Blackburn with Darwen mental health assessment and treatment team – A service evaluation report

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S563-S563
Author(s):  
V. Damle ◽  
N. Bhandary
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Treatment Team ◽  
Mental Health Assessment ◽  
Mental Health Referrals ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionAssessment and Treatment Team (ATT) was developed to manage mental health referrals within the borough of Blackburn with Darwen (BwD). The ATT became the main point of initial referral and assessment for adults presenting with mental health needs. It acts as the gateway service for access to specialist mental health services.AimTo evaluate the effectiveness of ATT against the key performance indicators.MethodsQuantitative data was collected using electronic database from June 2014–May 2015. Feedback was obtained from GPs and also from patients who attended ATT over a one-week period.ResultsThe ATT received a total of 2234 referrals. A total of 73% were seen within 10 working days of the referral. Assessment outcome letters were sent to the GPs within 48 h in 47.53% cases. Referral rates to community mental health and Crisis teams were 7% each showing an overall reduction compared to the previous service. GP satisfaction – 70% were ‘moderately satisfied’ and 30% were ‘very satisfied’ with ATT. Hundred percent felt the service was easily accessible and 90% felt that the staff were friendly. Patient Satisfaction – 96% of patients rated the team as ‘friendly and polite’. Eighty-seven percent reported that they were listened to and 91% felt their concerns were understood. Eighty-three percent felt that ATT involved them in their decision making. Ninety-two percent responded that they were likely/extremely likely to recommend ATT to their friends and family.ConclusionsThe establishment of ATT has led to improved satisfaction among GPs and service users and has resulted in reduction in referrals to secondary mental health services.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Novel research on transition from child to adult mental health services in Europe: The MILESTONE project

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S58-S59 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Tuomainen ◽  
S.P. Singh ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Care Pathway ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Adult Mental Health ◽  
Related Service ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionCurrent service configuration of distinct Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) and Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) is considered the weakest link where the care pathway should be most robust. Transition-related discontinuity of care is a major health, socioeconomic and societal challenge for the EU.ObjectivesThe overall objective of the MILESTONE project is to improve transition from CAMHS to AMHS in diverse healthcare settings in Europe.AimsTo improve the understanding of current transition-related service characteristics, and processes, outcomes and experiences of transition from CAMHS to AMHS using a bespoke suite of measures; to explore the ethical challenges of providing appropriate care to young people as they move to adulthood; to test a model of managed transition in a cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) for improving health, social outcomes and transition to adult roles; and to develop training modules for clinicians and policy guidelines.MethodsData will be collected via systematic literature reviews; bespoke surveys to CAMHS professionals, experts and other stakeholders; focus groups with service providers and users and members of youth and mental health advocacy groups; and a longitudinal cohort study with a nested cRCT in eight EU countries (Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, UK) involving over 1000 CAMHS service users, their parents/carers, and clinicians, with assessments at baseline, 9, 18 and 27 months.ResultsFirst results are expected in 2016 with further major findings following in 2019.ConclusionsThe MILESTONE project will provide unprecedented information on the nature and magnitude of problems at the CAMHS-AMHS interface, and potential solutions to overcome these.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Mental health assessment and triage in an ambulance clinical contact centre

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 196-203
Author(s):  
Hannah Briggs ◽  
Stephen Clarke ◽  
Nigel Rees
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Mental Health Assessment ◽  
Support Tools ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Contact Centre ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Triage Algorithm ◽  
And Training

Background: With increasing numbers of emergency calls to ambulance services, exploration of the triage and management of mental health calls is valuable, given their volume and duration. Studies have explored these calls from patient and practitioner perspectives, but few have considered the perspective of the practitioners assessing patients over the phone in terms of clinical capability. Aim: This study aimed to explore the thoughts, feelings and educational requirements of paramedics and nurses working on emergency medical services clinical desks, focusing on mental health-related calls and the triage tools used. Methods: A service evaluation was conducted. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to 41 staff on clinical desks at the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust's (WAST) clinical contact centres in June 2019. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data by thematic analysis. Findings: Out of the 41 employees, 26 (63%) responded. Low levels of confidence were reported in managing mental health calls, along with inadequate detail in the mental health elements of their triage algorithm and deficiencies in referral pathways. Conclusion: Given the volume and complexity of mental health calls to ambulance services, more attention should be paid to the education and training of clinical desk professionals and the decision support tools available in WAST and other ambulance services. Further research is required with a larger sample size over multiple ambulance services.

Should all psychiatrists be skilled to practice psychotherapy?

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S15-S15
Author(s):  
E. Sönmez ◽  
T. Gargot
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Psychotherapy Training ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Psychiatric Training ◽  
Ample Evidence ◽  
Training And Supervision ◽  
Training Institutions ◽  
Competing Interest

Psychiatrists have a unique place in the spectrum of mental health services, as being able to integrate psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy in clinical practice. It is through psychotherapy training that a trainee gains optimal communicative skills and competence in establishing therapeutic alliance with a patient. It helps developing empathic understanding, which is very important for a good collaboration and enable understanding, diagnostic and treatment. It improves trainees’ own insight. All are these fundamental aspects of a biopsychosocial approach of psychiatry.In many countries psychiatry trainees have a positive attitude towards psychotherapy during their training. Moreover, patients often prefer and adhere to combined psychotherapy and medication than split-care treatments. Research in psychotherapy provides ample evidence that these treatments are effective. The UEMS considers psychotherapy education as mandatory. EFPT advocates that all trainees must gain competence in at least one recognised form of psychotherapy and have a basic knowledge for other forms. Altogether, there is a consensus among all actors of mental health services that psychotherapy training is essential and should be improved. Yet, it is still far from being a priority in psychiatric training and is subdued by biological training and research, which is easier, faster and prevailing in training institutions. Also, psychotherapy training is found less affordable by trainees.With collaboration from other organizations, EFPT aims to improve standards of psychiatry training, including psychotherapy. We present some initiatives led by UEMS, EPA, WPA and ECNP. Today's technology allows trainees to reach various psychotherapeutic training availabilities, including online tools (Webinar, MOOCs, online guidebooks) and international courses. It is advisable that training institutions devote more time on psychotherapy training and supervision, associations provide costly training availabilities or scholarships, encourage more scientific research on psychotherapeutics and take into account the progress of research in psychology and neuroscience [1–5].Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

A proposal for mental health provisions in state anti-stalking laws

1995 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey P. Fritz
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
State Legislatures ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Mental Health Assessment ◽  
Appropriate Treatment ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Amenability To Treatment

The author examines state legislatures' approaches to provisions for mental health assessment and treatment in anti-stalking laws. The article includes a review of studies relating to the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses associated with stalking, mainly erotomania. The author discusses possible constitutional implications raised by the inclusion of mental health provisions and proposes amending anti-stalking laws to include a mental health assessment of all offenders, identification of appropriate treatment, and an assessment of the offender's amenability to treatment.

scholarly journals Proposed treatment for adolescent psychosis. 1: Schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like psychoses

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew F. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Early Diagnosis ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Or Management ◽  
Appropriate Treatment ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Age Appropriate

Psychotic disorders in adolescence are uncommon, but often mark the beginning of a lifetime of contact with mental health services. They pose a challenge and anxiety to sufferers, to their families and to professionals involved in assessment and treatment. Accurate and early diagnosis, coupled with appropriate treatment, is essential to minimise secondary handicaps. However, their rarity means that professionals are frequently unfamiliar with some aspects of presentation or management and that appropriate service provision is not readily available (e.g. admission directly into an in-patient bed in an age-appropriate environment). A lack of age-appropriate provision may also mean that adult psychiatrists are occasionally called on to manage and treat a younger teenager presenting with a psychotic disorder.

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