scholarly journals The Staff Mental Health Service in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough: a new model for assessment and treatment of healthcare workers in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S33-S34
Author(s):  
Muzaffer Kaser ◽  
Zoe Martin ◽  
Cathy Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Assessment And Treatment

AimsStaff mental health is a major determinant of a well-functioning health system that has become ever more important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Poor mental health is the most common reason for NHS staff sickness absences, usually accounting for 25% of all reported sick leave. At a time when the NHS most needs an available and efficient workforce, government and NHS employers lack the necessary evidence to inform decisions about how best to support the mental health needs of its staff. In this report, we share our experience and the initial figures from a newly developed multidisciplinary assessment and treatment service for NHS staff.MethodThe Staff Mental Health Service (SMHS) at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) launched in September 2020. The SMHS is commissioned by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough sustainability and transformation partnership and is accessible to the 25,513 staff based at five NHS trusts within the region. The service received 235 referrals within 5 months of the launch. All patients had a first clinical contact within three working days and more than 80% had their initial assessment within two weeks. The SMHS clinical team is comprised of consultant psychiatrists, senior clinical psychologists, specialist mental health nurses, and an occupational health nurse set to provide rapid access, confidential, evidence-based treatments for the NHS staff. As part of service evaluation within CPFT, we collected routine screening data (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Posttraumatic Symptom Check List – 6 (PCL-6)) from patients completing the initial assessment (n = 130).ResultAccording to the initial figures (n = 130) from a diverse group of healthcare staff, on average the patients presented with moderate level of depressive symptoms (PHQ-9: 16.22 ± 5.94). Anxiety levels were in moderate to severe range (GAD-7: 13.45 ± 4.70). Average score of PCL-6 checklist for traumatic stress symptoms was higher than the established cut-off (>14): 19.43 ± 5.65.ConclusionThe Staff Mental Health Service offers an innovative, multi-disciplinary rapid assessment and treatment clinic for NHS staff. The demand for the service has been immense, reaching double the number of predicted referrals. Initial data suggested high rates of moderate to severe depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms in healthcare workers. Our clinical observations was that many healthcare workers have had longstanding significant mental health conditions that saw deterioration during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that our experience in the SMHS will help inform models across the UK to address the clear unmet need for staff mental health.

The use of HoNOSCA in a child and adolescent mental health service

2003 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 52-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Manderson ◽  
Noel McCune
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Aggressive Behaviour ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
Child And Adolescent ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health Service ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjectives: To assess the health and social functioning of patients attending a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and to measure the impact of attendance using the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA).Method: HoNOSCA was completed on 73 consecutive patients attending for initial assessment with a review assessment being completed after six months or at discharge from the clinic if this occurred sooner on 53 of these. The impact of attendance at the clinics was determined by comparing initial and review mean HoNOSCA Scores.Results: Of the 53, 66% were male and 34% female. Boys were more highly rated with regard to aggressive behaviour, performance in peer relationships and family life relationships whilst girls were rated as having more nonorganic and emotional symptoms. Older children showed the highest rates of poor school attendance, non accidental (self) injury and emotional problems while younger children showed the greatest aggressive behaviour and language skill problems. An improvement in the total HoNOSCA score from initial assessment to review was seen in 92%. There was an improvement in the HoNOSCA mean score from initial assessment to review.Conclusions: Age, sex and symptom profiles of patients attending the service were similar to other CAMHS. Attendance at CAMHS produces improvements in patient outcomes over a six month period as measured using HoNOSCA, which proved to be a useful if somewhat time consuming tool.

Changes in the Rate of Diagnosis of Major Depression in Adolescents Following Routine Use of a Depression Rating Scale

2002 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph M Rey ◽  
David Grayson ◽  
Tayebeh Mojarrad ◽  
Garry Walter
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Major Depression ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Patient Population ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Self Rating

Objective: Because major depression in adolescents often goes undiagnosed, it is useful to establish whether clinicians’ rates of making this diagnosis in a specialist adolescent mental health service change when a self-rating depression scale is routinely administered. Method: A retrospective, naturalistic study examining the rate of diagnosis of major depression in a mental health service between 1993 and 1997. The intervention was the administration of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) prior to initial assessment from September 1995 onwards. The proportion of clinical diagnoses of DSM-III-R or DSM-IV major depression was the outcome measure. Age, gender, ratings of depression and other confounding variables were used to control for changes in patient population over time. Results: One thousand three hundred and ten adolescents aged 12 to 17 years assessed between 1993 and 1997 were included. After taking into account potential confounders, diagnosis of major depression was 2.8 times (95% confidence interval 1.8, 4.3) as likely when the CES-D was in use. Increase was more marked when adolescents were more disturbed overall. There was no evidence suggesting this was due to changes in diagnostic practices or in the patient population. Conclusion: Availability to clinicians of a self-rating depression scale completed prior to assessment was associated with an increase in the frequency of diagnosis of depression in a specialist mental health service for adolescents.

Measurement of Need for Care: A Trial of the Camberwell Assessment of Need and the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales

1999 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 754-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Issakidis ◽  
Maree Teesson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Need For Care ◽  
Pearson's R ◽  
Camberwell Assessment Of Need ◽  
Individual Needs ◽  
Assessment Of Need ◽  
Pearson’S R

Objective: The accurate assessment of the individual needs of clients has been the focus of increasing discussion in mental health service delivery and evaluation. There is evidence to suggest that clinicians and clients differ in their perceptions of need and that staff assessments alone may not be sufficient for determining need for care. This study addresses these discrepancies in an Australian setting. Method: The Camberwell Assessment of Need (short version) and the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) were completed on a sample of 78 clients of a mental health service in inner Sydney. Results: Clinicians identified a mean number of 7.3 needs per client (SD = 5.0) compared with 6.0 (SD = 2.4) identified by clients. The mean kappa coefficient for agreement between clinicians and clients in identification of the 22 need areas was 0.18 (range = 0–0.45), indicating poor to moderate agreement. Similarly, client ratings of need were only moderately correlated with clinician ratings of disability on the HoNOS (Pearson's r = 0.35). Clinician ratings of disability and unmet need were highly correlated (Pearson's r = 0.80), whereas ratings of disability and met need were moderately correlated (Pearson's r = 0.52). Conclusions: Individual needs assessments using the CAN are applicable in this Australian setting. Staff and clients differ in their assessment of need. It is important to consider both the role of the rater and the context in which they are making the ratings when applying need and disability assessments in clinical practice.

Spiritual History of Parents of Children Attending a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Mathai ◽  
Amanda North
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
Child And Adolescent ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health Service ◽  
History Of ◽  
Spiritual History

Objective: To conduct a survey of the importance of spirituality in parents of children referred to a child and adolescent mental health service. Method: A questionnaire consisting of five questions was completed by 70 parents. Results: The vast majority of parents reported spirituality to be of some importance and more than half believed that therapists should consider their spiritual beliefs in the management of their child's problems. Conclusion: Professional Colleges need to actively address this area and educate their members on the importance of including a spiritual history in assessment and treatment protocols.

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