Health Management and Policy Alert

Unemployment and mental health: why both require action for our Covid-19 recovery

The Health Foundation -
This analysis estimates that an increase of 900,000 people in unemployment expected by the end of the year, compared to before the pandemic, will lead to 200,000 more people with poor mental health in the UK. The research highlights the link between unemployment and poor mental health. It acknowledges that while government action to reduce a rise in unemployment by extending the furlough scheme to September will support mental health, it suggests that the benefits system and employment support programmes currently fail to properly account for the mental health needs of those who are unemployed. It concludes that there is now an opportunity to ensure that efforts to tackle unemployment in the pandemic recovery are designed to better support mental health.

• Report
• The Health Foundation - news

 

Preventing suicide in England: fifth progress report of the cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 
This report details the steps taken to reduce deaths by suicide since 2019. It sets out the data and evidence on suicide and self-harm; the progress made against existing commitments designed to prevent suicides and self-harm; and further actions for government and its agencies, particularly in the context of Covid-19.

• Report

Covid-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) -
This action plan sets out an ambitious, cross-government, whole-person approach to promoting positive mental health and supporting people living with mental illness to recover and live well. While this plan sets out what government will do in the coming year, it is also a call to action for the whole of society, for local communities, families and for individuals, who can take simple steps to look after their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around them – and can reach out for support, including from mental health services when necessary.

• Guidance

Maternal mental health during a pandemic: a rapid evidence review of Covid-19's impact

Centre for Mental Health - 

This rapid evidence review (produced together with the Maternal Mental Health Alliance) looks at the impact of Covid-19 on the mental health of new and expectant mothers and the support that’s been available during the pandemic.

• Report
• More detail 

Delivering preconception care to women of childbearing age with serious mental illness

Tommy's -
This guide is for health care professionals involved in the care of women with serious mental illness (SMI) in primary and secondary care. It aims to provide the latest evidence to support health care professionals having informed conversations on the considerations regarding mental and physical health for women of childbearing age with SMI, whether or not they are planning a pregnancy.

• Guidance
• Tommy's - publications

The other pandemic: the impact of Covid-19 on Britain’s mental health

Public First -
In February 2021 Public First polled 4,000 people and held 12 in depth focus groups with people from across Britain. The findings, published in this report, show that coronavirus has taken on mental health in all parts of society – but especially women, the less well-off and young people.

• Report
• Public First - publications

Involving and supporting partners and other family members in specialist perinatal mental health services: good practice guide

NHS England - 
This best practice guidance describes women and their families with a positive experience of care, with services joined up around them and earlier diagnosis and intervention, and support to recover, ensuring fewer women, their infants and partners suffer avoidable harm.

• Guidance

Understanding clinical decision-making at the interface of the Mental Health Act (1983) and the Mental Capacity Act (2005)

Partnership for Responsive Policy Analysis and Research (PREPARE) -
The Mental Health Act (1983) (MHA) and the Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA) both provide a legal means by which people can be deprived of their liberty and admitted to hospital on a formal basis when they lack capacity to consent to their admission and treatment. A key interface of the MHA and the MCA arises where an individual lacks the capacity to decide whether to be admitted to hospital to receive care and treatment, and are not objecting to admission or treatment, then the decision of which Act to use for these purposes is that of professionals involved. This report looks at that decision-making process.

• Report
• PREPARE - publications

A good practice guide to support implementation of trauma-informed care in the perinatal period

Centre for Early Child Development - 

This guide aims to help staff and services understand the impact of psychological trauma on women in the perinatal period and respond in a sensitive and compassionate way. It aims to support staff to ensure they ‘do no harm’ through care delivery that, without thought or intention, could retraumatise individuals.

• Guide
• More detail

Working together to improve patient care: how PCNs are working in partnership to support people’s mental health

NHS Confederation Mental Health Network -
Mental health disorders are one of the common causes of morbidity in England and primary care plays a key role in supporting patients’ mental health and wellbeing, so it has become a priority for many primary care networks (PCNs). This briefing provides examples of three models of partnership working that are currently underway in primary care to support mental health at place level.

• Briefing
• NHS Confederation - publications