Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Presentation London May 2011: The Future Role of Support Workers & Assistant Practitioners in Mental Health and Social Care

2011 looks like it will be busy:

In May I have been invited to present the Health Care Domains Model at a conference organised by M&K Update.

The Future Role of
Support Workers & Assistant Practitioners in
Mental Health and Social Care

My presentation will include:

Why does ‘having’ a framework matter?
  • Explaining the health care domains model, its structure, knowledge domains and applications.
  • How the model can support HCSWs to address personalised, integrated and holistic care. 
  • The model in theory, practice and management – an illustration.
 There will be 10 minutes for Q&A too.

This is a great prospect as with Colombia this coming week.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Shared Approach: 3 keys (and a certain conceptual framework)

Before we trip into 2011 let's make a quick return to 2008 and the three keys to the Shared Approach in mental health assessment [NIMHE, 2008] which are copied below.

In between each one I have highlighted how the Health Care Domains Model can contribute ...

1) active participation of the service user concerned in a shared understanding with service providers and where appropriate with their carers;

In the end (or at the beginning!) a model of care or assessment tool is only as good as the person using it.

To progress with key #1 there are in fact two locks to open. These are in the form of 'using' and 'user'. H2CM incorporates the individual from the outset. The model encourages consideration of the client's beliefs, preferences, and experiences ... Can the client and carer actually use the model themselves to help understand their needs, their care plan and interventions? Is there a homework exercise there for them?

Do they have capacity to decide? Do they need support - an advocate? How do we ensure the carer is factored into the care equation? Well, in h2cm that's through the social domain.

2) input from different provider perspectives within a multidisciplinary approach, and;

Do you know what "different provider perspectives within a multidisciplinary approach" look like?

Well just envisage that for a few moments. ...
A scary exercise, eh?

In order to take those different perspectives and integrate them a common framework is surely needed?

Artists are lucky they use perspective as an integrative lever on paper, canvas, or whatever medium.

Clients, carers, health and social care professionals need a canvas of their own, BUT one that is sufficiently generic and agnostic to be 'owned' by all. 

3) a person-centred focus that builds on the strengths, resiliencies and aspirations of the individual service user as well as identifying his or her needs and challenges. NIMHE (2008)

H2CM can support and foster person-centred care. The model is situated: there is one (changing) situation with the person at the center. Whatever the context -

strengths, resilience, stresses, vulnerabilities, aspirations, needs, challenges

- the care domains model is fit for purpose. Health and social care is dynamic, in person-centred care that focus needs to change accordingly. Our assessments and evaluations need to resolve the SCIENTIFIC, SOCIOLOGICAL, POLITICAL, INTERPERSONAL and SPIRITUAL dimensions of care while assuring the BIG picture.

Reference:
The National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) and the Care Services Improvement Partnership. 3 Keys to a shared approach in mental health assessment. London: Department of Health; 2008.
Available from: http://www.3keys.org.uk/downloads/3keys.pdf

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Before you measure ....

Fitness-to-work tests to be reformed after criticism

- you check your tools:

You calibrate, validate and balance ...

strengths - weaknesses
functional - diagnostic
humanistic - mechanistic
individual - group
purpose - policy
practice - process
physical - emotional
person centred - policy centered
sad (?) - (you will be -) happy


Additional links:
How to assess happiness? A tale of three measures
WWF: Manifesto - The Politics of Happiness
Frank Furedi: Why the ‘politics of happiness’ makes me mad

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Blog Action Day 2010 - Water: conceptual drops in the health career model

Today is Blog Action Day and the theme is water.

Below I have added a selection of water related links across the domains of the health career model:
Interpersonal : Sciences
Sociology : Political

The above links:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/beinggreen/117266.aspx
http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/
http://www.science-parliament.eu/forums/2010-water-science-politics/1151/water-in-philosophy
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/04/water-is-life/kingsolver-text
http://thewaterproject.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Properties_of_water
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Water/
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/
http://solar-center.stanford.edu/news/sunwater.htmlhttp://www.simetric.co.uk/si_water.htm
http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice-clinical-research/homeostasis-part-4-fluid-balance/203260.article
http://www.lenntech.com/water-mythology.htm
http://aquadoc.typepad.com/waterwired/
http://www.photovault.com/Link/Food/Water/WellsDevelopment/FWWVolume01.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sg2my
http://www.waternet.be/
http://www.worldwaterday.org/
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/economic/
http://water.org/
http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/

Monday, September 27, 2010

'Well-being' and the dilution of 'caring'

This blog post was originally drafted on 15 October 2008. Back then I'd noticed how in the media - newspaper, internet, radio and journals - there was increasing references to 'well-being'. It was everywhere. Even now it graces lips, airwaves, video, digital and conference platforms.

I was prompted to write because I actually felt that perhaps the public were being somehow sold a pup. I mean 'well-being' - it sounds wholesome, reassuring and cuddly so go on - take hold, give it a hug and look after it. Maybe it literally is a case of - get up and take it for a walk. You know you need to!

What well-being does do is it forces acknowledgment of physical AND mental well-being. In the summer I bought a copy of the British Journal of Wellbeing [BJW]. BJW features physical and mental health with some really interesting features, reviews and interviews. So, I raised my hands, sighed, stretched (felt much better) and accepted "OK well-being (or wellbeing*) it looks like you will go far."

I just have a worry though. Because the concept of well-being is fuzzy, there is a risk that the care agenda could be diluted at a time when specific health and social care populations and issues arising need to be kept in clear and unequivocal focus. Looking at the content I am reassured - there is depth here too. I say this recognising that the concept of well-being can also serve the health career model very well.

More to follow on BJW and well-being ...

http://www.dictionary.net/well-being

*I like hyphens as in socio-technical

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Drupal musings 13: Packaged care and modules

Packt book cover 'Social Networking'Although I do not need to sit at the front for presentations anymore, I did so at Drupalcon as the electricity plugs were few and forward. There was a bonus. Being in the right place... I picked up a free book c/o Packt Publishing who were among the exhibitors and valued sponsors. The book is Michael Peacock's Social Networking (don't panic I'm not going to review it!). Since returning from Copenhagen I've been using Drupal 6 and 7 on a daily basis. Checking just what some of the key modules, such as Taxonomy, Taxonomy Manager, and Groups have to offer. What are the configuration options and how well do modules integrate?

In the book Michael lists the Drupal modules he relies on to create a site worthy of the book's title. He explains that many modules are themselves 'packaged' for example - the Activity module:

Activity: Activity
Activity: Activity history
Activity: Comment activity
Activity: Node activity
Activity: OG# activity (#organic groups) p.140

This highlights the multifunctional capability of modules which leads me to wonder* about what functionality might be found in future modules:

Intrapersonal: Communication
Intrapersonal: Mood
Intrapersonal: Cognition
Intrapersonal: Diagnosis
Intrapersonal: Interests
Intrapersonal: Risk
Intrapersonal: Skills-Education

Sciences: Observations
Sciences: Physical attributes
Sciences: Mobility
Sciences: Nutrition
Sciences: Diagnosis
Sciences: Physical safety

Sociology: Relationships
Sociology: Ethnicity
Sociology: Interests
Sociology: Religion
Sociology: Carer assessment

Political: Marital status
Political: Employment
Political: Benefits-Welfare
Political: Capacity
Political: Autonomy
Political: Mental Health Act status

Further news:
The new PC is ordered 10-12 days until its arrival. Yes, I could go DIY, but I'm busy.

This Saturday evening I will have some 4-5 hours with the client of the basic Drupal 6 site. Very much looking forward to that. Must remember KISS!

*Not necessarily an actual proposal!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Drupal musings 12: Semantic Web, ICNP, Case studies and Care domains

Drupalcon 2010 Copenhagen is over for me. It's been a really useful week: awesome indeed. My head is dizzy with all the options, sources and resources to consider. I will contact the London Drupalcon group for 2011 with some suggestions regards beginners, networking and outreach.

Ever since setting off on the Drupal road, the semantic web has been a constant item of street furniture. In Szeged '08, Paris last year and this past week in Copenhagen the semantic web, RDF and terminologies have had a pivotal presence. I did not attend all the rdf / SW sessions but Wednesday's Semantic Terminologies was sit on the floor popular (even though at that point the program hit a bottleneck from 6 to 3 streams). Whatever the cause - I was there, late and my pivot ached (no padding!).

As a Drupal 7 prelude I'm creating a Drupal 6 site, a basic homepage for someone. The content for the latter is fixed - sorted. Apart from the pages for the archive, the new h2cm content involves me figuring out how to combine:
  1. the health career model;
  2. nursing - in theory and practice;
  3. external sources and resources;
  4. and Drupal.
Johannes Wehner's terminology session above did not emphasize RDF, but highlighted Open Linked Data by means of Open Calais as a tool to extend existing content. I've downloaded the Drupal OC module and obtained a key.

As for the list: #1 The health career model is straight forward really. Four care domains - get on with it! From there though it is quite a reach to encompass #2 & #3. My options appear to be:
  • free tagging, auto tagging - let the users of the site decide;
  • pre-define a data set, a terminology (classification) for the health career model;
  • use an existing nursing classification / terminology scheme - perhaps a subset.
Before I decide I need to be aware of what is available. I e-mailed Derek Hoy in Scotland - contact for the International Classification for Nursing Practice® [ICNP]. This is another thing I pick up, put down. ... Now thanks to Derek I'm sorted now with ICNP downloaded (and I will need a module to import .csv files). There are videos on the ICNP website.

I have followed the development of nursing terminologies for quite some time. The most striking thing to me is how removed they are from the day-to-night life on wards and other care encounter situations. With mental health as a Cinderella in terms of the politics and recognition of nursing service provision I am in effect professionally twice removed. For the vast majority of nurses on the ground and from where I work in community mental health the ICNP, SNOMED CT, Omaha and other schemes are rather esoteric things. They are there in the background, part of management and reporting 'function'. This is not to say that the above initiatives have few followers, or lacks experts in this field. Make no mistake nursing has its own geeks, nursing classification its experts!

The scope of ICNP makes it a great candidate (from the website) -

Diagnosis/outcome

Interventions

Individual 7 axes
  1. focus
  2. action
  3. client
  4. judgement
  5. location
  6. means
  7. time
Plus:
  • it's International;
  • it's by nurses, for nurses;
  • it has momentum (political and financial support);
  • So it is credible, and research based.
Despite this, I must take a critical look at what is available for my needs and time available. All the above provide way too much for a first bash - prototype, proof of concept. I have the luxury of not worrying about safety. My project does not constitute an electronic health record or other variant. Yes, I want to prove the health career model and to this end I must also find or create several nursing case studies to interrogate within Drupal and h2cm.

Perhaps as things improve economically, nursing classification will be revived and will allowed the time to fully mature? I recall in 2006 plans to explore mental health within SNOMED which unfortunately did not materialise. So, when I say mature, I mean like cheese in the holistic senses of the ingredients: nursing care concepts across contexts that also incorporate self-care, recovery, demographic trends ...; and the process across communities of practice (integrated care) through to academic and management applications - research / reporting.

In March 2010 plans were announced of plans to harmonize the efforts of the ICNP and SNOMED CT nursing:

http://www.ihtsdo.org/nc/about-ihtsdo/harmonization/icn/?sword_list[]=nursing

So, with a possible jumpstart - a sprint for my site this autumn in Manchester, UK and work afoot to make nursing classification matter on the 'ground' there is more to follow on several fronts. ... I remember a presentation Derek did in the 1990s about classification and making nursing visible - let's do it!

contact: h2cmng @ yahoo.co.uk

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Rooms with a View (and without) ...

Rooms: Book cover




There are times ... when to understand body, mind - and the things that people do to themselves and others - we need to consider the four care domains.

Then we can appeal to the fifth. ...










Sunday, July 25, 2010

Animated Minds - teaching resource

Animated Minds is a series of short animated documentaries which use real testimony from people who have experienced different forms of mental distress. A single aim underpins all the films: to help dispel myths and misconceptions about ‘mental illness' by giving a voice to those who experience these various difficulties first hand.

http://animatedminds.com


My source - post by:
Jill Anderson: j.anderson at lancaster.ac.uk
Mental Health in Higher Education jiscmail list

Book: "Outcome Measurement in Mental Health" Cambridge University Press

Outcome Measurement in Mental Health
Theory and Practice
Edited by Tom Trauer
Hardback
Published June 2010

In order to operate in an evidence-based fashion, mental health services rely on accurate, relevant, and systematic information. One important type of information is the nature of the problems experienced by recipients of mental health care, and how these problems change over the course of time. Outcome measurement involves the systematic, repeated assessment of aspects of health and illness, either by service providers, service recipients, or both. From outcome measurement clinicians and service recipients achieve a common language whereby they can plan treatment and track progress, team leaders and managers secure a basis to compare their services with others and to promote quality, while policy makers and funders derive evidence of effectiveness. This book will be an essential and practical resource for all members of the mental health clinical team as well as those responsible for establishing or managing services, and directing policy.

• Presents a global perspective on outcome measurement enabling readers to compare and contrast practices around the world
• Enables readers to identify the specific challenges presented in different groups and settings, the instruments to use, and how to use the results
• Emphasizes the relevance and use of outcome data to clinicians, to help them improve their effectiveness

Contents

Preface; 1. Introduction Tom Trauer; Part I. Outcome Measurement Around the World: 2. Mental health outcome measurement in Australia Jane Pirkis and Tom Callaly; 3. Outcome measures in New Zealand Graham Mellsop and Mark Smith; 4. Outcome measurement in England Mike Slade; 5. Outcome measurement in Ohio and the United States James Healy and Dee Roth; 6. The outcome questionnaire system: a practical application for mental health care settings Michael J. Lambert; 7. Outcome measurement in Italy Mirella Ruggeri; 8. Outcome measurement in Germany Sylke Andreas, Thomas Becker, Holger Schulz and Bernd Puschner; 9. Outcome measurement in mental health services in Norway Torleif Ruud; 10. Outcome measurement in Canada: one province's experience with implementation in community mental health David Smith; Part II. Outcome Measurement in Specific Groups and Settings: 11. Routine outcome measurement in child and adolescent mental health Peter Brann; 12. Outcome measurement in adult mental health services Tom Trauer; 13. Outcome measurement in older persons Rod McKay and Regina McDonald; 14. Outcome measurement with indigenous consumers Tricia Nagel and Tom Trauer; 15. Routine measurement of outcomes by Australian private hospital-based psychiatric services Allen Morris-Yates and Andrew Page; 16. Mental health outcome measurement in Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Glen Tobias; 17. Outcome measurement in drug and alcohol services Maree Teesson and Mark Deady; Part III. Current Issues in Outcome Measurement: 18. Outcome measurement - applications and utility Tom Trauer; 19. Stakeholder perspectives in outcome measurement Tom Trauer; 20. Assessment of change in outcome measurement Tom Trauer; 21. Routine outcome measurement: perspectives on skills and training Tom Trauer and Tim Coombs; 22. A review of instruments in outcome measurement Tom Trauer; 23. Some economic and policy considerations for outcome measurement Rowena Jacobs; 24. Future directions Tom Trauer; Index.

http://www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521118347

My source:

UK Routine Clinical Outcomes Network Forum

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Nursing attitudes [towards patients ( and self { and ? } ) ]

In the past half-year there have been two discussions, that concern the nurse's attitude towards patients.

One was held on the nursing philosophy list in February:

https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=NURSE-PHILOSOPHY

"The patient is always right"

The other in May was on the mental health in higher education list:


"Insufferable' or 'Suffering' - a response"

Both provoked a similar response and debate. I have just reprised my post in February on the MHHE list and have copied it - with some revision - below:
<->

Patients are always a challenge in that they come in lots of 'varieties'.

This is why we recognise the need for individualised, person-centred care. One variety is trauma laden to which the full-complement of the multidisciplinary team must respond. These patients and *their* crises bring out the best in us in terms of the skills and knowledge, team work they force us to exercise.

Among the plethora of other varieties there are those who are viewed as 'problems'. Like the Pepsi ad of decades ago they are variously and pejoratively described as multiple attending, attention seeking, patience sapping, heart-sinking, time wasting, symptom preoccupied .... patients.

If I receive referral information, or heads up information on diagnosis that suggests the above what do I do?
  • Brace myself for impact?
  • Become task focused?
  • Share collective anecdotes in the staff room as a way to cope, unstress, inject some humour?
OR -
  • Avoid labelling them or use these labels in a re-constructive way?
  • Refuse to make gross assumptions
  • Look at the individual non-judgmentally, holistically, educationally, behaviourally
  • Believe I can make a difference (change is always possible [inevitable] )
  • Side-step being tripped by foibles, behaviours and blatant displays of -ve obstructive ... attitudes that offend 'me'
  • Enter their space and do my utmost to find room for manoeuvre?
  • As a nurse do go and seek out strengths and opportunities in the same way that Capt Kirk et al. go and seek New Life, New Civilizations..?
You may have an impossible lock to pick. In its most severe form this is (pejoratively) known as 'personality disorder', but the nursing challenge is there in all its personal and professional glory.

So. Listen.
Attend to this personal
/ under-the-skin \
slant.
Listen and Learn.

Be aware of the pit that continues to trap many people. The life chances - the health career - that they may have missed, took for granted, spurned and much more you (we) will never know about.

Do your job: nurse.

Friday, June 4, 2010

As one chapter closes another opens ...

Even if that chapter number is 15, 20 or even the penultimate - when it comes to older adults entering or residing in residential and nursing care facilities this is not just an excuse for a euphemism roll call:

'the end of the road',
'Club Medicated',

'Eldergarten',

'the final chapter', ...


Residents and their families all too frequently find that care needs are not static. The book is far from complete and ready for review. Their health (and we had better add well-being) status changes constantly. A care home's ability to cope and meet an individual resident's care needs adequately in safety without comprising other residents and staff must be continually evaluated. A person's condition may improve psychologically and yet their physical health calls for more nursing care that is physically driven; or vice versa. Trying to anticipate care needs what can be several years in advance is very difficult.

It is one of those intangible questions - as to how many care homes carry dual nursing registrations and so will be able to provide not only the current level of care, but future elderly mentally infirm care needs if required. The reasoning being that an internal move is far less traumatic than finding a new home? So, what is the state of care moves?

If we have no information about this
then we know nothing.

What might this tell us about an individual's health career and the health career - likely care trajectory - of conditions such as dementia?

Of course our assessments are, and can only be determined (a keyword if there ever was one) in the here and now. This is the priority, while also trying to anticipate the future if we possibly can.

There is undoubtedly a great need for research here. Research that spans the many care dimensions which residents, their families, care home staff and other multidisciplinary team members must balance. These include quality of life, physical, mental and spiritual care, economics, demand and supply and our very notions of care quality and holistic care.

Only then - for all unique individuals - can we write an epilogue that befits each of those preceding chapters.

Image: M.C. Escher crystal ball

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Call for Proposals to Phase 3 Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (LLHW)

Last month I posted the advanced notice about this call for proposals, which is now fully released and has been publicised on the SPARC / KT-EQUAL network:

Dear All (but especially researchers who are desperate to secure research funding)

The Call for Proposals to Phase 3 of the cross-research council multi-health agency Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (LLHW) initiative was released today.

Details can be found at:

http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Calls/LLHWPhase3/MRC006680

This is a very significant opportunity, well worth close scrutiny and consideration and, hopefully, subsequent action.

If you have any uncertainties about the programme or its requirements then I am sure that the representatives of the research councils will be very pleased for you to make contact with them.

Importantly this is a call for multidisciplinary research, a requirement which must be wholeheartedly embraced for any proposal to stand a chance of being eligible for consideration.

It's time for action!!

Best wishes

Peter Lansley
Professor Peter Lansley, BSc, MSc, PhD, MCIOB, FCOT
Director, KT-EQUAL – Knowledge Transfer for Extending Quality Life
School of Construction Management and Engineering, URS Building,
University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 219, Reading, RG6 6AW, UK
p.r.lansley at reading.ac.uk
http://www.sparc.ac.uk

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Update - King's College London mental health SIG 17 May

With the title of my talk sorted here is the programme for the Mental Health SIG meeting:

Health Sciences and Practice Subject Centre
Room: 1.17 Franklin Wilkins Building (1st floor)
Franklin-Wilkins buildings, King's College London,
150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH


Monday 17th May
10- 4pm
King’s College London, Waterloo

Programme
10:00 Arrivals and Refreshments

10.30 Welcome and introductions
Bill Penson
Teacher Fellow/Senior lecturer in Mental Health,
Faculty of Health, Leeds Metropolitan University

11.00 ‘The Darzi Dementia care pathway- competencies’
Professor Paul Kingston
Faculty Director for Research and Scholarship
Staffordshire University

12.00 Lunch and Networking

13.00 ‘Hodges' model: a conceptual framework’
Peter Jones
Community Mental Health Nurse NHS,
Independent Scholar & Informatics Specialist

1400 Refreshments

14.30 ‘e-PsychNurse’ an EU funded project
Professor Mary Chambers
Director of Nursing
South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust

15.30 Future meetings and summing up
Bill Penson

16.00 Close

I can expand on my plans - broadly three 20 minute sections:
  • Re-introduce the model, history, background;
  • Explain h2cm's relevance, scope and applications - possibly with a brief exercise;
  • Discuss publications to date, future publication plans to include the website and use of Drupal, with time for questions.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Presentation: King's College London 17 May Mental Health SIG



Can you join us at the Higher Education Academy Health Sciences & Practice Subject Centre - Mental Health SIG in London
17th May 1000 - 1600?


I am really looking forward to presenting at the Mental Health Special Interest Group next month. It looks a great prospect as I have an hour on the programme. The draft title does not really represent what I intend, paradoxically I will re-introduce Hodges' model and explain why the model is so relevant in theory and practice.

I will outline my presentation here in a future post and the programme overall. For my sins I am now also a sign-off nursing mentor, so being able to network is another great plus. More to follow ....

Here are some details about the SIG from their website:

Welcome

To date, there has been no UK wide, cross disciplinary special interest group providing a regular opportunity for educators to meet face to face - with a view to exploring common issues and challenges, sharing resources and influencing policy and practice in the field of mental health. Arguably, this has hampered educators’ capacity to shape and respond to new developments.

In February 2005 the ‘Common Ground’ event organised by the Mental Health in Higher Education project in partnership with the Health Sciences and Practice subject centre met to identify key issues facing mental health educators in nursing and the Allied Health Professions. Subsequently, the special interest group has broadened out to encompass all colleagues with an interest in sharing approaches and engaging in debate about educational practice and the implications of policy developments for learning and teaching about mental health.

Who is the Mental Health SIG for?

Anyone involved in higher education with an interest in mental health.

We are keen to bring together people from across all disciplines and perspectives (including lecturers, practice educators and user educators and carers with involvement in education) – those who are mental health specialists and those for whom mental health may be one aspect of a broader subject area.

Health Sciences and Practice Subject Centre
Room: 1.17 Franklin Wilkins Building (1st floor)
Franklin-Wilkins buildings,
King's College London,
150 Stamford Street,
London SE1 9NH

Thursday, April 22, 2010

A call for applications for the 3rd phase of Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (LLHW)


Advanced Notice

A call for applications for the third phase of Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (LLHW) will be announced in early May 2010.

Lifelong Health and Wellbeing is a major cross-council initiative involving AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC and MRC in partnership with the UK health departments. LLHW supports multi-disciplinary research addressing factors across the life course that influence healthy ageing and wellbeing in later life.

The initiative aims to lead to improvements in health and quality of life in later life, inform policy and practice and increase capacity building in ageing related research.

Phase 3 will invite high-quality innovative multidisciplinary applications that focus on major ageing-related challenges faced by the UK in the 21st century. Proposals will be welcome from multidisciplinary teams in the areas of, but not restricted to the following:
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing including quality of life, preserving cognitive function and exploiting mental capital
  • Resilience for successful ageing: from cell to society including life course influences, markers for ageing and processes of ageing
  • Age-related conditions, including frailty and interventions to promote independence in later life.
Structure of the call
Funds will be available through two modes of support:

LLHW Research Grants - up to £10m will be available for multi-disciplinary research awards from £300k up to £2.5m over three to five years.

LLHW Pilot Studies - a total of £2.5m to fund up to 10 pilot or feasibility studies for a maximum of two years, aimed at informing the development of future cross-disciplinary research proposals.

Selection Criteria
Successful proposals will be of strategic importance, be truly multi-disciplinary, encompassing the remits of more than one Research Council, and have clearly articulated and robust methodology and design.

Further information
Updates and further information about phase 3 can be found on the website:
http://www.mrc.ac.uk/LLHW or by emailing llhw AT headoffice.mrc.ac.uk

My source:
Charlotte Jones
NDA Programme Secretary
The University of Sheffield
Department of Sociological Studies
Elmfield, Northumberland Road
Sheffield, S10 2TU, UK

http://www.newdynamics.group.shef.ac.uk

Monday, April 12, 2010

Paper: The health career model in forensic nursing

The other week a paper was submitted to a journal on the application of Hodges' model in forensic nursing.

I am really pleased to have worked on this as a co-author and to find the health career model proving its relevance and value in such a challenging care environment.

Basically we divided the work and the paper as follows:
  • Introduction to Hodges' model (new material);
  • Explanation of why the model is relevant in forensic mental health services;
  • Applying key principles of theory and practice of forensic care to each care domain;
  • Discussion, recommendations and future directions.
Of course, this is just the 'submission' stage, so I will share news and details here in the near future - for now it's fingers x'd! If you believe the above 'content formula' might be useful to you as a publication template please do get in touch: h2cmng AT yahoo.co.uk

Thursday, April 8, 2010

International Journal of Integrated Care


Dear IJIC reader,

Recently PUBLISHED in the International Journal of Integrated Care

A Research and Theory paper:

An evaluation of SNOMED CT® in the domain of complex chronic conditions,
by Tara Sampalli, Michael Shepherd, Jack Duffy and Roy Fox

… It is the hypothesis of this work that showing the availability of multidisciplinary concepts for one complex condition can generate a similar expectation of available terms for other chronic conditions …

A policy paper:

Integrating care for people with mental illness: the Care Programme Approach in England and its implications for long-term conditions management,
by Nick Goodwin and Simon Lawton-Smith

… the lesson from the CPA experience suggests that there is potential for better care integration to be had in a strategy based on personalised care planning and investment in care co-ordination for people with chronic and sometimes complex needs …

And a book review:

Managing transition. Support for individuals at key point of change, edited
by Alison Petch and reviewed by AnneLoes van Staa

…This book is unique in its broad focus on different transitions in various contexts, and its exploration of the evidence for support given to people who risk getting ‘lost in transition’. This makes this publication highly interesting to readers of the International Journal of Integrated Care …

The IJIC journal is freely available at: http://www.ijic.org/

10th INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATED CARE CONFERENCE

“All together now: Exploring the Many Faces and Facets of Integrated Care”,
Tampere Finland, June 16-18, 2010.

The INIC Conference 2010 will make an effort to look at and evaluate the challenges and status quo of mutual many-faceted collaboration of integrated care from the point of view of benefits to patients, service users and carers. The annual conferences offer an ideal meeting place for the integrated care community to discuss recent developments and future challenges across systems and continents.

On the website you can find more information on the keynote speakers, the pre-conference and site-visits, the program of the conference and the parallel sessions.

Visit the conference website at: http://www.integratedcare.org for more information and registration.

Thanks for the continuing interest in our work.

Erika Manten
Managing editor IJIC
ijic at uu.nl
___________________________________________________
Erika Manten - Managing editor International Journal of Integrated Care,
http://www.ijic.org/ - IJIC Editorial office: Igitur, Utrecht Publishing &
Archiving Services, University Library Utrecht, P.O. Box 80124, 3508 TC
Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Friday, February 19, 2010

'Problem patients?' 2 - Appease me do (not)

Many of the aspirations of nursing are just that - aspirational.

Appeasement and other similar 'power' associated concepts helps explain some of the appeal of Hodges' model - with its inclusion of a POLITICAL care domain. The needs of the ONE (interpersonal care domain) are diagonally opposed by the needs of the MANY (political care domain).

Just because I may approach someone (*evidently*) abusing medication / alcohol, over-eating, risk taking ... does not mean I am prepared to continue to nurse them and hence support them in that behaviour. Attempts to engage can be made and (must be) documented, as subsequent referrals and care will build on those care encounters. There is a marked difference between those individuals above who are often socially excluded, risk takers and people who are preoccupied with their health and mental health state. (Are such people stuck in the 'sick role?) Such patients may well seek new drugs and then instantly question the medication they are taking, never satisfied, they may query their care record and care while in hospital by virtue of their personality and anxieties.

I can reject negative behaviours and attitudes, but not the person. As a member of the health care team I can explain clear terms for future engagement should the patient wish. At the end of the day we constantly review: do they have mental capacity and to what extent does their behaviour present a risk to themselves, or others...? There is also a role for specific care management to be effected, to screen and prevent people reaching emergency services when this is repeated and unnecessary. The combination of some conditions such as long term respiratory problems and anxiety can create acute management problems, both for the individuals concerned, their family carers and care providers.

People do have choices to make, and so must take responsibility for how they exercise those choices.

Crucially this also needs to be explained to referrers - e.g. general practitioners / family physicians. For effective care management the inclusion of paramedic, crisis, social and intermediate care services in care management communication and coordination is also essential.

So, there is absolutely no need for a "current model of appeasement based care".

(This is a wind-up - surely? If not I am available for career advice.)

Yours truly and the patient's (even if it hurts),

Peter Jones

'Problem patients?' 1

Nurse Philosophy list

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

HoNOS, checklists and semi-structured interviews

Mental health services not routinely (and formally) using HoNOS (Health of the Nation Outcome Scales) are gearing up with a push to implement the scale across services by April. HoNOS has been around for a long time almost 20 years so it is time it earned its keep. Perhaps high quality tools take time to emerge from the noise and chatter of the care marketplace? ;-)

Although they are available, I've been putting a presentation together to help get to grips with HoNOS in the role of a trainer. The evidence for the validity and benefits of using HoNOS is well established, with the HoNOS family of scales boasting global usage and development:
  • HoNOS for working age adults
  • HoNOS65+ for older people
  • HoNOSCA for children and adolescents
  • HoNOS-Secure for use in health and social care settings secure psychiatric, prison health care and related forensic services, including those based in the community)
  • HoNOS-LD for learning disabilities
  • HoNOS-ABI for acquired brain injury (ref.)
The number of assessment, intervention and evaluation tools available to clinicians AND managers begs the question (ironically): is there 'space' in the toolkit for yet another tool? If HoNOS can help establish a coherent currency for mental health commissioning beyond the block contract then this is most welcome. Mental health services need to move forward on several fronts. There is a timeline running with completion of this difficult task in its sights.

One set of guidance for HoNOS points out that:

The scales are not used as a checklist or semi-structured interview, but form a brief record of severity.

There is some succor there then, since Hodges' model is a checklist and a quad-structured interview there is still a role for a global conceptual framework.

There's nothing like a full and tidy set of tools!

Ref. http://www.gpsa.org.au/media/docs/mentalhealth/honos_information.pdf

DoH: Honos health of the nation outcome scales report on research and development July 1993 - December 1995

Additional links:

The UK Routine Clinical Outcomes in Mental Health Group

The NHS Information Centre: Mental Health Minimum Dataset

RCP references