Celebrating 10 years of OPTIMA: A decade of specialist support for individuals with bipolar disorder
The Trust recently marked a major milestone as the OPTIMA Mood Disorders Service – a specialised support for individuals with bipolar disorder - celebrated its 10th anniversary.
The OPTIMA service was established in 2015 to support people who have experienced frequent hospital admissions as a result of bipolar disorder. The team offers an outpatient programme for adults using tailored, evidence-based interventions, with the aim to stabilise their bipolar course, to reduce hospital readmissions, and to improve long-term wellbeing.
The multi-disciplinary team provides psychoeducation, specialist nursing, occupational therapy, psychiatric assessments and reviews, alongside a group psychoeducation programme for those further along in their recovery.
Reflecting on the anniversary, Dr Karine Macritchie, Consultant Psychiatrist, said:
“OPTIMA 's 10th Anniversary is a time to celebrate the work of all our team members, past and present, in providing much-needed bipolar-specific treatments to frequently admitted South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust service users. Many thanks to all who helped establish the programme, and to all those who have brought their enthusiasm, diligence and sensitivity to the work of the service over these years”
Looking ahead, the service is continuing to innovate. This autumn, OPTIMA will launch an online programme for community team clinicians and peer support workers, focused on supporting their work with early warning symptom response planning.
Jane Bailey, Chair of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, recently visited the team to find out more about the excellent work that they do. Jane said:
“It was great to meet the team in their 10th anniversary year. OPTIMA is a fantastic example of using evidence to develop a person-centred approach to care that also engages and supports friends and family. I could really see the value of working together as a multidisciplinary team, both for patients and for the team members themselves.”
The team are incredibly proud of the work they do to help service users with one member of staff noting it is “a privilege to be working in OPTIMA”.
"It was a pleasure to meet our new chair, Jane Bailey and be able to share information about some of the innovative projects that we have planned in our 10th year"
— Sarah Bourne, Clinical Service Manager
