Holly Hawken is a peer worker at the St Aubyn Centre in Colchester, part of the Children’s and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) run by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) – the same service that cared for her when she was diagnosed with an eating disorder at the age of 14.
She uses her lived experience to support young people through their care on Larkwood ward, the only NHS Adolescent Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in the East of England.
She said: “CAMHS and the unit saved my life – I will always be indebted to the people who helped me. They saved my life, and I carry those memories with me. I want to be that person for someone else. I want young people to see that they can grow up, recover, and be part of society.”
Larkwood ward provides specialist care for young people with very serious, complex and urgent mental health needs. Holly, at times, also supports young people on Longview ward, the centre’s Generic Adolescent Unit providing assessment and treatment for young people who are experiencing a wide range of mental health difficulties, including depression, self-harm, psychosis, severe trauma responses and emotional dysregulation.
For Holly, working at the St Aubyn Centre is deeply personal.
“I first went into CAMHS when I was 14,” she said. “I was diagnosed with anorexia and spent time in both a general hospital and an inpatient unit. I had my 15th birthday in hospital. Later, I was supported through CAMHS until I transitioned into adult services, where I was also diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
Now in her second role within CAMHS, Holly says her experiences inspired her to become a peer worker. “The people who helped me when I was younger inspired me to do this work,” she said.
As a peer worker, Holly supports young people using her own lived experience of mental health services, alongside professional experience gained across the NHS, community services, the charity sector and private care, as well as academic study in mental health.
She said: “I help young people engage in things they might find really difficult – coming back into education, joining activities, or building confidence in their future. By being here, I can show them that there is a future beyond hospital, that they can survive this and go on to live full lives.”
Holly also plays a vital role in supporting the wider healthcare team by advocating for young people’s voices and helping clinicians better understand their needs.
“I often get to see a different side of young people that doesn’t always come out in clinical settings,” she said.
“Sharing that insight helps the team create the most appropriate care plans. I work closely with occupational therapists, education staff, psychologists and art therapists so care feels truly holistic.”
The St Aubyn Centre also includes the Therapeutic Education Department, an Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ school that enables young people to continue their education as part of their treatment.
Describing life on the wards, Holly says: “It’s busy and emotional at times, but the staff are incredibly skilled and supportive. Everyone looks out for each other – staff and young people alike. The environment is colourful and creative, and young people are encouraged to express themselves. There’s always something therapeutic happening.”
Reflecting on her role, Holly added: “Seeing young people improve, even in small ways, makes everything worth it. Watching someone get well enough for discharge and start building a life for themselves makes any bad day feel tiny. I’ve worked towards this for over ten years, both professionally and personally, and I feel incredibly lucky to be here.”
About EPUT
- EPUT has a vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care: Who we are – Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- EPUT provides services to more than 100,000 patients at any one time and our staff are focused on providing high quality care in often complex situations.
- The organisation has invested in inpatient facilities and community services to make them safer and more therapeutic. We have extensively invested in technology to keep patients safer, enhanced training, and are continuously working with our staff, patients, their families and carers to use learning and best practice to enhance our quality of care.
- While there is more to do, the Trust has made significant progress through innovation:
- Our 111 mental health crisis phone line ensures people in need can access support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- People with lived experience have been employed in designated roles across the Trust, ensuring patient voice is heart of the organisation and all that we do.
- A number of new initiatives have been launched, helping people access the support they need when they need it most. These include a mental health urgent care department, By Your Side maternal mental health service, Rough Sleeper team, mental health crisis ambulance cars, virtual wards and neuromodulation service.
- EPUT was formed on 1 April 2017 and provides community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex, Luton and Bedfordshire and Suffolk. We employ more than 7,200 staff working across more than 200 sites.
- To read more about our priorities and commitments to deliver the highest quality and safest care possible, visit https://eput.nhs.uk/about-us/2023-2028-strategic-plan/