Greek mental health team visit Radlett (From Borehamwood Times)

Athens mental health team visit Kingsley Green, Radlett

9:22am Wednesday 6th February 2013 in News By Anna Slater

Greek healthcare staff have come to Radlett for inspiration on how to run mental health and disability services.

Members from a care organisation in Athens visited Kingsley Green mental health centre in Harper Lane to visit the Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust team.

The Greek team was led by Eleni Tsagaraki, administrative director for Epsamy, a not-for-profit business funded by the Greek Ministry of Health.

She said: “The purpose of our visit is to learn from HPFT’s organisation of front line care. We are keen to draw on the trust’s experience of what works best in different services”.

Most people needing residential facilities in Greece now live in small units, instead of large psychiatric hospitals dating back to the 1930s.

Keith Moullin, HPFT’s Managing Director for the LD and Forensic Services Strategic Business Unit, said: "It has been a pleasure to organise these visits and help to contribute indirectly to the transformation of mental health and learning disabilities services in Athens.

“Our visitors strive to deliver care to the same standards and core values as we do within the Trust in a very challenging financial climate.”