Mental health: Staff shortages are causing distressingly long waits for treatment, college warns

Objectives: (i) to describe the operational strategies implemented to practise electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) safely, and (ii) to explore the effect of the lockdown and operational strategies on the characteristics of patients who received ECT during the initial 6 months of the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: At first, the operational strategies that were implemented at the Broadmeadows ECT suite were summarised. Subsequently, the characteristics of patients who received ECT in the lockdown period (16 March–16 September 2020) and in the comparison period (16 March–16 September 2019) were compared. Results: Many safety measures were implemented, and there was no COVID-19 infection among mental health staff and patients. In the lockdown period, the number of patients (23.9%) and the total number of ECTs (29.4%) were less. This pattern was more prominent among the aged patients. Conclusion: Safe practices are essential to provide ECT during lockdowns even when the community transmission of COVID-19 is high.

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

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences ◽

10.1017/s204579601800063x ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (5) ◽

pp. 481-488 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

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.

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The Practice of Community Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health Social Work in Salford Some Implications for Community Care

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.152.6.783 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 152 (6) ◽

pp. 783-792 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

K. Wooff ◽

D. P. Goldberg ◽

T. Fryers

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Psychiatric Nurses ◽

Health Staff ◽

Mental Health Staff ◽

Term Care ◽

Community Psychiatric ◽

Wide Range

The context and content of work undertaken with individual clients by community psychiatric nurses (CPNs) and mental health social workers (MHSWs) in Salford were found to be significantly different. Although there were some areas of overlap, the ways in which the two professions worked were quite distinct. MHSWs discussed a wide range of topics and were as concerned with clients' interactions with family and community networks as they were with symptoms. Their interviews with schizophrenic clients followed a similar pattern to those with other groups, and they worked closely with psychiatrists and other mental health staff. CPNs, on the other hand, focused mainly on psychiatric symptoms, treatment arrangements, and medications, and spent significantly less time with individual psychotic clients than they did with patients suffering from neuroses. They were as likely to be in contact with general practitioners as they were with psychiatrists, and had fewer contacts with other mental health staff than the MHSWs. There was evidence that the long-term care of chronic psychiatric patients living outside hospital required more co-ordinated long-term multidisciplinary input.

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Visual acuity and reported eye problems among psychiatric in-patients

Psychiatric Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.30.8.297 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 30 (8) ◽

pp. 297-299 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

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.

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A Systematic Review of the Characteristics and Efficacy of Recovery Training for Mental Health Staff: Implications for Supported Accommodation Services

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.624081 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Peter McPherson ◽

Brynmor Lloyd-Evans ◽

Christian Dalton-Locke ◽

Helen Killaspy

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Service User ◽

Health Staff ◽

Mental Health Staff ◽

Training Interventions ◽

Supported Accommodation ◽

Final Sample ◽

Design Characteristics

Evidence suggests a link between recovery-oriented practise and service user outcomes in supported accommodation settings. Current clinical guidelines recommend recovery training for supported accommodation staff, however evidence relating to the effectiveness of this type of training is unclear. This review aimed to describe and compare the characteristics and efficacy of existing recovery training packages for mental health staff. The appropriateness and applicability of the interventions was considered in relation to UK supported accommodation services. Initial search processes returned 830 papers. After duplicate removal, inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to 489 papers, leaving a final sample of seven papers. Data were reviewed using a narrative synthesis approach. The reviewed papers showed variation in the aims, frequency, and duration of the training interventions, although all included content consistent with the five-domains of the CHIME model. All interventions used direct, in-person teaching, and prioritised interactive, experiential learning, however a number were limited by the absence of feedback, the use of one-off, rather than repeated/follow-up sessions, and a reliance on classroom-based, rather than in-vivo, training. There was limited evidence to suggest a consistent effect of training on staff or service user outcomes, and there was no clear association between the delivery and design characteristics of the interventions and reported outcomes. In considering the development of recovery training for supported accommodation staff, little guidance can be taken from the reviewed literature. Any training package must be developed with consideration of the unique contextual and organisational characteristics of these services. The authors recommend viewing training as one component of a broader goal of service transformation.

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The effectiveness of a sensory modulation workshop on health professional learning

The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice ◽

10.1108/jmhtep-08-2015-0037 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 317-331 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

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.

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