scholarly journals Exploration of the views of healthcare professionals working in a mental health trust in England on pharmacists as future approved clinicians: early findings

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i24-i24
Author(s):  
B Adam ◽  
R N Keers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
Key Skills ◽  
Health Trust ◽  
Views Of Healthcare Professionals

Abstract Introduction The 2007 amendment to the Mental Health Act (MHA) 1983 enabled various non-medical professionals to now qualify as approved clinicians (ACs); these included social workers, mental health and learning disability nurses, clinical psychologists and occupational therapists. [1–2] As ACs, these professionals can take on roles of clinical leadership whilst assuming responsibility for patients under the Act. Although mental health pharmacists have recognised specialist clinical roles and regularly work alongside these professionals in caring for patients, they are not presently permitted to practise as ACs. Aim This study sets out to investigate the views of healthcare professionals working in a mental health trust in England on this hitherto unexplored group of the mental health workforce as potential ACs. Methods Upon obtaining ethics approval, pharmacists, ACs and other experienced mental health professionals working in one mental health trust in England were approached via internal trust email to take part in a digitally audio recorded semi-structured interview to explore their views on pharmacists as potential ACs in future. A thematic analysis is being performed on the entire set of transcripts and an additional sentiment analysis will be applied to specific parts of the dataset. Results A total of 11 interviews were completed with 6 pharmacists, 4 medical ACs and 1 ‘other’ mental health professional thus far, with recruitment ongoing. Emerging themes included wide recognition among participants of highly valued key skills of pharmacists within mental health services provision, for instance their ability to access and appraise specialist literature as well as their analytical skills to apply expert knowledge to real-life cases. Participants identified unique challenges to pharmacists potentially becoming ACs in future, namely the traditional organisational structures whereby pharmacists are line managed and clinically supervised from within a pharmacy department which sits external to the clinical teams they typically work in, and the lack of pharmacists being fully embedded in interdisciplinary teams. Conclusion Since this is the first study of its kind to be conducted on a small cohort of participants working within one mental health trust in England, this qualitative study will likely highlight the need for further research to be carried out on the topic, such as data collection in several other NHS trusts as well as recruiting participants from the working group and other stakeholders involved in the most recent amendment of the Act. Whilst data collection and analysis are ongoing, initial findings help shed light on potential barriers and also possible solutions to these, as well as other opportunities for pharmacists wishing to assume higher leadership roles within mental health services in England. References 1. Barcham, C. Understanding The Mental Health Act Changes – Challenges And Opportunities For Doctors. BJMP. 2008;1 (2):13–17. 2. Oates, J., Brandon, T., Burrell, C., Ebrahim, S., Taylor, J. & Veitch, P. Non-medical approved clinicians: Results of a first national survey in England and Wales. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. 2018;60:51–56.

scholarly journals Why Do Approved Mental Health Professionals Think Detentions under the Mental Health Act Are Rising and What Do They Think Should Be Done about It?

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 616-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Bonnet ◽  
Nicola Moran
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Risk ◽  
Social Risk Factors ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The number of people detained under the 1983 Mental Health Act has risen significantly in recent years and has recently been the subject of an independent review. Most existing research into the rise in detentions has tended to prioritise the perspectives of psychiatrists and failed to consider the views of Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs), usually social workers, who ultimately determine whether detention is appropriate. This mixed-methods study focused on AMHPs’ views on the reasons behind the rise in detentions and potential solutions. It included a national online survey of AMHPs (n = 160) and semi-structured interviews with six AMHPs within a Community Mental Health Team in England. AMHPs reported that demand for mental health services vastly exceeded supply and, due to inadequate resources, more people were being detained in hospital. AMHPs argued that greater investment in preventative mental health services and ‘low intensity’ support would help to mitigate the impact of social risk factors on mental health; and greater investment in crisis services, including non-medical alternatives to hospital, was required. Such investment at either end of the spectrum was expected to be more effective than changes to the law and lead to better outcomes for mental health service users.

scholarly journals Advanced care planning: an exploratory study of community-based mental health practitioners’ views and experiences of ACP in practice with people with dementia

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 195-207
Author(s):  
Jill Manthorpe ◽  
Kevin Goodwin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Community Mental Health Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Health Trust

Purpose Advanced care planning (ACP) involves the discussion of preferences relevant to a possible future time when one’s ability to make decisions may be compromised. ACP is considered as having potential to enhance choice and control and thereby to improve the experience of care for people with dementia and their carers. Care coordinators have been highlighted as possibly playing a central role in facilitating these discussions among people with long-term care needs. However, there is limited evidence of how ACP is facilitated by community mental health professionals who may be supporting people with dementia and carers. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach This exploratory study took the form of qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore the views and experiences of community mental health professionals when discussing ACP with people with dementia and/or their carers. A convenience sample of 14 participants working in community mental health services in one NHS Mental Health Trust in London, England, was recruited and interview data were analysed using a framework approach. Findings Five themes emerged from the interviews – knowledge and experience, use of ACP, inhibitors of discussion, service influences and the future. The depth of ACP facilitation appeared dependent on the knowledge, confidence and skills of the individual professional. Limited resources leading to service rationing were cited as a major barrier to ACP engagement. Helping people with dementia and their carers with ACP was not viewed as a priority in the face of competing and increasing demands. A further organisational barrier was whether ACP was viewed by service managers as “core business”. Findings indicate that practice was generally to refer people with dementia to other agencies for ACP discussions. However, pockets of ACP practice were reported, such as explaining proxy decision making options for finances. Research limitations/implications This exploratory study took place in the community mental health services in one NHS Mental Health Trust that may not be representative of other such teams. Case records were not scrutinised or clinical conversations with people with dementia or carers. Practical implications Barriers to initiating ACP discussions were cited, such as limited resources, lack of time and knowledge; unclear role remit, uncertain service direction and poor documentation sharing processes. However, participants held a common belief that ACP for people with dementia is potentially important and were interested in training, a greater team focus on ACP and pathway development. This indicates the potential for staff development and continuing professional development. Originality/value Few studies have asked a wide range of members of community mental health services about their knowledge, skills and confidence in ACP and this study suggests the value of taking a team-wide approach rather than uni-professional initiatives.

The Bridge Program: A Model for Delivering Mental Health Services to Asian Americans through Primary Care

2005 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongtu Chen ◽  
Elizabeth Kramer ◽  
Teddy Chen ◽  
Jianping Chen ◽  
Henry Chung
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Bridge Program ◽  
Community Awareness

Compared to all other racial and ethnic groups, Asian Americans have the lowest utilization of mental health services. Contributing factors include extremely low community awareness about mental health, a lack of culturally competent Asian American mental health professionals, and severe stigma associated with mental illness. This manuscript describes an innovative program that bridges the gap between primary care and mental health services. The Bridge Program, cited in the supplement to the Surgeon’s General’s Report on Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity as a model for delivery of mental health services through primary care; (2) to improve capacity by enhancing the skills of primary care providers to identify and treat mental disorders commonly seen in primary care; and (3) to raise community awareness by providing health education on mental health and illness. Results are presented and the potential for replication is addressed.

The transition between mental health services in Scotland

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliette van der Kamp
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Organisational Development ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Experience Difficulty

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the barriers and facilitators to an effective transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). It also presents a new entry into considering how the transition can be improved. Design/methodology/approach Insights into the transition from CAMHS to AMHS were gathered through eight semi-structured interviews with mental health professionals. Two methods of data analysis were employed to explore the emerging themes in the data and the observed deficit approach to organisational development. Findings The findings identified a vast volume of barriers in comparison to facilitators to the transition. Adolescents who transition from CAMHS to AMHS initially experience difficulty adapting to the differences in the services due to the short duration of the transition period. However, despite the established barriers to the transition, adolescents tend to adapt to the differences between the services. Findings also showed a negative framing towards the transition amongst the mental health professionals which resembles a deficit approach to organisational development. Originality/value This paper explores mental health professionals’ perspectives regarding the transition in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The transition is increasingly recognised as an area in health care that requires improvement. This research provides a new way to consider the transition by exploring the perceived deficit approach to organisational development in the services.

scholarly journals The Greek Hybrid Version of the Assertive Community Treatment Model: A Perspective View between Challenges and Limitations

Psych ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 792-799
Author(s):  
Vaios Peritogiannis ◽  
Fotini Tsoli
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Assertive Community Treatment ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Community Treatment ◽  
Community Mental Health Service ◽  
Perspective View

The Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model of care has been long considered to be effective in the management of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) in most Western countries. The implementation of the original ACT model may be particularly challenging in rural and remote communities with small and dispersed populations and lack of adequate mental health services. Rural programs may have to adapt the model and modify the ACT fidelity standards to accommodate these limitations, and this is the rationale for the introduction of more flexible, hybrid ACT models. In rural Greece, the so called Mobile Mental Health Units (MMHUs) are well-established community mental health services. For patients with SMI that have difficulties engaging with treatment services, the new hybrid ACT model has been recently launched. The objective of this manuscript is to present the recently launched hybrid ACT model in rural areas in Greece and to explore the challenges and limitations in its implementation from the experience of a team of mental health professionals with ACT experience. Referral criteria have not been strictly set, but the number of previous relapses and hospitalizations is taken under consideration, as well as the history of poor treatment adherence and disengagement from mental health services. The main limitation in the implementation of the hybrid ACT service is that it has been introduced in several areas in the absence of a pre-existing community mental health service. This may impact referrals and limit focus on the difficult cases of patients with SMI, thus making the evaluation of the model inapplicable.

Collaborating with Legal Professionals

2017 ◽  
pp. 384-394
Author(s):  
Eric G. Mart
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Legal System ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Legal Professionals

This chapter provides information designed to assist mental health professionals in effectively marketing their services to courts, attorneys, and the legal system in general. Suggestions are offered to help mental health professionals decide whether they will be comfortable working in an adversarial environment. Methods for developing the skillsets necessary for performing forensic consultations in a competent, ethical manner are provided. Information regarding how to effectively market mental health services to legal professionals are reviewed. Various areas of subspecialty practice are described.

scholarly journals Innovations in mental health promotion: Youth Net/Réseau Ado

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 398-399
Author(s):  
Ian G Manion ◽  
Simon Davidson ◽  
Christina Norris ◽  
Sarah Brandon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Health Promotion Program ◽  
Mental Health And Illness ◽  
Health And Illness

Abstract Today's youth are at a disturbingly high risk for mental health and illness problems and are largely dissatisfied with the existing mental health services. Youth Net/Réseau Ado (YN/RA), supported by input from mental health professionals, is a bilingual mental health promotion program that seeks out the opinions and attitudes of youth regarding mental health and illness issues, while connecting them with appropriate resources and mental health services. This paper describes the Youth Net/Réseau Ado program and provides some guidelines for the identification of mental health and illness problems, including indicators of the risk of suicide.

Point prevalence of schizophrenia in immigrant groups in Rotterdam: data from outpatient facilities

2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.C. Schrier ◽  
B.J.M. van de Wetering ◽  
P.G.H. Mulder ◽  
J.P. Selten
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Point Prevalence ◽  
Outpatient Mental Health ◽  
Netherlands Antilles ◽  
Female Immigrants

SummaryObjectiveReports of an increased incidence of schizophrenia in some immigrant groups to The Netherlands are based exclusively on hospital data. The aims of our study were: 1) to determine the treated point prevalence of schizophrenia at outpatient mental health services in Rotterdam and to compare the results for immigrants to those for natives; and 2) to compare groups born in The Netherlands and immigrant groups in terms of the proportions of patients with a previous hospital admission.MethodWe included all patients aged between 20 and 64 who were treated for a non-affective psychosis at any of the outpatient mental health services in Rotterdam on October 1, 1994. The mental health professionals responsible reported on the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of each patient.ResultsSeven hundred and thirteen patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (DSM-III-R) were identified (rate: 2.1 per 1000). The (treated) prevalence of schizophrenia in male immigrants from Surinam and Morocco and in female immigrants from Surinam, the Netherlands Antilles and Cape Verde was significantly higher than that in their native-born counterparts (odds ratios between 2 and 3). The (treated) prevalence was not significantly higher in immigrants from Turkey, female immigrants from Morocco or male immigrants from the Antilles. Proportions of patients with a previous hospital admission were similar in each ethnic group (81–93%).ConclusionThese findings are generally in line with earlier studies, based on the Dutch psychiatric registry, which has reported an increase in the (treated) incidence of schizophrenia in immigrants from Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles and in male immigrants from Morocco, and no increase in the (treated) incidence in immigrants from Turkey or female immigrants from Morocco.

scholarly journals Activity in a district psychotherapy service

1994 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 544-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Tillett
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Royal College ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Local Mental Health ◽  
South West ◽  
Major Teaching

The Royal College of Psychiatrists (1991) has recommended that all local mental health services should include specialist psychotherapy departments. At present these are uncommon outside major teaching centres, although a considerable amount of simple psychotherapy is provided on an ad hoc basis by mental health professionals of various disciplines. This paper describes the structure, functioning and costs of a specialist department in a non-teaching district in the south west of England.

scholarly journals Old age mental health services in Southern Balkans: Features, geospatial distribution, current needs, and future perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Alexopoulos ◽  
A. Novotni ◽  
G. Novotni ◽  
T. Vorvolakos ◽  
A. Vratsista ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Clinical Teaching ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Term Care

Abstract Background Healthcare services are increasingly confronted with challenges related to old age mental disorders. The survey aimed to provide an overview of existing psychogeriatric services in Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, and North Macedonia. Methods After identification of psychogeriatric units across the four countries, their head physicians were asked to provide data on their clinical, teaching, and research activity, as well as staff composition. Moreover, the attitudes of head physicians to current needs and future service development were explored. Results A total of 15 psychogeriatric units were identified (3 in Bulgaria, 8 in Greece, and 4 in North Macedonia). Results show wide variation regarding the location, team size and composition, service availability, numbers of patients attending, and inpatient treatment length. Most head physicians underscored the urgent need for breakthroughs in the graduate and postgraduate education in psychogeriatrics of medical and nonmedical professionals, as well as in the interconnection of their units with community primary healthcare services and long-term care facilities for seniors via telemedicine. They would welcome the development of national standards for psychogeriatric units, potentially embodying clear pointers for action. A number of head physicians advocated the development of nationwide old age mental health registries. Conclusions Regional disparities in resources and services for seniors’ mental health services were unveiled. These data may enrich the dialogue on optimizing psychogeriatric services through planning future cross-border collaborations mainly based on telemedicine services, especially in the era of the novel coronavirus pandemic, and training/education in psychogeriatrics of mental health professionals.

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