Summary
This year’s National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) “Treat as one” report identifies a number of problems in the treatment of patients with mental health problems admitted to acute hospitals. Recommendations are supplied.
Professor Tim Kendall, National Clinical Director for Mental Health, discusses how priorities within NHS England’s Five Year Forward View for Mental Health will involve more integrated treatment of mental and physical health issues in acute hospitals, and help address these shortcomings directly.
Reference
Preventing patients falling through the gaps – Professor Tim Kendall. [Online]: NHS England, January 26th 2017.
This relates to:
Reference
Cross, S. Srivastava, V. [and] Shotton, H. [et al] (2017). Treat as one: bridging the gap between mental and physical healthcare in general hospitals. London: National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD), January 2017.
There is an Executive Summary, and a brief Patient Information leaflet.
Fortunately, NCEPOD’s recommendations are mirrored almost exactly in the priorities already outlined for integrating physical and mental health in NHS England’s implementation plans for the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health:
Reference
Implementing the five-year forward view for mental health. London: NHS England, July 2016.
NHS England’s Acute Hospital Liaison Mental Health Fund
Steps (and funding) to improve urgent and emergency mental health care in A&E and other departments in acute hospitals:
Reference
Where there’s a will, now there’s a way – Professor Tim Kendall. [Online]: NHS England, December 14th 2017.
Helpful Information Resources
NHS England has compiled an updated resource collection of suitable information, tools and guidance to support mental health commissioning, with themed sub-sections:
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
- Dementia.
- Mental Health Access and Waiting Times.
Achieving Better Access to 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Mental Health Care: Part 2: Implementing the Evidence-Based Treatment Pathway for Liaison Mental Health Services for Adults
NHS England commissioned NICE to deliver a programme of implementation support from the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH).
Reference
Achieving Better Access to 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Mental Health Care – Part 2: Implementing the Evidence-based Treatment Pathway for Urgent and Emergency Liaison Mental Health Services for Adults and Older Adults – Guidance. London: NHS England, the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), November 2016. NHS England Publications Gateway Reference No. 05958.
See also, the appendices and helpful resources:
Reference
Achieving Better Access to 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Mental Health Care – Part 2: Implementing the Evidence-based Treatment Pathway for Urgent and Emergency Liaison Mental Health Services for Adults and Older Adults – Appendices and Helpful Resources. London: NHS England, the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), November 2016. NHS England Publications Gateway Reference No. 05957.
