PHOTO!

Well, here is the final photo... And a right motley crew we all look! With typical Campion efficiancy, I lost my PDA on which I had taken all my photos of Ex Shapiro. Consequently, I have a few camera shots only...

We have the departure lounge at Brize before...

And after we lost our erstwhile leader to NATOs punitive Travel Order rules & regulations.

My Aeromed training encouraged some revision on flight, along with Dr MacCauley and his lunch...

We then arrived... and the Customs official clearly was having a laugh with our American guests by getting them to fill out their entry visa cards in quintuple...

Eventually found a very nice hotel to queue in and some beach bar to eat in...

Adventure Training Options

Option 1 – Windsurfing

Venue – JAWS, RAF Akrotiri

Transport Pick-up Hotel: 0730
Transport Pick-up JAWS: 1515


Kit: Normal Beachwear, including towel, sun cream, some form of beach shoe, full water bottle

Instructors: Gp Capt Broadbridge, Sqn Ldr Pascoe

Refreshments: Available to purchase from beach club


Option 2 - Day 1 High Ropes, Day 2 Mountain Biking

Day 1 – High Ropes

Venue – PEd Flt RAF Akrotiri

Transport Pick-up Hotel: 0730
Transport Pick-up Akt Gym: 1530

Kit: Normal PT Kit, full water bottle, sun cream

Instructor: Cpl O’Regan PTI

Refreshments: Available from messes if appropriately dressed or local cafes as directed by instructor.

Day 2 – Mountain Biking

Venue – Akamas National Park

Transport pick-up hotel: 0800
Transport return: approx 1630

Kit:

Instructor: Zephyros Adventure Sports

Refreshments: Provided by company en-route.


Option 3 – Day 1 Mountain Biking, Day 2 Pool Day


Day 1 Mountain Biking

Venue – Akamas National Park

Transport pick-up hotel: 0800
Transport return: approx 1630

Kit:

Instructor: Zephyros Adventure Sports

Refreshments: Provided by company en-route


Day 2 Pool Day

Have a relaxing day by the hotel pool or on the beach, giving opportunity to make use of the facilities available.

Adventurous Training

14 – 15 May 2007

The following is the AT programme for the second part of Ex-Shapiro. All attendees were canvassed by the Project Officer for their AT preferences and we have attempted to honour these, but given the limited places available we have had to be selective and in some cases you will only have one of your options. Additionally due to non-responses by some attendees you will find that some people will not have an activity on the 15 May.

There are 3 options, which will be:

Option 1: Windsurfing.
Option 2: High Ropes and Mountain Biking.
Option 3: Mountain Biking and a Pool Day.

If you wish to change your option please find someone to swap with and notify Flt Lt Quick by 11 May who will confirm if this is feasible.

Details of the activities and pertinent information are contained further in this pack. Additional information will be communicated during the symposium if necessary.

Conference Itinerary

Tuesday, 8 May 2007

07:30 Check in to RAF Brize Norton

10:00 Trooper departs.

16:35 Trooper arrives at RAF Akrotiri.

Delegates will be met by Flt Lt Colin Quick, where transport will be waiting to take delegates to their hotel accommodation; the Columbia Beach Hotel, Pissouri. Delegates will have the evening to settle.



Wednesday, 9 May 2007

09:00 Delegates have the day to acclimatise at their accommodation in Pissouri.

18:00 The arrivals dinner – delegates to meet at the hotel’s Apollo Tavern for dinner, 18:00 for 19:00. A Cypriot Meze on the terrace of The Columbia Beach Resort Hotel with traditional music.

Thursday, 10 May 2007

Symposium

07:00 Breakfast

08:00 Delegates to depart from the hotel and travel by coach to TPMH, RAF Akrotiri.

09:00 Opening address by CA Psych (RAF) Gp Capt McManus

09:20 Welcoming address by CO TPMH, Gp Capt Jenkins

09:40 Administrative brief by Senior Nursing Office, Sqn Ldr Ben Campion

10:00 USAF Mental Health Services, Dr Lancaster and Dr McCauley

10:45 CMHN Role at RCDM, Sgt Brookson

11:15 Aeromed Overview, Sgt Jimbo

12:00 Lunch - TPMH

12:45 Travel Scholarship – Boston 2006, WO Laffety and Sgt Morris

The visit to Boston was funded by the PMRAFNS travelling Scholarship, both Sgt Morris and WO Lafferty visited a number of Service and Veteran’s agencies in the Boston area including the National Centre for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD), the presentation will be the background to the visit, the visit itself, and the outcomes.

13:15 DCMH Cyprus’ role in Decompression Support - Flt Lt Quick and Gp Capt McManus

A theoretical exploration of the concept of decompression and the organisational implications, which will be followed by a report on the local provision of Decompression Support provided by British Forces Cyprus.

14:00 CMHN Role at Headley Court, Cpl Manson

14:30 EMDR Developments, Maj Michael and Sgt Morris

Applications of EMDR - With some negative outcomes, Case Presentations & Analysis. The presentation is of a case study of complex PTSD, involving a medical assistant deployed on Op Telic. We intend not only to outline the case but also look at predisposing factors, maintaining issues in theatre and the ongoing treatment. Treatment modality is one of EMDR.

15:00 Closing address, Gp Capt, G Reid, DCA Psych

15:15 Group photograph to be held in front of TPMH. Delegates will then be transported back to hotel

Friday, 11 May 2007

07:00 Breakfast

07:30 Delegates to depart from the hotel reception and travel by coach to TPMH, RAF Akrotiri.

08:30 ASIST Training by Andy Wright and Malcolm Lueing. Delegates will be broken into working groups.

ASIST training is a programme specifically designed to assist caregivers in dealing with clients with suicidal plans. The programme is designed using local trainers who offer a series of events open to all members of the local community.

The aim is to improve the knowledge base of individuals who are likely to come into contact with a member of the public at risk of suicide. This tends to be people who work in shop fronts or specific lines of work. We have chosen to widen this out further. There is some evidence that community networks and coordination are nurtured to the benefit of individual persons at risk.

Desired Outcomes

· To offer training to both professionals, those who work with the public and the general public themselves to deal with a person recognised as being suicidal, in distress or at risk of intentional self harm.
· To increase community awareness of mental health issues.
· To enable an individual to help someone in crisis and support them to access appropriate services.

10:30 Refreshment break

10:50 ASIST Training reconvenes.

13:00 Lunch

13:45 ASIST Training continues.

15:15 Refreshment break

15:30 ASIST Training reconvenes.

17:00 Delegates transported back to their hotel.

Saturday, 12 May 2007

07:00 Breakfast

07:30 Delegates to depart from the hotel reception and travel by coach to TPMH, RAF Akrotiri.

08:30 ASIST Training by Andy Wright and Malcolm Lueing. Delegates will be broken into working groups.

10:30 Refreshment break

10:45 ASIST Training continues.

12:30 Lunch

13:00 ASIST Training continues.

15:15 Delegates to be transported to RAF Akrotiri’s Go Kart Club for BBQ and Grand Prix.

19:30 Delegates return to their hotel.

Sunday, 13 May 2007

Day of rest Details of religious services held at RAF Akrotiri can be located at the back of the delegates pack.

Monday, 14 May 2007

07:00 Breakfast

07:30 Delegates separate off to their individual Adventurous Training Schedule.

Those delegates who have chosen adventure mountain biking will be collected from their hotel accommodation. Please see the individual programme for mountain biking towards the end of the delegates pack.

All remaining delegates will depart from the hotel reception and travel by coach to RAF Akrotiri’s High Ropes or Water sports area. Please refer to separate Adventure Training Programme.

15:30 Delegates depart RAF Akrotiri to hotel accommodation

Tuesday, 15 May 2007

07:00 Breakfast

08:00 Delegates separate off to their individual Adventurous Training Schedule.

Those delegates who have been allocated to mountain biking will be collected from their hotel accommodation. Please see individual listings.

All remaining delegates will depart from the hotel reception and travel by coach to RAF Akrotiri’s High Ropes or Water sports area. Please refer to separate Adventure Training Programme.

15:30 Delegates depart RAF Akrotiri to hotel accommodation

18:30 The departure Dinner – delegates to meet at the Columbia Beach Resort for dinner,

18:30 for 19:00. A formal dinner with music accompaniment.

Wednesday, 16 May 2007

07:00 Breakfast

08:00 Coach transfer from hotel to RAF Akrotiri’s air terminal

09:00 Check in at Air Terminal

12:00 Trooper departs RAF Akrotiri

15:00 Trooper lands at RAF Brize Norton

The Genesis of Shapiro.

Nine months ago

a very keen young Squadron Leader from RAF mental Health services came out with a WAGI... 'What a Good Idea'. Why not try to do our annual symposium in Cyprus - the trooping flights should be free, as should the accomodation and catering in respective messes; The weather is great, adventure training opportunities abound and the Military Hospital has excellent conference facilities. Everyone was very supportive, even enthusiastic, as long as I did the work... Luckily Flt Lt Colin Quick in Cyprus was also a 'can do' chap, so the green light was on!

Its now 5 days til lift off. The emotional roller coaster of getting us this far would have killed a civvy... I won't believe this is going to work until I am sitting at a Cypruiot bar, eating a meze and drinking aphrodite...

Who is this fool who suggested such an idea? Well...

Sqn Ldr (Ben) Campion RGN/RMN/DipN/BSc Hon/ENB A12 CBT

Having joined the British Army in 1986 to be a Surveyor, three years in the Royal Engineers building bridges and blowing things up in Germany during the Cold War, as well as operational service in Northern Ireland an epiphany progressed into Student Nurse training. As an Army Student Nurse in London’s Military Hospital (now closed down), and holding a forklift truck licence, the first Gulf War led to suspension of training and 7months in Saudi Arabia, employed both in Nursing and fork lift driving roles. Returning to tea & medals, marriage to fellow student Bev loomed, followed by posting to one of our British Forces Germany hospitals in the Children’s Ward. Recognising that clean hands and lots of coffee were fundamental to occupational satisfaction, an 18mth conversion to Mental Health Nurse was funded by the Army, as the only full salaried student in the University, at Brighton. Once qualified, operational service in the Falkland Island was completed, allowing the motivated Mental Health Nurse to empathise with his alcoholics... Granted a Commission in the Nursing Corp immediately on return, Sandhurst Officer training developed military competences prior to posting to Catterick Garrison Community Psych Team. This involved, amongst other things, being the (sole) MOD response to the 1998 US Embassy bombing in Nairobi. Some 2 years later, having obviously upset someone, tasking to 3½ years with the Airborne forces at Colchester, including a Bosnia tour and ‘first in’ to Kabul, Afghanistan, gave a view of the best and worst aspects of the British Army. Rewarded for this feat of endurance by a Cyprus posting supporting the invasion of Iraq, the experience of Royal Air Force (RAF) Akrotiri was enough to convince any rational man that a light blue uniform was a much nicer colour. Transfer of Commission in April 2004 to the RAF resulted in a year at RAF Kinloss in the far North of Scotland. This provided sound grounding in the application of air power… and reminds us all of where ‘Seasonal Adjustment Disorder’ came from. In March 2005 posted into the OF3 post managing RAF Psychiatry HQ Department in Brize Norton offered new and varied opportunities – most notably as the presenter of choice to courses & conferences from California to Bahrein, Staff College to Latvia! The next stage in this story is an imminent move to SO2 Community Mental Health for the RAF in July 07. Lots & lots of ideas. A more enthusiastic encumbant of the post will be hard to find - as always, it will be beholden on my new boss to temper my excentricities or we shall be doing Ex Shapiro 2008 in Australia...

Conference Forward


“This is the second year we have developed the annual RAF Mental Health services symposium into a Force Development exercise. Following on the success of Amport House the opportunity to utilise the resources of RAF Akrotiri presented itself. As a disparate cadre we rarely enjoy peer development and supervision and have a poor record of adventurous training. It is hoped that the opportunities of Exercise Shapiro will be enthusiastically grasped by all in the cadre.

RAF Mental Health service’s has continued to develop. The Service Liaison Officer role is well established and is hailed as the main reason for the Priory contracts lowering costs over the past year. Recent Surgeon Generals Policy Letters regarding Operational Stress management has reinforced our Health Promotion role – which will need closely monitoring. The reservists MH support project at Chilwell is operating successfully, albeit an anticlimax of Millennium Bug proportions, whilst our time & motion study demonstrated what we all knew, that Admin takes up as much time as actually seeing patients.

We continue with establishment and staffing problems; Scotland remains without an RAF Psychiatrist and Defence Psychology only recently pulled back from the brink of extinction. Mental Health Social Work has grown in size and responsibility whilst our Nurse cadre has developed a Practice Teacher Mental Health and a training strategy that will leave us more ‘fit for purpose’.

To close, I must thank you all for the continued professionalism and flexibility you have shown in developing RAF Mental Health services. With annual force development exercises like this to look forward to, the future is bright indeed!”





Group Captain F McManus
Consultant Psychiatrist (RAF)May 2007