Physical Healthcare of Inpatients in Mental Health Hospitals

This study has been commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership
as part of the Clinical Outcome Review Programme into Medical & Surgical care, as part of the current contract awarded in 2015
For information on how we use data click here

Data collection for study: commenced February 2020- please note we are still accepting data collection spreadsheets
Publication date:       Summer 2021 (TBC)  

Please note that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, activity on this study was temporarily suspended. However, data collection has reopened. We will continue to accept the submission of case identification spreadsheets throughout October and we aim to start to disseminate clinician questionnaires and case note requests from Late October.

Aim: To identify and explore remediable factors in the physical healthcare of adult patients admitted to an inpatient mental health facility.

Objectives:

Organisational:

To review the provision of services, organizaional structures and the policies in place to facilitate the physical health needs of this group of patients. Focusing on:

 
• Assessment and monitoring
• Treatment
• Support for patient and carer involvement
• Timely escalation
• Access to appropriate expertise/services
• Discharge-planning
• Mechanisms to support continuity of care
• Communication
• Medication
• Training
• Application of the Mental Capacity Act

Clinical:

To identify and review remediable factors in the overall quality of care provided, particularly focusing on:

• Access to physical health care
• Communication
• Inappropriate or delayed interventions and/or escalation of care
• Missed opportunities to intervene in patients at risk
• Management of medications
• Care planning for safe discharge
• Asessment of capacity and consent
• The overall standard of care and treatment provided

Participation:

All inpatient mental health hospitals in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, where patients are receiving healthcare for a time limited period for a primary mental health condition with expectation of discharge to an alternative setting.

NB. Please see the study protocol for more information.
We will be asking all acute general Trusts/Health Boards to submit a data collection spreadsheet to help us identify patients who have been transferred from a mental health hospital to an acute general hospital.

Data collection:

In February 2020, a spreadsheet to identify patients for this study was disseminated to inpatient mental health hospitals and all acute general hospitals.
Due to the suspension of non-essential clinical activities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we temporarily suspended the deadline for the return of spreadsheets. Then, as we restarted work on this study, we set a new deadline of 30th September. However, we can continue to accept submission of spreadsheets throughout October and November 2020. Spreadsheets can be sent via our secure email NCEPOD@NHS.net .
You can download a spreadsheet to complete for your hospital from the list of download links on the right of this page. Please email phmh@ncepod.org.uk for further information.

Study protocol:

The study protocol can be downloaded from the Download Links section on the right.

Clinician Questionnaires /Case note requests

We will aim to disseminate these on a rolling basis, starting late October

Organisational questionnaires:

The Organisational questionnaires are being finalised and we will aim to disseminate them in November.

Online and anonymous Surveys for Clinicians and Patients

Anonymous online survey of clinical practice for clinicians working in Mental Health will be available to complete via a link from this webpage. COMING SOON!
Anonymous online survey for patients/ service users and their families/ carers will be available to complete via a link on this webpage. COMING SOON!

Patient/ Service user focus groups

Online Focus groups for patients with experience of physical healthcare in mental health hospitals will run some time in the new year (2021).
We are currently recruiting people for these groups. To register interest, please email phmh@ncepod.org.uk (also see poster on download links)

Definitions:
Please click here for the study definitions.

Further questions about the study may be directed to:phmh@ncepod.org.uk