Gina Silvarno, Director of Informatics Merseyside.

Informatics Merseyside has been awarded ‘Excellence in Informatics Accreditation’ for achieving consistent good practise in informatics workforce development. The honour was formally presented to Informatics Merseyside by the Informatics Skills Development Network (ISD) as part of their annual Connect Conference, which took place in Blackpool on Wednesday 16 September 2015.

As part of this event and for the second year running, Informatics Merseyside was also successfully awarded the Staff Development of the Year award in recognition of our rounded and detailed approach to personal and professional development, engagement and staff health and wellbeing.
The Health & Wellbeing courses provided by Terry McElhinney played a fundamental part of our overall Organisational Development Programme, the input from Body and Mind Unlimited has significantly contributed to Informatics Merseyside receiving this award.

"Feedback from staff about the life coaching courses provided by Terry McElhinney has been extremely positive and has helped support personal development, health and wellbeing through a greater understanding of oneself, managing work life balance and alleviating stress.

"The courses have played a fundamental part of our overall Organisational Development Programme and in no doubt have helped support the achievement of our ‘Excellence in Informatics’ accreditation and ‘Staff Development of the Year' awards for consistent good practice and a rounded approach to informatics workforce development.”
Gina Silvano, Director of NHS Informatics Merseyside

Help On A Plane!


Hi,It's Lauren you very kindly gave up your time to give me a quick session on the plane from Cuba about managing my anxiety. I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for your help.

Since your advice and guidance I've had my moments where I've been unsettled about things, but these are only everyday, rational concerns and none have resulted in even the mildest anxiety. In over four weeks I have not had an anxiety attack, I would like to mention, in this time I have booked a flight for 12 days to see my sister in Canada, and gotten a new role at work with more responsibility....these are two things that generally cause me some of my worst attacks.

I honestly can NOT believe how much of a positive impact it has had on me over the last few weeks and could never, for a moment have had a clue just how much difference such a short intervention could change my thoughts on things.

The biggest thing about what you said, that has helped me is about trying not to picture myself in the situation. Now, when I'm getting unsettled about something and an imaging the worst I try to imagine what I'd genuinely be thinking and advising if it was somebody else telling me that same concern. For example when I explained that I get anxious if my partner doesn't let me know he has gotten to work safely I continue start to imagine all kinds of awful things happening such as him being in fatal car accident or similar, I now imagine what I'd be thinking if a friend phoned all anxious because her hubby hasn't let her know he was at work. I know I'd be certain that he'd just ended up busy with something and forgotten or his battery had run flat and this will genuinely calm me down. Previously I'd imagine me telling a friend of my irrational concern and them only replying with something which they think I want to hear. Now I trust my own advice.

I know that's not the best way to explain I hope you understand what I mean; this then leads to you explaining that my body doesn't know the
difference between reality and my brains irrational thoughts which usually then lead to physical reactions on my body such as stomach churning, heart racing and cold sweats-so if I remind myself of what I would genuinely be advising a friend then this keeps me on track.

Speaking of tracks... When you talked about the train passing through the station, I also tell myself to do this and I can't actually believe how much it helps. l now allow negative or worrying thoughts to pass through rather than letting it eat my alive. I'm now starting to believe that it all really is mind over matter,
I'm starting to think if I have had four solid weeks with virtually no anxiety, even following a few nights on the wine (which generally always, always results in massive anxiety attacks the following day), I'm back at work and my partner is also back on nights, often forgetting to text me when he gets to work and I haven't had a single 'episode' then it really is a case of 'mind over matter' and believe If I've managed for this long then why break the habit? because... ' everyday, in every way, I am getting better and better'

I can’t thank Terry enough for the advice and guidance he has provided over the past number of weeks.
For the last 12 months I had been suffering from work based stress which sequentially impacted upon my personal life. I found it impossible to switch off from work, constantly consumed by worry, could no longer sleep and was no longer enjoying the important things in life.
I now feel completely transformed. Using practical tools and techniques Terry was able to put all of these issues into perspective and provide me with effective ways to deal with these.
I now feel less stressed in work meaning my overall performance has improved. I no longer take stress and worry home, allowing me to fully relax and make the most of my own time in the evenings – not just the weekends. These sessions have changed my life and have given me a much better appreciation for the things that actually matter.

I would highly recommend Terry to anyone.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to express some feedback about the life coaching course I’ve been on facilitated by Terry McElhinney.

I personally found the course profound and life changing, big words, I know.

But it’s the only way I can describe it! I learnt skills, tools and strategies shown on the course that I didn’t have, some I did, but I didn’t know I was using them.

I am now applying this knowledge to my everyday situation and I am feeling and gaining the benefits more and more. I am conscious that this type of course is not for everyone ...that’s their choice.

With that said, I think it is brilliant the Mersey Care NHS has given their employee’s this great opportunity for self development, and I wish for it to continue, as we will all benefit from it.

May I suggest that Mersey Care look to putting a one day refresher session some time later on for those who attended the full course, as this would keep the momentum going?

Please convey my thanks to Terry for his energy and all the good work he has done through this course for me and our colleagues. It’s been excellent!

And finally, a big thank you May for putting me on this course and facilitating this opportunity for me, thank you.

I am writing to give some feedback regarding the recent training I attended, Creative Health & Well-Being Life Coaching course facilitated by Terry McElhinney Initially, I had no idea what Life Coaching was about but went in with a very open attitude as I felt I had no other choice as my work and personal life was close to melt down.

The 1st meeting with Terry was so cathartic as the questions he asked made me feel that there was someone that understood and cared, without being overly intrusive.

From that 1st meeting he was able to help, and that was by giving me a skill to deal with the anxieties'

I was experiencing regarding having a public presentation to do that week.

The 2 full days were we worked as a group was such a learning experience (and no it wasn't group therapy as I thought it would be thank goodness) we learnt new skills and new ways of dealing with difficult issues and for the majority of us present we had most of the skills but were using them sub consciously in a very negative way.

The final session was re-capping and reporting on how I have used the skills and even then I was not always aware when I had used them and it was through Terry's sound knowledge of the subject he was able to highlight the times.

My work and personal life is still very much the same however I am using the skills and knowledge learned from this course in order to assist me day to day and as soon as I feel negative I try and reframe.

I can well imagine this was not a cheap course to run but can you please pass on my views to whoever funds this course and let them know of the value it has for staff, as instead of feeling crushed by stress I feel I can now deal with it positively to such a degree that my manager has noticed the difference in me already.

I think it would be useful to run this course regularly as I think it could impact on reducing sickness levels by giving staff a different way of dealing with life.

I would like to thank Merseycare and my manager Ted Cowan for allowing me to go on this.

Thank you for the reminder about my final follow-up session. I would like at this opportunity to say how fantastic I have found the course!

I am actually sad it is over! I feel empowered and enlightened, and excited about using the tools Terry has shown us.

Having the tools available to you is one thing, but being taught how to use them by Terry takes things on to another level. He is excellent at demonstrating the skills involved in changing your life for the better, and I can’t thank him enough for giving me the opportunity to wake up and smell the coffee!, before it’s too late.

I would certainly recommend anyone to attend this course given the chance, and I only hope that more people do get that chance.

On a personal level I will be contacting Terry further in order to address some other areas/problems in my life.

Thank you also May for your excellent administration and keeping us up to speed on everything!