Rob Gee worked for twelve years as a registered nurse in inpatient mental health units around England, Scotland and Australia. Working mainly in adult mental health, he also worked in child and adolescent units, drug and alcohol services, dementia settings, eating disorders, early psychosis intervention and psychiatric intensive care.
Rob currently has three solo shows about mental health. One of these, Forget Me Not: The Alzheimer's Whodunnit, has been used by several NHS trusts to train healthcare staff in ethics and reporting concerns. He regularly leads bespoke comedy, improvisation, poetry and creative writing workshops in inpatient mental health settings, as well as for artists interested in mental health. He is lead artist for the Comedy Asylum and patron of Leicestershire Action for Mental Health Project (LAMP).
Rob regularly performs at health events and conferences around the U.K. Clients include The Department of Health, various NHS Trusts, Unison, Social Care Institute for Excellence, Care Services Improvement Partnership and Mind.
Developed in collaboration with Freedom to Speak Up, 'Forget Me Not - The Alzheimer's Whodunnit' is now part of a training package around ethics and reporting concerns.
Rob has been commissioned to write witty shows, poems and songs about everything from strategic commissioning to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Themes include the therapeutic uses of creative activity, implications of labelling and stigmatization, ethical issues, user empowerment, social inclusion, points of good practice and troubleshooting.
Comedy and poetry can offer a dynamic and enjoyable new way to support the wellbeing of your staff. A workforce that thinks creatively can find it easier to solve problems, which ultimately leads to a happier workplace.
This group the highlight of my week it’s brought me out of my shell I don’t need to come with my peer support worker anymore and she says it must carry on.
Another patient who was previously very withdrawn became more open and communicative as a result of attending the session. He was able to verbally express how participating in the group writing process was an effective coping strategy. He contributed to a poem about a local café and was able to take it to the café to show them. This was a meaningful experience for him and had a positive impact on his self-esteem.
All Strides members and staff enjoyed it immensely. As an ex-teacher, I much admired your presentation. Thanks for a truly educational and entertaining afternoon. We hope to invite you back in the future.