scholarly journals An audit: fitness to drive assessment in inpatients of general adult and old age psychiatry

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S200-S201
Author(s):  
Ismail Khan ◽  
Nneamaka Asiodu ◽  
Dr Divyanish ◽  
Anum Yaqoob ◽  
Hasanain Qureshi

AimsTo determine if fitness to drive is assessed on admission and discharge, if applicable, and for this to be documented during clerking and on discharge notifications.To determine if patients are being educated about the impact of their condition on the ability to safely drive.To ascertain if patients are aware of the duty to inform the DVLA if they for any reason are not fit to drive.BackgroundRisk factors include social, behavior and iatrogenic factors such as social withdrawal, increased likelihood of substance abuse and side effects of anti-psychotic medication.MethodThis trust wide audit involved the random sampling of a total of 71 case notes, 4 case notes per Consultant team in general adult psychiatry and old age psychiatry across Dudley and Walsall sites (total of 3 sites). A data collection tool was developed and included relevant questions regarding fitness to drive. Data were collected between October and December 2019.Result18/49 patients had physical health screening prior to medication initiation.ConclusionAn important aspect of good medical practice is to educate patients about their condition, this includes their fitness to drive as this can be affected both by their diagnosis and medication. It is clear that clinicians also need to be educated about this responsibility to ensure assessment is performed especially on inpatient discharge.

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 433-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Holmes ◽  
Jon Millard ◽  
Susie Waddingham

Liaison psychiatry has emerged as a sub-speciality within general adult psychiatry, with specific experience and training being required to develop the skills and knowledge to address comorbid physical and psychiatric symptoms and illness (House & Creed, 1993; Lloyd, 2001). Older people often present with significant physical and psychiatric comorbidity (Ames et al, 1994; Holmes & House, 2000) and most old age psychiatry services receive one-quarter to one-third of referrals from general hospital wards (Anderson & Philpott, 1991). Despite this, there are no specific requirements for training in liaison psychiatry for old age psychiatrists at any level. The experience gained in assessing and treating general hospital referrals during basic and higher specialist training is felt to be adequate (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1998).


1994 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 730-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith S. Kerr ◽  
Tom Dening ◽  
Claire Lawton

To date, there are few reports on the extent of elder abuse among patients referred to old age psychiatry services. This study examined suspected cases of abuse among new referrals to a community psychiatric team for the elderly, at a time when guidelines and procedures for the detection and management of elder abuse were about to be introduced. of 74 cases assessed, seven (almost 10%) were probably being abused. Several types of abuse were described, with no single pattern, and the professional responses therefore needed to be flexible. The impact of introducing the guidelines win be assessed later.


2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 145-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margo Wrigley ◽  
Bernadette Murphy ◽  
Martin Farrell ◽  
Brendan Cassidy ◽  
Jim Ryan

AbstractObjectives: There has been no specific planning for older people with enduring or recurrent severe mental illness in Ireland. This survey aims to identify the number of affected over 65 year olds (graduates) and 55-64 year olds (prospective graduates) in the Health Service Executive, Eastern Region, their diagnoses and their use of psychiatric services.Method: A comprehensive survey of the ten general adult psychiatry and four old age psychiatry services in the (HSE) Eastern Region was undertaken for the year 2003 to determine the number of patients, their diagnoses and service utilisation.Results: 649 people over 65 years old were identified within the general adult psychiatry services and a further 279 within the old age psychiatry services giving a total of 928. (This number rose to 1141 after correcting for missing outpatient data.) 1,397 people between the ages of 55-64 were identified. (This number rose to 1,916 after correcting for missing outpatient data.)Conclusions: There are substantial numbers of ‘graduates’ and ‘prospective graduates’ in the Eastern Region. It is essential that services for this population are specifically planned for and further qualitative research is required to inform this process.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Cachia

Abstract Background Over the last 7 years CMH Malta provided holistic evidence for a mental health strategic framework with the regular input of patients, families, NGOs and civil society. Methods This evidence featured in published Annual Reports, conference presentations, bilateral meetings, and media interventions. The National Mental Health Strategy 2020-2030 was published in July 2019. CMH proffered advice, experience and supporting documents to the Strategy Team. 80% of the action points in the strategy reflect CMH recommendations. Results The philosophy of care should emphasise person-centred multi-disciplinary care. The primary health care system must be an effective gatekeeper providing mental health promotion and care in the community thus preventing hospital admissions. Acute psychiatric care must be provided within the acute general hospital setting with active support of A&E and 24/7 intervention services that deal promptly with emergencies. Transition of youngsters to adult psychiatry and of adults to old age psychiatry should be flexible. Community-based rehabilitation is required for Adult Psychiatry, Child/Adolescent/Youth Psychiatry, Old Age Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry and Learning Disability. Policymakers must provide care options for older persons with chronic mental disorders, safe settings for youngsters with severely challenging behaviour, and shelters for persons suffering from substance misuse who resist treatment or rehabilitation. Conclusions Implementation of the Mental Health Strategy requires substantial capital investment and new resources. Service re-engineering and synergy are necessary to avoid duplication and waste. Better complements of professionals must be available to provide alternative therapies to the current medical pharmacological model. Key messages Patients, families, NGOs and civil society are critical partners in strategy development. Action points and implementation plans must reflect service user views and advice.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S32-S32
Author(s):  
Catriona Ingram ◽  
Karli Dempsey ◽  
Gillian Scott ◽  
Joe Sharkey

AimsOur aim was to identify current practice for Lithium monitoring for >65s in NHS GGC and assess compliance to local Lithium monitoring guidelines.MethodA retrospective analysis was undertaken of patient data (demographics, diagnosis, biochemistry results) with Caldicott approval at two points over the course of 2018/19. For the first analysis, old age Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) were approached and asked to provide a list of their patients on Lithium. This was then assessed for compliance to Lithium monitoring guidelines.For the second analysis, pharmacy provided data for every patient in the health board dispensed lithium, regardless of whether they were open to a CMHT or not. We were then able to identify patients who we had not picked up on our initial analysis, and re-assess the entire data set for compliance to Lithium monitoring guidelines.ResultFrom our first analysis, 13 CMHTs identified 155 patients on Lithium. There was a high variability in how these patients were identified. 44% of patients were monitored by CMHTs who took bloods and chased them, 38% were monitored by GPs who were prompted by CMHTs in routine clinic letters, and 14% were monitored by GPs who were prompted by CMHTs more assertively using a lithium register. Overall, Lithium plasma monitoring was done well irrespective of method (91%), however compliance to the local standards was poor (58%) with proactive CMHT prompting GPs appearing to be the most effective method (71%).In our second analysis, we identified 508 patients >65 in NHS GGC prescribed Lithium. Of those, 44% were open to old age psychiatry, 25% general adult psychiatry and 19% were not open to anyone. Of those open to old age services, only 58% had been identified in the previous audit. Lithium monitoring compliance was better in those open to a CMHT versus those not (61% to 23%), and better in CMHTs where monitoring was done by CMHTs rather than GPs. For each CMHT, there were roughly 7 patients per catchment area on Lithium not open to psychiatry.ConclusionLithium monitoring does appear to be highly variable and not particularly compliant with local standards. CMHTs have inconsistent methods of identifying patients prescribed Lithium. There are a significant number of patients not open to old age CMHTs prescribed Lithium, and these patients have poorer compliance to Lithium monitoring. Of patients open to CMHTs, CMHT-led monitoring appears superior to other forms.


2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (04) ◽  
pp. 152-154
Author(s):  
Denise Cope

Aims and Methods A postal questionnaire was sent to 31 Specialist Registrar Training Programme Directors in general adult and old age psychiatry in England, Scotland and Wales to ascertain the recruitment position on their training scheme and their views on recruitment. Results There was no recruitment to 24% of specialist registrar (SpR) posts. A 17% increase in national training numbers in general adult and old age psychiatry had occurred in the schemes surveyed during the past 2 years. An insufficient number of senior house officer (SHO) posts was identified by 42% of respondents and the unattractiveness of general adult psychiatry recorded by 58% of respondents as factors in under-recruitment. Implications Under-recruitment at consultant level in general adult and old age psychiatry is being replicated at specialist registrar level. Trainees are not being encouraged into higher psychiatric training by increasing specialist registrar national training numbers. Insufficient SHO posts and the perceived unattractiveness of general adult psychiatry appear as significant factors contributing to poor recruitment at SpR level.


2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 874-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Teodorczuk ◽  
Mark Welfare ◽  
Sally Corbett ◽  
Elizabeta Mukaetova-Ladinska

ABSTRACTBackground:Deficiencies in the knowledge, skills and attitudes of all healthcare professionals working within the general hospital contribute towards the suboptimal care of older hospitalized patients with confusion. In the U.K., policy dictates that Liaison Old Age Psychiatry teams deliver effective education to general hospital clinical staff. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature concerning the learning needs of healthcare professionals in relation to managing confusion in the older patient in order to inform effective educational approaches for Liaison Old Age Psychiatry teams.Methods:A broad range of medical and educational databases were searched. Identified English language studies were selected for further analysis if they had a specific educational focus in the hospital setting and then further subdivided into intervention and naturalistic studies. The impact of intervention studies was evaluated by Kirkpatrick's system. Learning needs, as determined from the naturalistic studies, were mapped to identify themes.Results:13 intervention studies were identified. Despite a high level of effectiveness for educational interventions, it was unclear what the active components were. A further 23 naturalistic studies were identified; their findings focused on knowledge gaps, diagnostic behaviors and experiences, attitudes and training issues. Few studies specifically researched learning needs or the educational role of liaison teams. Conspicuous by its absence was reference to relevant educational theories.Conclusions:The findings of this review can be incorporated in the planning of local curricula by Liaison Teams in order to design educational strategies. There is a need for further research, especially studies exploring the learning needs ofallhealthcare professionals.


2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 152-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Cope

Aims and MethodsA postal questionnaire was sent to 31 Specialist Registrar Training Programme Directors in general adult and old age psychiatry in England, Scotland and Wales to ascertain the recruitment position on their training scheme and their views on recruitment.ResultsThere was no recruitment to 24% of specialist registrar (SpR) posts. A 17% increase in national training numbers in general adult and old age psychiatry had occurred in the schemes surveyed during the past 2 years. An insufficient number of senior house officer (SHO) posts was identified by 42% of respondents and the unattractiveness of general adult psychiatry recorded by 58% of respondents as factors in under-recruitment.ImplicationsUnder-recruitment at consultant level in general adult and old age psychiatry is being replicated at specialist registrar level. Trainees are not being encouraged into higher psychiatric training by increasing specialist registrar national training numbers. Insufficient SHO posts and the perceived unattractiveness of general adult psychiatry appear as significant factors contributing to poor recruitment at SpR level.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document