Enhanced Community Healthcare Options Group (ECHO) has strengthened the team at its specialist rehabilitation service Malsis Hall.  It has made two additional senior appointments, with Michelle Davis joining as care home manager, and Nadia Khurram joining as a clinical psychologist.

From newly refurbished grade II-listed buildings and grounds at Glusburn, near Keighley in Yorkshire, Malsis Hall supports up to 51 adults with complex mental health conditions on their journey to recovery and independence.  The team provides a holistic approach to care and treatment, with the person’s needs reassessed regularly, to ensure that personalised goals are met, and the experience of community living is maximised.

Malsis Hall has been accepting referrals from local authorities and the NHS since November 2019, and there are now over 70 clinical and operational support staff linked to the service. They provide a care pathway from rehabilitation hospital beds through to care home beds, which are in an apartment/’own front door’ model.

Michelle Davis has joined as care home manager.  Having originally qualified as a Registered Mental Health nurse, Michelle developed her career through successive specialist NHS nursing positions, most recently working in a vital role to support adults living with dementia.

Michelle is passionate about person centred care and is looking forward to joining a team that is focused on the rehabilitation of service users.  She said: “ECHO has created a beautiful and sympathetic facility at Malsis Hall and it provides a great setting for recovery.  I believe that the people supported by the service deserve respect and to be valued, and this role means I will be supporting individuals at the time when they need most support, which is a privilege.”

Dr Nadia Khurram joins as a clinical psychologist.  Nadia qualified from the University of Leeds after completing her doctoral training and has three years post qualification experience across different specialities, including health and forensic settings for adults.

Dr Khurram is experienced in working with people in crisis, having started her career supporting young cardiology patients and their families, before moving to work in a secure setting to help people with complex mental health needs. She was promoted to a senior role within a year.

Dr Khurram said: “I enjoy being part of a multi-disciplinary team and am greatly looking forward to getting to work with our patients and service users.

“At Malsis Hall our patients and service users can benefit from a wide range of therapeutic interventions, carefully adapted for each person, and I’m looking forward to seeing the full impact of this long-term therapeutic care approach within a setting that can provide a pathway back to the community.  Everyone has the potential to enjoy independence in their lives and we look first at the person inside, not the condition.”

ECHO medical director Dr Steve Wilkinson said: “Nadia and Michelle are both compassionate and skilled health professionals and we’re very pleased that they’ve joined the team at Malsis Hall.  These appointments have enhanced our services and demonstrate our commitment to our patients, service users and their families.”

ENDS

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF MALSIS HALL

Contact: Caroline Walker on 01325 363436

Malsis Hall is a specialist service holistically supporting adults with mental health conditions on their journey to recovery and independence. It strives to provide care and support to enable the person to be as independent as they possibly can be, helping them to have a clear care pathway back into the community

It provides opportunities to develop and maintain skills and coping strategies needed for everyday life, priding itself on early intervention. The pathway at Malsis Hall ensures the person builds and develops confidence enabling them to successfully progress down the various available living options onsite to living in the community.

Malsis Hall places emphasis on maximising quality of life and reducing admissions into acute hospital settings.

As a community project, it also contains three sports pitches, a sports pavilion and meeting rooms available to members of the public.