Prodigy updates

Twenty topics have been updated on the PRODIGY website. PRODIGY is a reliable source of evidence-based information and practical ‘know how’ about the common conditions managed in primary and first-contact care. It provides answers to real-life clinical questions that arise in day-to-day practice and clearly links the answers to the evidence on which they are based. Topics included are:

• Bipolar disorder
• Dementia
• Depression
• Depression – antenatal and postnatal
• Schizophrenia

http://prodigy.clarity.co.uk/news/new_and_updated_prodigy_topics

Alcohol guidelines

The Science and Technology Committee has published ‘Eleventh Report: Alcohol Guidelines’. The report recommends that alcohol guidelines should be reviewed and that greater efforts should also be focused on helping people understand the guidelines and how to use them. The Government should remain mindful that sensible drinking messages may conflict with the business objectives of drinks companies and exercise proper scrutiny and oversight. The Government should conduct an interim assessment of the initiative in December 2012 rather than waiting for the target date of December 2013.

Report: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmsctech/1536/153602.htm

Children’s Mental Health and Psychological Well-being eBulletin – January 2012

This monthly eBulletin is a collaboration between ChiMat and YoungMinds (and was previously produced with the National CAMHS Support Service (NCSS)). It aims to provide high quality, up-to-date information on children’s psychological and emotional well-being and mental health. It summarises the latest additions to the Mental Health and Psychological Well-being Knowledge Hub on the ChiMat website over the last month.

http://www.chimat.org.uk/default.aspx?QN=CHMK9&src=MH#MH 

 

Children and Young People’s Mental Health

The following professional letter has been published by the Department of Health ‘Children and Young People’s Mental Health – recent developments’. This letter brings together information on a number of recent developments to support delivery of improved mental health outcomes for children and young people.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/Professionalletters/Chiefmedicalofficerletters/DH_131977

Adult Autism Strategy

The following Dear Colleague letter has been published ‘The Adult Autism Strategy Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives: Evaluating Progress – next steps in the national self-assessment framework exercise’. This letter sets out an additional list of questions to be included as part of the self-assessment framework exercise linked to the delivery of Adult Autism Strategy which was launched in April 2011.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/Dearcolleagueletters/DH_131923

Social Care bulletin

Social Care bulletin: December 2011, issue 19 has been published by the Department of Health. This month’s edition covers engagement across the social care system and the National Dementia Strategy.

http://socialcarebulletin.dh.gov.uk/2011/12/19/social-care-bulletin-december-2011-issue-19/

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies

The Information Centre has published ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Key Performance Indicators (IAPT KPIs) Q1 2011/12 final and Q2 2011/12 provisional’. The data show that in quarter 2 July 2011 – September 2011 214,156 people were referred for psychological therapies. It is estimated that 6.1 million people suffer from anxiety and depression disorders in England indicating that the access rate for people with anxiety or depression disorders to IAPT services in the quarter was 2.1 per cent. During this reporting quarter 6,305 people moved off sick pay and benefits.

http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/mental-health/nhs-specialist-mental-health-services/improving-access-to-psychological-therapies-key-performance-indicators-iapt-kpis-q1-2011-12-final-and-q2-2011-12-provisional

Eyes on Evidence

The December 2011 issue of Eyes on Evidence is available on the NHS Evidence website. It includes articles on:

•  Treating depression in people with dementia
• Long term psychotherapy in personality disorders
• NHS Evidence QIPP case study: reducing alcohol related admissions

http://www.evidence.nhs.uk/about-us/eyes-on-evidence/eyes-on-evidence-2011

NICE quality standard: Service user experience in adult mental health

NICE has published a new quality standard to accompany its guidance on service user experience in adult mental health. NICE quality standards are a set of specific, concise statements and measures that act as markers of high-quality, clinical and cost-effective patient care. The quality standard for service user experience in adult mental health contains a number of statements which include ensuring that people can access mental health services when they need them. It also states that people using mental health services are actively involved in shared decision-making and supported in self-management.

NICE press release: http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/pressreleases/ServiceUserExperienceInMentalHealthQS.jsp

Quality standard: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qualitystandards/service-user-experience-in-adult-mental-health/index.jsp

National audit of dementia

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has published the first full report of the National Audit of Dementia which identifies a need for significant improvements in hospital ward environments, staff training and the overall approach to care delivery for patients with dementia. Although the majority of wards meet basic safety requirements, the audit shows that many had not addressed simple measures that could lessen the distress caused to dementia patients by an unfamiliar and confusing hospital environment. The audit was commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) and carried out by the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Centre for Quality Improvement in partnership with other organisations. The main audit looked at data collected from 210 hospitals across England and Wales. Ward level data was collected from a sample of 145 wards across 55 hospitals. This included 2,211 staff questionnaires, and 105 observations of care on the ward, carried out by hospital staff.

Report: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/press/pressreleases2011/nationalauditofdementia.aspx