Jamie Terrone, Clinical Specialist, CAMHS Community Services (Wilts/BaNES) Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

Jamie Terrone describes herself as a cheerleader for the young people she works with. For those young people, she is often much more than that.

As a Clinical Specialist in the Crisis and Home Treatment Team for Salisbury CAMHS, Jamie works with some of the most vulnerable young people in the community, those at risk of mental health hospital admission, or recently discharged and finding their footing again. Her goal, every single day, is to help them stay safe, stay supported, and stay at home.

Jamie trained as a Social Worker in New Jersey, USA, and brings a warmth and creativity to her practice that her colleagues describe as truly distinctive. She works flexibly and instinctively, meeting young people and their families wherever they are, literally and figuratively, to build the kind of trust that makes intensive community support possible. She takes the time to know each young person as an individual, not just as a patient, understanding their interests, their world and what matters to them.

That relationship-first approach is at the heart of the hospital to community shift. By providing consistent, compassionate, personalised support in community settings, Jamie helps young people avoid admission where it is safe to do so, and provides a steady, familiar presence for those navigating the transition back from hospital.

“I always tell my young people that I am their cheerleader,” Jamie says, “and I am grateful they’re willing to work with me to achieve our mutual goal of helping to improve their mental health and wellbeing.”

Having grown up without access to a service like the NHS, Jamie brings a particular appreciation for what it represents. “To me, the NHS is a group of hardworking, compassionate, caring and supportive people — I am honoured to be a small part of my patients’ mental health journey.”

Jamie’s work is a moving reminder that keeping young people out of hospital isn’t just a system metric. It’s a deeply human commitment, renewed every day, one young person at a time.