Investment in mental health services

The Royal College of Psychiatrists and Centre for Mental Health have published ‘Bridging the gap: the financial case for a reasonable rebalancing of health and care resources’. The report suggests that under-investment in mental health services and a lack of integration with physical health services have created a bottleneck in health care improvement, constrained physical health outcomes and has impaired broader economic performance. Aside from the human cost, the financial cost of untreated mental ill health among people treated for physical illness is some £13 billion. The report finds that a rebalancing of health and care resources is needed to ensure no one is denied the mental or physical health care they need.
Press release:  http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/news/2013_bridging%20the%20gap.aspxReport:  http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/publications/bridging_the_gap.aspx?ID=679

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

Adult in-patient mental healthcare

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has published ‘Do the right thing: how to judge a good ward’. This report outlines ten standards for the essential treatment of working-age adult inpatients in mental healthcare wards. The standards are: bed occupancy rates of 85% or less; ward size maximum of 28 beds; a physical environment that is fit for purpose; the ward as a therapeutic space; proportionate and respectful approach to risk and safety; information sharing and involvement in care-planning; a recovery-based approach – links with the community and other agencies; access to psychological interventions; personalised care – staffing and daily one-on-one contacts; and providing socially and culturally sensitive care.

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/publications/collegereports/op/op79.aspx