Assistant Director of Communications, Katie Dale, is joined by MPFT's Chief Executive Neil Carr and Chief People Officer Alex Brett to talk about the impact of the High Potential Scheme (HPS). They discuss Katie's own HPS experience, and the value the HPS brings to systems, organisations and participants, and showcase the incredible success of the High Potential Scheme to date.

A transcript of this episode is available to download: https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/download_file/3b1c3652-13ed-4250-84df-36ca31b7ca52/9

HPS is a unique and inclusive talent acceleration programme which recruits diverse cohorts from across all health and care sectors. Using a potential model, the programme develops compassionate and inclusive senior leaders who have the ambition to reach executive roles within 5-8 years of starting the scheme.

For more information on the High Potential Scheme, visit https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/High-Potential-Scheme-Careers-Hub

Applying to the HPS scheme:

The HPS is now open to applications from people with more than 5 years’ experience at band 7, or currently working at bands 8a to 8c and equivalent across health and care in the following pilot spokes:

• Birmingham & Solihull
• Black Country
• Cornwall & Isles of Scilly
• Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
• Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent

On this edition of The MPFT Podcast, we are delighted to be joined by Logan who opened up about his mental health struggles from adolescence into adulthood. After receiving support from MPFT's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Transitional Care Team, Logan wanted to talk about his journey to help others who may be struggling to understand the range of support out there.

To watch the video version of this episode, go to - https://youtu.be/1k4o-PkNwlk.

If you'd like to hear more about our Transitional Care Team, you can find another episode the podcast where we interviewed Emma who works in the team further down in this feed, or watch at - https://youtu.be/Xx6jPDykFMM?si=J5hW6ddnWZFYRAqD

You can read the transcript for this episode on this link - https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/application/files/4817/7037/4900/The_MPFT_Podcast_106_Transcript_-_Logans_adolesence_to_adulthood_mental_health_journey.docx

For this episode, Peer Support Worker Lee Porter is joined by Esme, a service user of MPFT's Eating Disorders Service. Esme shares her journey through anorexia nervosa, reflecting on the challenges, turning points, and the daily choices that shape recovery. Together, they explore the complexities of the disease, the importance of seeking support, and the hope that comes with recovery.

MPFT provides specialist Eating Disorders services for adults and children, offering both outpatient and inpatient care to support recovery.

A transcript of this episode is available to download: https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/application/files/7117/6408/4922/The_MPFT_Podcast_Episode_105_Transcript_-_Esmes_story_of_anorexia_and_recovery.docx

Links & Info:

• You can watch our podcasts by going to the MPFT YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@mpftnhs/podcasts
• For more information on MPFT's Eating Disorders visit https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/services/eating-disorders

Bullying can have a lasting impact on a child’s emotional well-being and development. In this episode, we explore what bullying looks like today — both in person and online — and how parents can recognize the signs early. We’ll share practical strategies for supporting your child, fostering resilience, and working with schools to create a safe environment. Whether your child is experiencing bullying or you want to prevent it, this conversation offers actionable advice and reassurance for every parent.

A transcript of this episode is available to download: https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/application/files/3317/6287/9232/The_MPFT_Podcast_Episode_104_Transcript_-_0-19_Service_Together_Against_Bullying_-_a_parents_guide.docx

Links & Info:

The School Nurses will offer support for bullying forschool aged children (including primary school) where a referral is received to the service via the Hub, or from 11–19-year-olds through their school nurse drop in clinic, ChatHealth or the Hub.

• Health Visiting and School Nursing (mpft.nhs.uk)

• Drop in schedule (5-19) - Staffordshire (mpft.nhs.uk)
• NSPCC | The UK children's charity | NSPCC
• Help With Bullying | Bullying Advice | Kidscape
• Childline | Free counselling service for kids and young people | Childline
• Information and advice about all forms of bullying
• Anti-Bullying Alliance
• Complain about a school: Types of complaints - GOV.UK

The move from childhood to adulthood can be a stressful time of change for all young people and their families. When a young person is experiencing mental health issues that transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, or CAMHS for short, to adult mental health services can be particularly challenging. A new Transitional Care Team has been launched in Staffordshire by the Trust to support young people with navigating these complex changes.

For this episode we're joined by Emma Brassington, who works in the Transitional Care Team as a Supporting Transition and Adulthood Readiness Worker (STAR).

A transcript of this episode is available to download: https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/application/files/9017/6192/5311/The_MPFT_Podcast_Episode_103_Transcript_-_Supporting_the_transition_from_childrens_to_adult_mental_health_services.docx

Links & Info:

• You can watch our podcasts by going to the MPFT YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@mpftnhs/podcasts

Making time for our own wellbeing is hugely important. For this latest episode we're joined by Sarah Hodgkins, Team Leader of the MPFT Staff Wellbeing Hub to explore how the Hub supports people who work for the Trust.

MPFT staff can visit the Staff Wellbeing Hub SharePoint site to make a referral or find out more - https://c9online.sharepoint.com/sites/MPFT-Team02/SWHMPFT/SitePages/Staff-Wellbeing-Hub.aspx

A transcript of this episode is available to download: https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/application/files/1517/5801/5715/The_MPFT_Podcast_Episode_102_Transcript_-_Staff_Wellbeing_Hub.docx

Links & Info:

You can now watch our podcasts by going to the MPFT YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@mpftnhs/podcasts

Most often the best place for a person to receive urgent care is in the community and, where possible in their own home. A core aim of the new NHS 10 Year Plan is to shift care from hospital to the community. The Integrated Care Coordination for Urgent Care Service, or ICC for short works to do just that.

For this episode, we'll be talking about how the service works to coordinate the care a patient in urgent need receives in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, with the aim ofavoiding hospital stay where possible.

A transcript of this episode is available to download: https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/application/files/2817/5645/4671/The_MPFT_Podcast_Episode_101_Transcript_-_Integrated_Care_Coordination_for_Urgent_Carer_Service.docx

Links & Info:

You can now watch our podcasts by going to the MPFT YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@mpftnhs/podcasts

For this episode of The MPFT Podcast we're joined by Dr Gary Lamph, an Honorary Consultant Nurse (Mental Health) with MPFT and a Reader in Mental Health Nursing at Keele University, who has been selected for the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s (NIHR) Nursing Research Leadership Programme.

Gary reflects on his impressive career, alongside his excitement at his new role which he hopes to use to inspire new people to get involved in research.

If you'd like to learn more about how you can get involved in research or discuss an idea with Gary, contact him at [email protected]

A transcript of this episode is available to download: https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/application/files/8217/5524/5451/The_MPFT_Podcast_Episode_100_Transcript_-_Dr_Gary_Lamph.docx

Links & Info:

You can find more details about Gary's new role at Prestigious senior research leadership role awarded to MPFT Honorary Consultant :: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Reciprocal mentoring is a two way process where those paired together both gain as a mentoring pair through formal-and-informal group and one-to-one sessions. As part of MPFT’s journey to ensuring equity for all, members of the Trust Board took part in a reciprocal mentoring programme with colleagues from different ethnic minority backgroundsto hear about their experiences and gain a greater understanding of the challenges they face in their professional and personal lives.

This episode of The MPFT Podcast features a conversation between Saky Kaur (Health Visitor) and Claire Bailey (Managing Director for Children and Families Care Group) where they both share their experiences of being paired together, what their mentoring sessions involved, what they’ve taken from the programme, and how their experience along with the rest of the cohort is now supporting the delivery of key Trust initiatives such as our Anti-Racist Statement and Framework.  

A transcript of this episode is available to download: https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/application/files/8217/5524/4964/The_MPFT_Podcast_Episode_099_Transcript_-_Reciprocal_Mentoring.docx

Links & Info:

- Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/GT6Y4MUIxu8- Read more about the Trust launching a new Anti-Racist Statement and Framework

- Inside MPFT’s new stand against racism - PEP_Talk_2025-07.pdf⁠ (pages 6 & 7).

- More information about Reciprocal Mentoring - Key information – Leadership Academy (NHS Leadership Academy)

- Read both MPFT’s Anti-Racist Statement andFramework & Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy in full - Equality and Inclusion :: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Welcome to this latest edition of The MPFT Podcast!

For this episode, Naomi Martin from the MPFT communications team is joined by  Victoria Campbell, or Vicky, who’s doing amazing work as a Respiratory Nurse Consultant and one of only a few national Respiratory Champions in the UK.

She’s helping to change the game for people with lung conditions, not just in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Tent, but all across the country. Whether you’re living with a lung condition, a carer for someone with a lung condition, or just curious about how change happens in the NHS, this episode is for you.

A transcript of this episode is available to download - ⁠https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/application/files/8417/5337/3985/The_MPFT_Podcast_Episode_098_Transcript_-_Victoria_Campbell.docx⁠

As well as being able to listen to episodes via your podcast channel of choice, you can now also view episodes through our YouTube channel - ⁠www.youtube.com/@mpftnhs