DOCTORS and nurses in the region are pioneering a form of mental health care which is being adopted throughout the world, a conference will hear today.

The so-called Tidal Model of mental health care has dramatically improved the care of people with serious mental illness and the morale of staff.

Six years after it was introduced in the North-East, it has reduced violence, cut the length of time patients stay in hospital, and produced a fall in the number of compulsory admissions.

Developed by Phil Barker, professor of psychiatric nursing practice at Newcastle University, it has been adopted by health care workers as far away as New Zealand, Japan and Australia, as well as in the UK and Ireland.

Delegates attending today's conference at Newcastle Civic Centre will hear evidence from health care workers of how the Tidal Model has improved the quality of care.

A key part of the approach is to listen more carefully to the patient's story and to tailor treatment to their individual needs.

"We try to help the patients help themselves," said Prof Barker, who is based at the Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust.

"We encourage them to tell their own story in their own words."

A team from Tampere University, Finland, is due to attend the conference.

The Finns are planning to carry out a Europe-wide evaluation of the Tidal Model in partnership with the North-East trust.