Nurse Inspired by Football Celebrates 51 Years in Mental Health Care
Allen Senivassen, a dedicated mental health nurse, is celebrating an impressive milestone of almost 51 years working in mental health care. His remarkable journey was inspired by young patients he met on a football field, shaping a career dedicated to compassion and support.
From Football Field to Nursing Career
Allen is one of over 1,500 registered mental health nurses at the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), which provides comprehensive mental and physical health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Suffolk and Bedfordshire. Sharing his story for Mental Health Nurses' Day, Allen serves as a Student Education Facilitator and Preceptorship Lead at EPUT, where he supports students and newly qualified healthcare professionals in developing their confidence, skills, and clinical practice.
His path into nursing began thousands of miles away in his home country of Mauritius. As a teenager, Allen played for a local football team that regularly held friendly matches against young patients from a nearby mental health hospital. He vividly recalls these matches, not for the scores, but for the transformative impact on the players.
Allen said: "Tuning into the strengths of playing football enabled them not to focus on their vulnerabilities. You could see the joy and camaraderie. For that moment they were simply young people enjoying a game."
Early Career and Innovations
After leaving school, Allen worked as a civil service clerk while continuing to play football, including for a top-division national team. In 1975, he moved to the United Kingdom to train as a mental health nurse at the former Friern Hospital in North London.
During his early career, Allen played a key role in introducing a system where each patient had an allocated nurse responsible for overseeing their care. This approach significantly improved continuity, safety, and therapeutic relationships. He also championed better staff support and professional development, recognising that staff wellbeing is essential for delivering high-quality patient care.
Allen commented: "These changes benefited both patients and staff. For mental health practitioners it is vital to develop emotional intelligence and compassion and to recognise each patient as an individual with their own story. We can help people move towards a more hopeful future. Sometimes it begins simply with listening and getting to know them. Our aim is always to work with each person towards recovery and a life that is meaningful to them."
Contributions to Education and Trust Recognition
Allen moved to Essex in 1988 and served as a student education facilitator at St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping and Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow. He became a senior lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University in 1992, training healthcare professionals across several NHS Trusts. Additionally, he helped EPUT establish its long-running Buddy Scheme, which enables patients and carers to share their experiences with students to build understanding and compassion.
Joining EPUT in 2015, Allen continues to support staff development. His work with the preceptorship team contributed to the Trust being awarded the National Preceptorship Interim Quality Mark in 2024, recognising the high standard of support provided to newly qualified nurses.
Reflections on a Fulfilling Career
Reflecting on his extensive career, Allen said he has never viewed nursing as simply a job. He explained: "I have always treated work as a hobby - that is one reason I am still working. I am 71 and I still feel I have the energy to contribute to developing services and supporting people. I am passionate about sharing knowledge and working with staff to improve how we deliver care, so patients receive the best person-centred support possible. Both staff and patients should be able to thrive in our services."
The greatest reward for Allen has always come from the people he cared for. He added: "At the end of each shift I would ask myself: what have I done for my patients today? I remember spending time with one patient who was very unwell. Through our engagement I could almost see a ray of hope in his eyes as he began to recover. That was my greatest reward then. Now my greatest satisfaction is seeing newly qualified nurses become confident, compassionate professionals who deliver meaningful care."
