| Subject: | Health |
| Topic: | Mental health services |
| Year: | 2014 |
A report provided findings from a process of stakeholder engagement in London regarding the future of mental health provision in the city.
Source: Helen Gilburt, Nigel Edwards, and Richard Murray, Transforming Mental Health: A plan of action for London, King's Fund
Links: Report | Kings Fund press release
Date: 2014-Sep
An article examined the use and potential of self-care support for mental health for children and young people (CYP), and how such support interfaced with statutory and non-statutory service provision. It said that key elements of self-care support included the acquisition of knowledge and skills, peer support, and the relationship with the self-care support agents: but CYP had different perceptions from adults about what was important. It said that effective self-care support services were predicated on: flexibility; straightforward access; non-judgemental, welcoming organizations and staff; the provision of time and attention; opportunities to learn and practice skills relevant to self-care; and systems of peer support. The article concluded that mental health self-care support interventions for CYP were modestly effective in the short to medium term.
Source: Steven Pryjmachuk, Rebecca Elvey, Susan Kirk, Sarah Kendal, Peter Bower, and Roger Catchpole, 'Developing a model of mental health self-care support for children and young people through an integrated evaluation of available types of provision involving systematic review, meta-analysis and case study', Health Services and Delivery Research, Volume 2 Issue 18
Date: 2014-Jul
A report examined progress against the aims of the 2008 Independent Living Strategy. It said that there was no evidence of significant progress in improving choice and control and, although there had been an increase in the use of personal budgets for social care, there were also limitations to the effective delivery of services, and the restrictions in how personal budgets or direct payments could be used inhibited choice and control. The report also raised concerns including: services for older people; mental health services; employment prospects and support; access to appropriate accommodation; and declining levels of income.
Source: Jenny Morris, Independent Living Strategy: A review of progress, In Control/Disability Rights UK
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jul
An article examined the roles and functions of the organizations that were responsible for regulating health and adult social care in England and for monitoring the operation of the Mental Health Act 1983 currently (the Care Quality Commission) and formerly (the Mental Health Act Commission). The article compared the two organizations in terms of their ability to provide a legitimate system of regulation and an effective safeguard for detained psychiatric patients. It said that the CQC did have the capacity to monitor detention, enforce standards, and improve the quality of psychiatric patient care, as long as it continued to uphold certain principles and standards and maintain its independence from the state.
Source: Judy Laing, 'Protecting the rights of patients in psychiatric settings: a comparison of the work of the Mental Health Act Commission with the CQC', Journal of Social Welfare & Family Law, Volume 36 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jul
A report said that mental health was a priority area in Scottish healthcare, and that the focus on data collection, monitoring, and evaluation, and on improvement and delivery, was a particular strength. It said that better indicators could be developed to monitor specialist community services.
Source: Alessia Forti, Mental Health Analysis Profiles (MhAPs): Scotland, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jul
An article examined recent trends in hospital and community treatment in England for eight mental health diagnoses, over the period 1998 to 2012. It said that mental health bed numbers had declined significantly, and both the numbers and lengths of hospital stays had declined for a range of severe illnesses including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. It said there could be significant needs that were not met through community services and called for a review of policy, as well as further epidemiological study of morbidity, mortality, and health needs associated with mental illness in the community.
Source: Ben Green and Emily Griffiths, 'Hospital admission and community treatment of mental disorders in England from 1998 to 2012', General Hospital Psychiatry, Volume 36 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jul
A report examined women's experiences of poor mental health and well-being, and their experiences within the mental health system in England, with a focus on women who had experienced sexual violence, black and minority-ethnic women, and women affected by HIV. It said that, overall, the integration of need in policy processes and structures was inconsistent, and that there was a clear need for a consistent, gender-specific approach in the commissioning and delivery of mental health services. The report made a range of recommendations.
Source: 'I Am More Than One Thing': A guiding paper by Imkaan, Positively UK and Rape Crisis England and Wales on women and mental health, Imkaan/Positively UK/Rape Crisis England and Wales
Date: 2014-May
A report said more research was needed into the nature and prevalence of mental health problems among children and young people from black and minority-ethnic communities, in order to support the planning, commissioning, and provision of appropriate mental health support in England. It said it was also important to recognize the specific needs of different ethnic groups and individuals, and to understand the barriers that deterred young people from accessing mental health services. The report called for commissioners and service providers to work with children and young people to develop evidence-based and culturally appropriate services, including early intervention services.
Source: Paula Lavis, The Importance of Promoting Mental Health in Children and Young People from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities, Race Equality Foundation
Date: 2014-May
An article examined the literature around joint working in health and social care for older people and people with mental health problems in the United Kingdom. Updating an earlier literature review, it said there were signs that some joint working or integration initiatives could deliver outcomes desired by government, and some evidence to suggest benefits to service users or carers. However, the authors concluded that the available evidence did not support the current or previous government's faith in the strategy of health and social care integration.
Source: Ailsa Cameron, Lisa Bostock, and Rachel Lart, 'Service user and carers perspectives of joint and integrated working between health and social care', Journal of Integrated Care, Volume 22 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-May
A report examined the mental health of people with learning disabilities. Drawing on a survey, it reported a range of findings and recommendations, including that: people with learning disabilities said that they did not feel believed, listened to, or supported when they felt down, and wanted to have more control around their mental health; family members and friends had reported difficulties in accessing support and specialist referrals, to the detriment of people's well-being; professionals had said that not enough was being done to support the mental health needs of people with learning disabilities; and that mental health services needed to improve and to make reasonable adjustments to ensure access.
Source: Christine-Koulla Burke, Feeling Down: Improving the mental health of people with learning disabilities, Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities
Links: Report | FPLD press release
Date: 2014-May
A report examined economic evidence to support the business case for investment in effective, recovery-focused services for people with schizophrenia and psychosis. The report said that there was a range of clinically effective interventions, and it called on local and regional commissioning and pathway development to draw on the evidence in order to achieve savings that could be reinvested in care.
Source: Martin Knapp, Alison Andrew, David McDaid, Valentina Iemmi, Paul McCrone, A-La Park, Michael Parsonage, Jed Boardman, and Geoff Shepherd, Investing in Recovery: Making the business case for effective interventions for people with schizophrenia and psychosis, Rethink Mental Illness
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2014-Apr
