This week, Upper Sixth students from our Medical, Dentistry and Veterinary (MDV) Society, Hannah, Abdul, George and Emily, along with Mrs Lo-Whitford, WHSB’s Higher Education Adviser for MDV, were invited by Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Ivan Shanley, to visit Rochford Hospital to present gifts donated by our School Community to the patients.

During the afternoon, our students toured the hospital and had the opportunity to meet the multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals working with psychiatric patients, including Dr Shanley, the ward manager, nurses and medical students on placement. Experiencing how the hospital environment has been adapted and made safe for patients, whilst enabling them to retain their dignity and independence, was enlightening.

Dr Shanley also briefed the students as to how certain psychiatric diseases affect the brain, how current medication works, and its limitations and how the latest research is tackling this. The students found this fascinating, further developing areas covered in their A Level Biology course.

We are extremely grateful to the staff at Rochford Hospital for their warm welcome and for taking the time to accommodate us. As inspirational role models within the healthcare profession, they have inspired our students to consider psychiatry as a specialism. With thanks to Mrs Lo-Whitford for facilitating the visit, and to all those families who kindly donated gifts.