Remarkable lives: Laura O’Brien in conversation with Jerome Carson

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura O'Brien ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Personal Recovery ◽  
Mental Health Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Biographical Account ◽  
The Individual

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to provide a profile of Laura O’Brien. Design/methodology/approach – Laura provides a short biographical account of her life thus far. She is then interviewed by Jerome. She describes her abusive childhood and the effect this has had on her mental health. Findings – Despite enduring significant adversity, Laura has completed a Psychology degree, is finishing off a PGCE and hopes to go on to complete a PhD. Research limitations/implications – There has been increasing interest looking at the effects of childhood abuse on predisposing individuals to adult mental health problems. This case study provides evidence of this linkage. Practical implications – Patricia Deegan talks about mental health staff having to “hold the care” while the individual struggles with their personal recovery. Laura’s story shows how despite numerous overdoses and admissions, she has been able to battle through. Mental health staff should never give up. There are thousands of “Lauras” out there. Social implications – How much of Laura’s problems might have been avoided or minimised if there had been better interventions during her troubled childhood years? Originality/value – Given what she has endured, Laura’s recent career successes have been staggering.

scholarly journals Walking side-by-side: Recovery Colleges revolutionising mental health care

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Sommer ◽  
Katherine Gill ◽  
Jane Stein-Parbury
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Fundamental Aspect ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Personal Recovery ◽  
Mental Health Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Interviews

Purpose The Recovery College model is an innovative approach to providing education to consumers, carers and mental health staff, with the potential to facilitate both personal recovery gains and organisational transformation towards recovery-focused service provision. The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of students who attended the South Eastern Sydney Recovery College (SESRC). Design/methodology/approach An exploratory, descriptive qualitative design was employed with data collected through seven focus group interviews with consumers and mental health staff who had participated in courses run by the SESRC. Thematic analysis of the data was conducted using both deductive and inductive processes in order to interpret the data. Findings All participants were positive about their involvement in the RC. Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis: connection with others, hope for the future, the importance of the lived experience, and changing attitudes and systems. Originality/value The outcomes of this study indicate that the SESRC is achieving its aims in relation to both personal recovery gains, and the potential to impact on service transformation. It highlights the centrality of co-production as a fundamental aspect of the Recovery College model. This paper contributes to the emerging evidence base for this model and provides evidence that this model is applicable to the Australian context.

Maddi Faith in conversation with Jerome Carson

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-16
Author(s):  
Maddi Faith ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Maddi Faith. Design/methodology/approach In this single case study, Maddi gives a short background and the origins of her mental health issues and is then interviewed by Jerome. Findings Maddi tells the authors how her problems developed in her childhood and of the journey she has been on since. Research limitations/implications Single case studies provide a single perspective. Yet are they of any less value than a commentary by an academic? On the contrary, many offer unique insights into how the authors provide services for people with mental health problems, and of better ways to help them. Practical implications Maddi raises the issue of “falling between services”, with the result that the individual concerned does not receive the help they need. Social implications The persistent stigma of mental health problems is an issue that will need to be addressed for decades if it is to be overcome. Personal witness is vital in tackling this issue. Maddi has already done a lot to address this through her work at University. Originality/value The Trust the second author worked for, for many years used to have a staff “Made a Difference” award. Maddi surely deserves such an award for her own efforts to develop our understanding of the realities of mental health problems.

Andrea Handley in conversation with Jerome Carson

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 125-130
Author(s):  
Andrea Handley ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Individual Case ◽  
First Person ◽  
Short Account ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Andrea Handley. Design/methodology/approach In this case study, Andrea gives a short account of her background and is then interviewed by Jerome. Findings Andrea outlines a number of issues from her childhood that led to her later mental health problems. Research limitations/implications Individual case studies are of course just the story of one person’s difficulties. For too long in psychiatry, case studies were written by professionals about their lives and problems. First person accounts allow the individual to tell their own narrative. Practical implications Andrea is not the first person to talk about the delay in access to mental health services. As she notes, 16 years on, she is still waiting for that referral! She notes that a friend of her could not wait even the three months that she had been and tragically took her own life. Social implications So much of Andrea’s story is overshadowed by loss, especially the death of her brother when she was a teenager. As a society, we are no as well “prepared” for death, as older generations. The coronavirus pandemic is bringing our mortality home to all of us. Originality/value Patricia Deegan once asked, “How much loss could a human heart hold?” In this moving account Andrea lets us see the huge losses she has sustained and yet she is still determined to try and help others who are suffering. Hers is truly a remarkable life.

scholarly journals The impact of Recovery Colleges on mental health staff, services and society

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 481-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Crowther ◽  
A. Taylor ◽  
R. Toney ◽  
S. Meddings ◽  
T. Whale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Advisory Panel ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Mental Health Staff ◽  
Social Care Service ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Impact

AbstractAimsRecovery Colleges are opening internationally. The evaluation focus has been on outcomes for Recovery College students who use mental health services. However, benefits may also arise for: staff who attend or co-deliver courses; the mental health and social care service hosting the Recovery College; and wider society. A theory-based change model characterising how Recovery Colleges impact at these higher levels is needed for formal evaluation of their impact, and to inform future Recovery College development. The aim of this study was to develop a stratified theory identifying candidate mechanisms of action and outcomes (impact) for Recovery Colleges at staff, services and societal levels.MethodsInductive thematic analysis of 44 publications identified in a systematised review was supplemented by collaborative analysis involving a lived experience advisory panel to develop a preliminary theoretical framework. This was refined through semi-structured interviews with 33 Recovery College stakeholders (service user students, peer/non-peer trainers, managers, community partners, clinicians) in three sites in England.ResultsCandidate mechanisms of action and outcomes were identified at staff, services and societal levels. At the staff level, experiencing new relationships may change attitudes and associated professional practice. Identified outcomes for staff included: experiencing and valuing co-production; changed perceptions of service users; and increased passion and job motivation. At the services level, Recovery Colleges often develop somewhat separately from their host system, reducing the reach of the college into the host organisation but allowing development of an alternative culture giving experiential learning opportunities to staff around co-production and the role of a peer workforce. At the societal level, partnering with community-based agencies gave other members of the public opportunities for learning alongside people with mental health problems and enabled community agencies to work with people they might not have otherwise. Recovery Colleges also gave opportunities to beneficially impact on community attitudes.ConclusionsThis study is the first to characterise the mechanisms of action and impact of Recovery Colleges on mental health staff, mental health and social care services, and wider society. The findings suggest that a certain distance is needed in the relationship between the Recovery College and its host organisation if a genuine cultural alternative is to be created. Different strategies are needed depending on what level of impact is intended, and this study can inform decision-making about mechanisms to prioritise. Future research into Recovery Colleges should include contextual evaluation of these higher level impacts, and investigate effectiveness and harms.

scholarly journals Visual acuity and reported eye problems among psychiatric in-patients

2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 297-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhaskar Punukollu ◽  
Michael Phelan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Inner City ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Contact Lenses ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Mental Health Staff ◽  
Eye Problems ◽  
Mental Health Unit

Aims and MethodThe aim of this study was to examine visual problems among patients admitted to an inner city acute mental health unit. We measured visual acuity using a Snellen chart. Patients were also asked about perceived eye problems and access to services.ResultsOf 55 in-patients on five acute general adult wards at an inner city mental health unit over a 3-day period, 31 agreed to participate in the study. Twenty (65%) had impaired visual acuity and 19 (61%) had not been to an optician for 5 or more years. Seventeen patients (55%) reported experiencing difficulty with their eyesight. The main problems reported were blurring of vision and periorbital pain. Of these 17 patients, 15 (88%) had impaired visual acuity on Snellen testing. Half of those who had previously been prescribed glasses or contact lenses reported that they had been lost.Clinical ImplicationsVisual impairment appears to be another area of physical health which is underrecognised and undertreated in people with severe mental health problems. Although there are numerous issues that must be addressed by mental health staff, patients should be asked about eye problems and supported in accessing opticians.

The effectiveness of a sensory modulation workshop on health professional learning

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 317-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilbert Azuela ◽  
Linda Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Reference Group ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Sensory Modulation ◽  
Mental Health Staff ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Workshops are commonly used to up-skill staff and their usefulness can be determined by measuring whether or not learning needs have been met and, in particular, whether attitudes have changed. In the field of mental health, sensory modulation workshops have been introduced to educate staff about preventative measures that reduce the use of seclusion and restraint for service users with challenging behaviours. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of such a workshop. Design/methodology/approach A one-day workshop was developed based on a review of the literature and feedback from previous workshops, and with input from an industry-based reference group. An evaluation tool was designed to measure the learning outcomes, i.e., the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the 23 participants. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS v20) was used to analyse the data. Multi-variate analysis of variance was used to determine the relationship between variables. Findings A significant increase in the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of mental health staff was identified after the one-day workshop (F=106.346, df=1, p<0.000). When considering which participants showed most benefits, it was shown that the demographics had no effect, i.e., education level, practice discipline, years of work experience in mental health, and previous sensory modulation training. Practical implications Measuring learning outcomes provides essential information about whether or not the learning objectives have been met. This allows future workshops to be tailored to ensure that the learning opportunity is at the correct level for the learners. More traditional evaluations that elicit the views of the content covered and teaching methods should additionally be used to supplement this information. Originality/value Workshops are often evaluated on the basis of the participants’ subjective response to a quick questionnaire. Developing a tool to measure outcomes is a more effective way to determine what has been learned and to ensure that positive outcomes for individuals and their organisations can be reached.

Enhancing teaching relationships through therapeutic use of self

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-70
Author(s):  
Bronwen Williams
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Therapeutic Relationship ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Therapeutic Use ◽  
Good Effect ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Use Of Self ◽  
Mental Health Staff ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how the skills involved in building therapeutic relationships, especially the therapeutic use of self, in clinical work can transfer in to teaching, making reference to the supporting education theory. Design/methodology/approach – A review of relevant education and health literature was undertaken. Findings – Mental health practitioners’ skills transfer with good effect to the classroom, therefore clinicians who deliver teaching to mental health colleagues can be seen to be highly effective in promoting excellent learning environments. The teacher, and their teaching, needs to be student focused in the same way that the clinician needs to be patient centred to build the best possible relationships to support development and change. Originality/value – The therapeutic relationship is a fundamental element of mental health work and similarly, the relationships that the teachers develop with students are essential to the promotion of learning environments. However, what creates the teacher-student relationship has been little examined in the literature and this paper suggests that the core elements of the therapeutic relationship, especially therapeutic use of self, transfer to the teaching relationship to impact on learning for mental health staff.

Exploring mental health nursing practice in Indonesian rural area

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-126
Author(s):  
Kusrini Semarwati Kadar ◽  
Andriani Andriani ◽  
Darmita Noria Tandi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Program ◽  
Mental Health Program ◽  
Health Programs ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Mental Health Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
South Sulawesi ◽  
The Government ◽  
Mental Health Programs

Purpose Mental health should be getting more attention, as mental health problems are increasing and they pose a significant health burden. Government plays an important role in supporting the implementation of mental health program. The purpose of this paper is to overview the implementation of mental health programs in North Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents an audit conducted to examine the practice of mental health staff delivering mental health programs in community centers in one sub-district area in Indonesia and describes key areas of work, including promotive, preventative, curative and rehabilitation intervention. Responds from the respondents then was compared to guidelines for mental health practice in community based on Mental Health Law No. 18 (2014). The respondents were all mental health program staff (26 staff) from all community health centers (26 Puskesmas) in the North Toraja region, South Sulawesi (each Puskesmas has one staff responsible for mental health program). Findings This study explored programs and services provided for community mental health programs and roles of health staff in implementing programs and delivering services in one rural area. Although most health staff had provided mental health services according to the government guidelines, this study did not identify what the staff actually did in performing this work. Health staff cannot work alone in providing healthcare services, thus support from other sectors and from government is needed to deliver more effective healthcare to people with mental health disorders in the community. For further study, qualitative design is needed to explore more about the actual practice of the mental health staff in Puskesmas. Originality/value There is no published information regarding this topic in Indonesia to date. This information is really important for the government to evaluate the implementation of mental health program in Indonesia. However, these findings may only apply in this area, thus cannot be generalized for other regions in Indonesia, even if similar condition occurs in other areas.

scholarly journals Mental health staff views on improving burnout and mental toughness

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 249-259
Author(s):  
Zoe Posner ◽  
Jessie Janssen ◽  
Hazel Roddam
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Nominal Group Technique ◽  
Mental Toughness ◽  
Nominal Group ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Main Question ◽  
Mental Health Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
North West

Purpose Burnout in mental health staff is acknowledged as a major problem. The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding of mental health staff views on improving burnout and mental toughness in mental health staff. Design/methodology/approach Ten participants from two mental health rehabilitation units across the north-west of England took part in a Nominal Group Technique. Participants consisted of mental health workers from varied roles in order to capture views from a multidisciplinary team. The main question posed to the staff was “What strategies and techniques do you think could help improve burnout and mental toughness in mental health staff”. Findings The study revealed that the top three ideas to take forward to help improve burnout and mental toughness in mental health staff were improving the culture/organisation, improving staff wellbeing and education. Additionally, staff were highly motivated and enthusiastic about engaging in discussion about what could be done to improve their wellbeing and the importance of taking this forward. Originality/value This study is unique in involving mental health staff in discussing their ways of improving their mental health. It is also unique as it has found the nine strategies to do this and these could be used in targeted training for mental health staff.

A systemic response to supporting frontline inpatient mental health staff in coping with the COVID-19 outbreak

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Padraig Cotter ◽  
Nicola Jhumat ◽  
Eshia Garcha ◽  
Eirini Papasileka ◽  
Jennifer Parker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Mental Health Staff ◽  
Frontline Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Care Workforce ◽  
Inpatient Mental Health ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to outline the process of supporting frontline inpatient mental health staff in developing ways of coping with COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach A whole system approach was used in formulating and developing support structures with particular focus on relationship-focused coping. Findings Interventions were developed to support staff in coping with problem-focused (e.g. systemic changes) and emotion-focused challenges (e.g. deaths of colleagues). These included psychoeducation, mindfulness-based meditation and rituals to mark the deaths of colleagues. Staff SPACE (Stopping to Process and Consider Events) sessions were used to support staff in managing the many emotions they were experiencing. Positive psychology-based interventions were used to keep morale up and help people to stay motivated. The process of seeking feedback and making changes was introduced to support staff in feeling heard and having a voice. The maternal or master intervention within each of the above was the relational component. Practical implications This work aimed to boost the emotional and psychological literacy of the system. This will be important in the aftermath of the pandemic and could have many benefits thereafter. Social implications The post-COVID-19 health-care workforce will experience significant challenges in terms of readjustment and recovery. It is important that appropriate measures are put in place to ameliorate this. Originality/value An innovative systemic formulation of the impact of COVID-19 on frontline staff, and a coordinated way of dealing with this, is outlined.

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