Dutch visitors get insight into Sunderland hospital

Arkin, a prominent Dutch mental healthcare provider, met with mental health and learning disabilities care professionals from Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (NTW).

The aim of the visit wasto gain an insight into best practice from one of the UK’s largest mental health and disability care providers.

Representatives from Arkin were taken on a tour of Hopewood Park hospital in Sunderland and some of NTW’s community-based provision.

NTW is one of the largest mental health and disability Trusts in England employing more than 6,000 staff, serving a population of approximately 1.4 million.

Operating from more than 60 sites across Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland, NTW also provides a number of regional and national specialist services.

NTW Head of Transformation and Improvement Stewart Gee said: “We are all committed to delivering the best mental health services and Arkin’s visit to NTW has been a collaborative learning process for all. Sharing our respective aspirations and understanding allows us as health care providers to constantly review and improve the way we look after our patients.”