
🧩 Who Is It For?
People with severe mental health conditions
Those needing support from multiple services (e.g., housing, social care, physical health)
Individuals recently discharged from hospital under the Mental Health Act
🛠️ Core Components:
Comprehensive Assessment: Covers mental, physical, and social needs
Care Plan: A personalised plan outlining treatment, support, crisis management, and goals
Care Coordinator: A named professional (e.g., nurse, social worker) who oversees the plan
Regular Reviews: Ongoing evaluation of progress, needs, and adjustments
🤝 How It Supports Recovery:
Aligns with the Recovery Model by involving the individual in every step
Promotes continuity of care across services
Encourages shared decision-making and goal setting
Includes crisis planning and relapse prevention strategies
What resources are available to help students learning?
📚 Learning Resources & Opportunities
Your placement at Edenfield is supported by a rich array of learning tools and professional development opportunities designed to enhance your clinical knowledge, reflective practice, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
🧠 Reflective & Collaborative Learning
MDT Reflective Discussions: Engage in multidisciplinary team reflections to deepen your understanding of complex cases and care strategies.
MDT Learning Sessions: Learn directly from experienced professionals across disciplines including psychiatry, psychology, nursing, and allied health.
Coaching Model: Benefit from structured guidance and mentorship to support your growth and confidence in practice.
Skilled Staff Support: Work alongside knowledgeable staff who are committed to teaching and sharing expertise.
📖 Structured Learning Materials
Learner Information Booklet & Noticeboard: Access essential placement information, updates, and learning prompts (where available).
Information Folders: Explore curated resources on clinical procedures, policies, and mental health topics.
Trust Learning Hub: Online platform offering e-learning modules, CPD courses, and clinical updates.
Trust-Wide CPD Training: Participate in continuing professional development sessions across the organization.
🏛️ Legal & Policy Frameworks
Mental Health Act & Mental Capacity Act: Gain insight into the legal frameworks that underpin mental health care and patient rights.
Care Programme Approach (CPA): Understand the coordination and review process for complex care planning.
🌐 Research & Knowledge Access
Internet/Intranet Access: Use digital platforms to research clinical topics, access guidelines, and stay informed.
Trust On-Site Library: A dedicated space for quiet study and access to a wide range of academic resources.
Journal Articles & Current Publications: Stay up to date with the latest evidence-based practices through access to relevant journals and research literature.
🔄 Spoke Placement Opportunities
Range of Spoke Experiences: Explore different services and specialties within the trust to broaden your clinical exposure and understanding of mental health care pathways.
This comprehensive learning environment is designed to empower you with the tools, support, and experiences needed to thrive in your placement and beyond.
What research and practice development activities are being undertaken?
🔬 Research & Professional Development Activities
Your placement at Edenfield offers opportunities to engage with research-informed practice and developmental activities that support evidence-based care and continuous learning.
🧪 Research Engagement
Edenfield Research Department: Connect with ongoing studies and initiatives that contribute to the advancement of mental health care.
Psychosocial Interventions: Explore research and application of therapeutic approaches aimed at improving psychological and social functioning.
📅 Structured Learning & Development
Structured Day Programme: Participate in organized therapeutic and educational activities that promote routine, recovery, and engagement.
Student Development Topics: Access tailored learning sessions focused on key areas of mental health nursing and professional growth.
Reflection Models: Learn and apply structured models of reflection (e.g., Gibbs, Schön) to enhance critical thinking and self-awareness in practice.
📈 Quality Improvement & Ethical Practice
CQUIN (Commissioning for Quality and Innovation): Understand how national quality improvement goals influence service delivery and patient outcomes.
Least Restrictive Practice: Engage with principles and practices that prioritize patient autonomy, dignity, and safety within therapeutic environments.
These activities are designed to deepen your understanding of research, ethics, and innovation in mental health care—equipping you with the skills to be a reflective, evidence-informed practitioner. Would you like help turning this into a visual summary or presentation slide?
Spoke Placements
🔄 Spoke Placement Opportunities
As part of your placement at Edenfield, you will have the chance to explore a variety of spoke placements—short-term experiences in different services or departments. These are designed to broaden your understanding of mental health care across diverse settings and roles.
🧭 Available Spoke Placements
You may have the opportunity to spend time in the following areas:
Other Wards within Edenfield: Gain insight into different patient populations and care approaches.
Women’s Service: Understand gender-specific mental health needs and therapeutic interventions.
Low Secure Service: Explore care within a secure environment focused on rehabilitation and risk management.
Clozaril Clinic: Learn about specialist medication monitoring and management for treatment-resistant conditions.
Occupational Therapy: Observe how therapeutic activities support recovery, independence, and wellbeing.
Duty Manager Role: Shadow leadership and coordination responsibilities across the site.
Pharmacy Services: Understand medication dispensing, safety protocols, and pharmacological support.
Community Mental Health Team: Experience continuity of care and support beyond inpatient settings.
Psychology Department: Observe psychological assessments, therapy sessions, and formulation work.
Hospital at Night Team: Gain exposure to out-of-hours care coordination and emergency response.
📝 Reflective Practice & Feedback
Learners are expected to complete a Spoke Placement Feedback Sheet on PARE, which includes:
Learning Outcomes: What you aimed to achieve during the spoke experience
Reflections: What you learned and observed
Assessor Discussion: A reflective conversation with your assessor to evaluate your experience and identify further development opportunities
Spoke placements are a valuable way to enrich your learning, build professional insight, and shape your future practice.
Additional Information
🤰 Pregnancy & Placement Suitability
If you are pregnant, please contact the University Placements Unit as early as possible. Due to the nature of the clinical environment, placements in this area may not be suitable, and alternative arrangements may need to be considered.
🛏️ Ferndale Ward Overview
Ferndale Ward supports male service users who are progressing in their recovery but still require ongoing treatment and therapeutic support. The ward provides a structured and supportive environment to promote continued rehabilitation.
👨👩👧👦 Carer & Family Support
Our staff are available to offer information and guidance to service users, their families, and carers. This includes:
Mental health education and recovery resources
Information on available choices and support services
Carers Information Packs
Carers Events held throughout the year to promote engagement and support
🤒 Sickness & Absence
If you are unable to attend placement due to illness, you must:
Contact the ward directly
Notify the University absence email as per protocol
Prompt communication ensures continuity and professionalism in your placement responsibilities.
👔 Dress Code & Professional Appearance
Learners are expected to maintain a professional image at all times, both within and outside clinical areas. This includes:
Wearing the designated uniform and appropriate footwear
Always Displaying your GMMH student ID badge
Adhering to standards of professional conduct and presentation
Practice education Facilitator: Lindsey Hodges
Contact details: lindsey.hodges@gmmh.nhs.uk