“It’s great to see the amazing progress that the young people who use the service make.”

“It’s great to see the amazing progress that the young people who use the service make.”

Polly Allison – Clinical Nurse (Registered Learning Disabilities)

Polly joined the team at Ruby Lodge at the beginning of 2020 and is really enjoying her role in which she supports young people with learning disabilities.

She said: “I am involved in the 24/7 care we provide to our young people and get to work closely with a range of professionals on the Lodge. I really enjoy our integrated way of working – together we look at all the physical, social, psychological and occupational needs of the young people we care for.”

Ruby Lodge – which is part of our Becton Centre – is an inpatient unit for children and young people with learning disabilities, have a complex mental health condition or who are facing behavioural challenges. The team there work with children, young people and families to promote independence and mental and social inclusion.

Polly said: “I applied for the role after a very positive placement with the team when I was a Student Nurse and Student Social Worker. They were all so welcoming and supportive, especially when it came to my training needs and looking at ways to support my own personal development.”

Now a Clinical Nurse, Polly works within a multi-disciplinary team including a psychologist, occupational therapist, consultant psychiatrist, doctor, social worker, speech and language therapist as well as the nursing and support team based at Ruby Lodge.

She explained: “The support and care received by each child at Ruby Lodge can vary. The young people are offered a range of therapy sessions and these are tailored to meet the individual needs of each child. This might include using the School Room on the Lodge, or using sensory play.

“We work together with the young people and their families on an individual basis, developing and following detailed care plans for each young person. Care plans are continually updated throughout admission and the support they receive is reflected from these.”

As children and young people visit or stay at Ruby Lodge, Polly is able to see the positive changes the team are able to have.

“It’s great the see the amazing progress that the young people who use the service make. As we typically have admission periods of around 12 weeks, we get to form strong therapeutic relationships.

“It’s wonderful to see them – and their families or carers – achieve goals and get the right support which helps to make a difference to their lives outside of Ruby Lodge.”

If you are interested in joining Polly and our welcoming CAMHS team, take a look at our current vacancies page.