Mental health care overlooked by NHS review of emergency services

A series of unsettling findings suggests the need for an agreed care pathway across the police, providers and local government, according to The Guardian.

NHS England's large scale review of all emergency services, partly driven by the premature mortality rates across hospitals, seems to have made a significant omission by overlooking mental health emergency care.

While the evidence accompanying the consultation suggests that 4,400 lives a year could be saved if weekend services were as good as those during the weekdays, there is a chance that those experiencing mental ill health could fall through the upgraded safety net.

The emergency review does not mention mental health services, the conditions leading to emergency presentations, or the role of the police, housing and mental health problems. Yet emergency mental health care plays a vital role, especially in inner city areas where demand is greater due to high levels of poverty and other social determinants of ill health and inequalities such as ethnicity, gender and age.

For example, we know there is a higher incidence of schizophrenia in inner city areas, especially among black African and Caribbean people and other ethnic minority groups, particularly in London.

The recent report by Lord Victor Adebowale on policing and mental health concluded that the presence of offending behaviour by someone experiencing mental illness, which can lead them to have contact with the police, is an emergency pathway which needs to be made safer.

Lord Adebowale's findings emphasised the failures of NHS services and police knowledge, as well as emergency communications, in meeting the needs of people with mental illness. These findings have been reinforced in the latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) reports on the emergency removal of people suspected of having a mental illness to a place of safety (under section 136 of the Mental Health Act). These reports found unacceptable emergency practices leading to deaths in police custody, mentally ill people being transported in caged ambulances and suicides on the railways and transport hubs.

GP practices to host internet training sessions for patients in £750k scheme to reduce health inequalities

NHS England is to spend thousands of pounds to create ‘digital flagships’ in GP practices, health centres and hospitals as part of a drive to train 100,000 people to use the internet this year, according to Pulse.

The training centres are designed to reduce health inequalities - one of the specifications of the Government’s mandate to NHS England - and will be set up in areas of social deprivation, Pulse has learnt.

The major initiative to train 100,000 patients was first announced in NHS England’s business plan for 2013/14 to 2015/16, and the procurement document for the scheme reveals it may cost up to £750,000 in 2013/14, and that it could be extended for a further two years.

The training centres will work closely with CCGs, as well as local organisations and charities to share information and promote NHS digital services, NHS England said.

‘NHS Digital Flagships’ will be set up in GP practices, health centres and hospitals and ‘community hubs’ will be set up in public areas like libraries and community centres, in order to train patients how to access and use the internet.

The governing body for the NHS said that over seven million people in the UK have never used the internet, and although people over the age of 65 account for more than half of all NHS spending, 40% do not have access to the internet at home and five million of these have never been online.

Mental health benefits of good grandparent-grandchild relationships

Grandparents and older grandchildren who have good relationships with each other are less likely to suffer from depression, according to a study presented at the American Sociological Associations 108th annual meeting and featured in Medical News Today.

Researchers from Boston College analysed data from a long-term study called the Longitudinal Study of Generations. The study is a survey of US families consisting of three or four generations, compiled in seven sets of data between 1985 and 2004.

The researchers analysed 376 grandparents and 340 grandchildren. The average grandparent was born in 1917, making them 77 years old at the midpoint of the study in 1994, while the average grandchild was born in 1963, making them 31 years old.

Sara Moorman, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and the Institute of Aging at Boston College, said of the results:

"We found that an emotionally close grandparent-adult grandchild relationship was associated with fewer symptoms of depression for both generations.

The greater emotional support grandparents and adult grandchildren received from one another, the better their psychological health."

The Today Show highlights the increasing use of anti-depressants across the UK

This morning’s Today Show included a piece on the increasing use of anti-depressants in the United Kingdom.

The piece (starting 50 minutes into the programme and lasting 4 minutes) highlighted that we have now prescribed over 50 million anti-depressants in the United Kingdom.

Particularly interesting facts that the show discussed included:

• 1 in 6 adults in the UK pick up an anti-depressant prescription each month 
• This ratio increases to 1 in 5 in Wales 
• Patients are often given no alternative (e.g. talking therapies) 
• Patients are seen to be 'making do' with the cheapest treatment rather than the best 

A GP highlighted the fact that the waiting list for talking therapies provided by the NHS is often far too long (frequently 6 months) and this sways the patient into using antidepressants.

It seems that local mental health charities, such as Mind, are picking up the slack and allowing individuals access to talking therapies - but in some areas this service is over capacity already.

Adult behaviour triggered in the womb?

Adults could be at greater risk of becoming anxious and vulnerable to poor mental health if they were deprived of certain hormones while developing in the womb, according to joint new research by University of Cardiff and Cambridge scientists.

New research in mice has revealed the role of the placenta in long-term programming of emotional behaviour and the first time scientists have linked changes in adult behaviour to alterations in placental function.

Insulin-like growth factor-2 has been shown to play a major role in foetal and placental development in mammals, and changes in expression of this hormone in the placenta and foetus are implicated in growth restriction in the womb.

"The growth of a baby is a very complex process and there are lots of control mechanisms which make sure that the nutrients required by the baby to grow can be supplied by the mother," according to, Dr Trevor Humby, a behavioural neuroscientist in the Schools of Psychology and Medicine, who jointly led the research with Professor Lawrence Wilkinson.

"We were interested in how disrupting this balance could influence emotional behaviours a long time after being born, as an adult," he added.

One in eight GPs have sought help for stress in past year

One in eight GPs have sought help from pastoral or wellbeing services within the past year, according to a new Pulse survey which suggests the profession is struggling to cope with a rising workload and an increasing risk of burnout.

Some 12% of 441 GPs surveyed about a wide range of unrelated topics said they had sought help from local pastoral or wellbeing services in the past 12 months, with one GP spending almost £2,000 on private psychotherapy after finding it difficult to handle his workload.

The findings prompted GP leaders to urge those struggling with stress to ‘pull down their oxygen mask’ and ask for help.

Respondents to the survey blamed Government policy and changes to the GP contract as significant factors in exacerbating their difficulties. Many also said the pastoral services they had accessed had been effective at helping them cope.

The results come as the NHS in England reviews whether to continue funding these services for GPs, as part of a wider review of ‘discretionary’ funding formerly supplied by Primary Care Trusts.

Nearly half of IAPT patients 'move to recovery'

Just under half of patients who are treated under the Government’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme move to recovery, but drop-out rates remains high, according to Caroline Price at Pulse.

Official outcomes data suggest the programme is moving steadily towards the Government’s goal of having half of patients with depression or anxiety recover after treatment. But take-up remains low, with just under 60% of patients referred entering treatment and then less than two-thirds of these completing a minimum of two sessions.

The figures for January to March 2013, published today by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, show 46.8% of patients who completed at least two treatment contacts moved to recovery, defined as a score of less than 8 on the GAD7 and/or less than 10 on the PHQ-9.

This means the programme is getting closer to delivering the Government’s target 50% recovery rate, as set out in Talking Therapies: A four-year plan of action, and is delivering a better average recovery rate than at its outset. The action plan states that by 2014/2015, the NHS should deliver ‘at least 50% of those completing treatment moving to recovery and most experiencing a meaningful improvement in their condition’.

The data suggest all participating areas are performing better, although there is still considerable variation in recovery rates – ranging from 23% in Hull to 83% in North Lincolnshire.

The HSCIC also highlights that a total of 6,776 people moved off sick pay and benefits under the IAPT programme over the final quarter of 2012/2013.

However, access rates have slipped behind the target trajectory – at 2.5% of the eligible population compared with the goal of 3% at this stage.

Dr Mark Ashworth, clinical senior lecturer at King’s College London and a GP in south-east London, said the recovery rates were ‘very impressive’, but that the programme still had a way to go to fulfill it’s aims.

He said: ‘On the other hand, for just 6,776 patients (out of 154,700 starting treatment) to move off sick pay and benefits isn’t really an endorsement of Lord Layard’s founding principle that talking therapies would pay for itself by increasing the numbers of people returning to work.’

He added: ‘At least it looks for now as though the service is safe and will continue to be funded which, in the present climate, has got to be encouraging.’

'Mental Health Pathway' for paramedics to provide appropriate care for mentally ill patients

According to News Medical.NET Ruth Elliot, Senior Lecturer in the department of Mental Health and Learning Disability at the University of Huddersfield, has published an article discussing the need for a national 'Mental Health Pathway' to enable paramedics to provide the appropriate care for people who present mental health issues. 

The Department of Health (DH) (2005a) acknowledges the huge modernisation of the ambulance service in England and faster access to people with immediate life threatening conditions, however the service is also responding to an increasing number of patients who have an urgent primary care need, which includes mental distress, as opposed to clinical emergency. 

The DH (2006) policy calls for a "New Vision" where the ambulance service could increase efficiency and effectiveness towards patients who are experiencing non life threatening emergencies. The key aims are to form a programme of advancement to address both improving mental health and accessibility of services for people with poor mental health. The vision of the policy is that by 2020 mental and physical health will have equal priority. The development of a mental health pathway within the ambulance service may help to reduce admissions or re-attendance whilst improving care for patients. An evidence-based approach is used to provide a balanced, logical and supported argument within a reflection of practice (Borton, 1970,). This is evaluated against a hypothetical patient's case study which reflects common issues faced by paramedics and ambulance technicians. The analytical process considers patient, professional, organisational and multi-disciplinary team perspectives.

5 tips for Caring and Keeping a Smile

Being a caregiver encompasses a lot of different responsibilities, which most of us will encounter often or even daily. Whether it is as a Mum, as a carer for an elderly parent or as a paid care professional. It’s wonderful to think that so many of us care for others, but when caring for someone else it can be easy to forget about yourself. Care.com is the world’s largest online platform for families and caregivers to meet and we know how essential it is for carers to be looked after too.

We’ve put together some tips for any sort of carer to keep in mind – to keep you feeling positive and happy, which in turn keeps you feeling more prepared for your responsibilities.

1. Schedule some ‘you’ time:

When you’re busy caring for other people, along with working and juggling your own commitments, it can feel like a battle to find any time just for you. Think about what you would really enjoy; don’t worry if it’s not productive, or not sociable. This time is about what you want to do – so if you want to schedule in an hour a week for a bath or a chance to watch a film, do so! It’s easy to feel like any time off you have should be spent catching up with people or being busy. Instead focus on what will make you feel good. When you feel ready for this bit of respite, consider hiring a nanny, babysitter or carer for a few hours from so you’re not worrying about others whilst you relax.

2. Schedule some quality time with the person you care for:

This is about trying to find ways that you can connect with your loved one that involves a shared experience or some fun. Simple things, such as an outing to a park, can lift both your moods and give you something different to focus on.

3. Every day is a new day:

We know it is hard to start afresh every day, as it often feels like jobs and problems drag on. If something got you down yesterday try to give yourself a positive mentality the next day. When you’re caring for someone else it can feel like a job without a break: remember that you can’t change what happened yesterday anyway. Cut yourself some slack and remember that no one is perfect, we all make mistakes and feel stressed at times.

4. Consider getting some extra help:

Feeling stressed and overwhelmed by care responsibilities often also leaves carers feeling guilty, because they feel they should always be doing more or feel they aren’t doing things right. It’s normal to feel guilty as a carer, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be resolved. Why not consider employing someone to help support you and your family? Depending on your circumstances you could consider employing someone to take care of the children for a few hours a week, or have a trained nurse to come and check-in on your elderly parents. It’s simple to also find special needs carers that are ideal for your care situation.

5. Know the signs of stress:

It’s important to be able to notice the signs of stress in yourself. That way, when you start feeling down you can act upon as soon as possible. If you’re not doing your usual activities (such as going to the gym, dinner with friends or reading a book), find it difficult to start the day and are irritable or short-tempered, think of ways you can unwind and de-stress. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and not like yourself, consider talking to someone else and getting their advice – this can be a friend, family member or therapist.


Care.com is the world’s largest online platform for caregivers and families to meet. Whether it is for childcare, elder care, pet care, special needs care or housekeeping, there are caregivers suited to every families’ needs.

A recipe for resilience in fast-paced family life

Sarah Bateup
Clinical Lead PsychologyOnline and qualified Psychotherapist

Many of us feel that the speed of life has increased. We want rapid transport, instant communication and even faster internet connections. Businesses offer fast food, quick fixes and instant solutions. Yet as the pace of life continually increases we may feel a huge pressure to keep up, and as a result stress related illnesses have become more prevalent.

Stress is the result of an imbalance between the demands made upon us and the personal resources we have to deal with these demands. Imagine this as a bank account: if there is too much demand on the account it will go into the red, which is comparable to being under stress.

We all have different temperaments but for certain people life can feel like a constant rush, and you may be in a hurry from one activity or achievement to another on a continual basis. Similarly, balancing working life and family life can be a challenge for men and women alike.

As life becomes busier we can set ourselves unrealistic goals. We may aim for the “perfect” family life, to be the perfect parent and also aim to perform well at work. Magazines and the media can place increased pressure on us to create the perfect home, to look perfect and to have perfect children. In addition to these expectations we can have money worries, family disputes, additional workload and lack of time and we can soon run into a “stress overdraft”.

To help combat these stresses and demands, follow this advice to help you find a bit more balance and relief:

1. Slow down and take one thing at a time. Don’t force yourself to juggle lots of things at once.

2. Take a break! Timetable yourself a little bit of me-time, and give yourself some slack.

3. Learn to be mindful. Being attentive of what is happening in your life, and taking the time to take into consideration the different demands and pressures you feel, can be a very helpful way of coping with stress.

4. Express your feelings and talk to someone about how you’re coping. Whether this is someone close to you like a partner or friend, or if it is to a therapist or counsellor, it is still a way to deal with stress.

Lower you expectations, if you need to. Nobody can ‘have it all’ - try to overcome a perfectionist frame-of-mind.

5. Make time to do things YOU enjoy. Stop and think what it is you would really like to do – have a bath? Meet up with friends for dinner? Watch a film or read a book?

6. Rank priorities and try to think about what really is important, and what could actually wait.

7. If necessary, seek help, speak to your GP.