Health Management and Policy Alert

#NewFilters to manage the impact of social media on young people’s mental health and wellbeing

All Party Parliamentary Group on Social Media and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing - 

This report examines the impact of social media on the mental health and wellbeing of young people. It explores the positive and negative health impacts of social media, as well as putting forward recommendations to protect young social media users from potential health harms.

• Report
• Press release

Using digital technology to design and deliver better mental health services: perspectives from Australia and the USA

NHS Confederation -
Across the world, people experiencing mental health problems face challenges accessing care and support. The purpose of this project is to explore what we in the UK might learn from colleagues in the USA and Australia engaged in work relating to making better use of digital technology in the mental health sector.

• Report
• NHS Confederation - publications

 

NHS population screening: improving access for people with severe mental illness

Public Health England -
This document provides information on how to improve access to screening, for people with severe mental illness residing in mental healthcare settings. It was designed to be used by screening providers and commissioners.

• Guidance
• Public Health England - publications

Review of the National Autism Strategy 'Think Autism': call for evidence

Department of Health and Social Care -
In April 2014 the government published ‘Think Autism’, a strategy for meeting the needs of autistic adults in England. The strategy supports the Autism Act 2009. This year the Department of Health and Social Care, working with the Department for Education, will review the strategy and extend it to cover children as well as adults. The results of this consultation will be used to find out where people think progress has been made and where more needs to be done in the future. The closing date for comments is 16 May 2019.

• Call for evidence
• Online response form
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Improving young people’s experiences in transition to and from inpatient mental health settings

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence -

This short guide, produced in association with the Social Care Institute for Excellence will help practitioners to work with young people to ensure that they are prepared for a planned admission and that their care and support after discharge is tailored to their needs. It covers: planning for admission; preparing for discharge; care and support after discharge; crisis planning; and information and support for parents and carers.

• Guide
• More detail

Exploring dementia and agitation: how public policy needs to respond

International Longevity Centre UK  - 

With 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, there is a significant need to understand how to improve quality of life for them and their carers. This report summarises a number of key findings from the MARQUE project, led by Prof Gill Livingston from UCL. MARQUE (Managing Agitation and Raising Quality of Life in Dementia) is the largest ever study involving people living in care homes.

• Report
• More detail

Mental health services: addressing the care deficit

NHS Providers -
This report reveals deep disquiet among NHS mental health trust leaders about a substantial care deficit resulting from the impact of growing social and economic hardship in their communities. It looks at the levels of demand reported by frontline leaders across the range of services they provide, and examines what lies behind the growing pressures. In particular the report identifies widespread concerns about benefits cuts and the impact of universal credit. It also suggests that loneliness, homelessness and financial hardship are adding to pressures on NHS mental health services.

• Report
• NHS Providers - news

Keeping kids safe: improving safeguarding responses to gang violence and criminal exploitation

Children's Commissioner for England - 

This report estimates there are 27,000 children in England who identify as a gang member, only a fraction of whom are known to children’s services. The report recommends that government needs to make child criminal exploitation a national priority, and lay out clear expectations about the role of all organisations working with children – including the police, schools, children’s services and NHS bodies. There also needs to be more support from the NHS, including better mental health support for children at risk of gang membership and exclusion.

• Report
• More detail

Monitoring the Mental Health Act in 2017/18

Care Quality Commission -

The Care Quality Commission's (CQC) annual report on the use of the Mental Health Act (MHA) looks at how providers are caring for patients, and whether patient’s rights are being protected. The CQC has seen some improvement in the quality of care planning for patients who are subject to the MHA but continues to be concerned about the quality and safety of mental health wards.

• Report
• Press release

Mental health and the armed forces, part two: the provision of care

House of Commons Defence Committee -

This report recommends that a “world-class centre for the treatment of mental injuries” suffered by service personnel should be established in the next 12-18 months if veterans and their families are to receive the provision and support promised in the Armed Forces Covenant.

• Report
• Press release