Andrea Leonard, Deputy Manager, Teignbridge Community Mental Health Team

Andrea joined us in January 2018, after moving to Devon from the Midlands. Here she shares her story about why she decided to become a nurse and what makes it so rewarding.

How did you start at DPT and where would you like your career to go next?

I have a long history of working in community mental health teams and crisis teams in the Midlands. I enjoy working in community settings for many reasons. There is real diversity within the patient group, which makes every day different. We are able to work autonomously, within a multi-disciplinary team, meaning we always have support of the team behind us. I feel lucky to do what I do.

I decided that working in community mental health teams is right for me as you see so many people and really get to know the organisation and its values. I started at Devon Partnership NHS Trust (DPT) as a Senior Practitioner for the Teignbridge Crisis Team and have moved to Torbay on a secondment as Deputy Team Leader.

I’d like to continue managing teams – within DPT opportunities for career progression are there for you to work upwards safely. I’ve worked as a Clinical Team Leader in Torbay for ten months now, which has made me a better deputy.  I am now able to get on and make decisions on my own, confidently. I enjoy supporting staff and take pleasure in having a role where people see you as a role model.

Why did you choose mental health?

I also have a history of working in learning disability services and managing challenging behaviour units. An opportunity arose for me to work in a supported housing environment for people with mental health needs, which really opened my eyes to mental health nursing. I often liaised with community mental health nurses and found it incredibly interesting and this, along with having student nurses work with us on placement, opened the doors to the possibility of mental health nursing training.

I remember working with someone who was having a relapse of psychosis, experiencing hallucinations of spiders coming into his letter box. I completely empathised with this person’s fear, as I am frightened of spiders myself. Seeing them recover following treatment and support inspired me to undertake my training. 

What does being a nurse mean to you?

Being a nurse is not just a job. You take it on as your identity: ‘I am A nurse’. I find my role interesting and to me it is a privilege. Spending time with people, their families and fellow professionals, gives you a sense of purpose. Nursing opens up opportunities. You have options to diversify, specialise in key areas and there are great management opportunities and pathways.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is recovery – and understanding the true nature of what recovery is. It can be challenging because sometimes people don’t want to be fixed to your idea of recovery, they have their own ideas and goals. It’s a privilege to work with the person towards their own goals and to be with them through every step. Another real highlight is positive risk taking and trying different techniques that can really play a productive role in people’s recovery.

What's the highlight of your working day?

My daily highlight is taking time to reflect at the end of the day. Checking over what has been achieved and what still needs to be done so I have a clear idea of work to be done the next day. I also enjoy my regular check-ins with managers – they really take time to facilitate my interests into the role.

What gives you the strength to keep going when dealing with an upsetting or difficult situation at work?

Relying on my training and experience really gives me strength in difficult times – as well as the support of my colleagues. After incidents occur, we rely on processes to move forward, such as risk management forms, and de-briefing with the team. I know that I can phone any manager and say “I’m struggling” and there is always good supervision in place.

I have always had an interest in risk management and learning from incidents – reflecting on what could have been done differently. Knowing the processes that are in place is reassuring after any incident or bad day and coming home and looking at the sea is a perfect way to close any negative day.

Do you have any hobbies?

I grew up with dogs and love them!  Living on a houseboat in the Midlands I was never able to have a dog, so when I moved to my new house in Devon, my husband and I were so happy to finally welcome our chocolate Labrador Cocoa to the family! I love walking with her every morning in Cockington Country Park, where we have lovely walks, park lands and lakes.

What is it about Devon that makes you feel at home?

Devon hasn’t been home for long. A good friend who I’ve known since aged 10 lived here and the more we came on holiday, the more we thought about moving. Being able to have a dog and cat has made it more like a home. Torquay is hugely dog-friendly, meaning we are able to pop into all the local shops and cafés! Being able to get stuck into gardening has been great. Quite literally putting my roots down, and creating wildlife friendly habitats. Gardening season is long here in Devon and the weather is mild, meaning there’s interest in the garden all year.

Where in Devon is your favourite place to visit?

I love to take people down to Anstey Cove in Torbay. It is so quiet and the water is so blue, you feel as though you could be in the Greek islands – especially with my favourite little café that sells beer. The perfect day is sitting by the water with a drink in hand! I love the microclimate of Torquay.

What support does DPT give you as a nurse?

There is a lot of support within Devon Partnership NHS Trust (DPT). There is a real feeling that the Trust values the staff they have and will give you opportunities to work in the sector you want to be in. They value where you’d like to be in your career and give you the support to get there. I’ve been able to attend coaching sessions, which is something I have never experienced in other Trusts. There is always the opportunity to develop to where you want to be, with the help of very supportive managers, which has meant I’ve been able to work up to my current role as Deputy Manager and I have also had opportunities to act up into Clinical Team Leader roles. We have so many services within the Trust and we are given the opportunity to work within different areas, as well as there being an emphasis on research.

Describe what it’s like working with your team

My team is incredibly supportive. We have challenges in the community, but the team always think, “What can we do to make this better?” Within the team we have a wide range of skill sets and different interests, which we all utilise to help one another’s patients, working together well.

What are the benefits of working for DPT?

There are many benefits of working for DPT for me. Firstly, there’s a huge emphasis on work-life balance. If I’ve had a rough day I can stand by the sea and alleviate worries and put myself back on an even keel. I don’t have to travel as far to work or through traffic, which makes a big difference to my day. DPT has given me lots of opportunities to develop towards management roles and supported me through my career pathway. We’re also lucky to have a team of varied people from all over the country and world – you can’t help but feel at home when there are people from all over working as one team.

If you want opportunities, the chance to develop and to make changes and a brilliant work-life balance, I’d recommend that you come to Devon Partnership NHS Trust.