Paddle app steers people with anxiety and depression towards better mental health

A smartphone app is being developed to strengthen the support available to people during treatment for anxiety and depression and after they are discharged.

The aim is to prevent relapse and reduce use of other primary care and community mental health services, especially in the first six months.

Patients have helped design the therapy support and follow-up app which is called ‘Paddle’. It was developed by the Anxiety and Depression Network which had been looking at ways to provide better support to patients following a course of psychological treatment provided by NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services.

The need was voiced by members of the network’s patient forum and demonstrated in pilot projects which showed that more than a third of patients seek additional support in the first six months following the end of treatment.

The app allows patients to carefully store all they learn during their therapeutic journey, as well as how to keep themselves well afterwards. It is currently being tested and will be piloted with staff and patients shortly.

Contact Ineke Wolsey for more information

Helping care homes provide quality care for residents living with dementia

A high proportion (60-80%) of people living in care homes have dementia and they may also have coexisting mental and physical health needs. These complex needs are not always recognised.

In 2016 the Oxford AHSN formed a best practice network of healthcare professionals who support care homes in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire in providing quality care to people living with dementia. They meet regularly to share best practice and support each other to implement initiatives. A series of workshops have taken place including management of diabetes and nutrition and sensory impairment. The network received funding from Health Education England.
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People with long-term conditions benefit from psychological therapies 

A rigorous evaluation of clinical and health economics outcomes demonstrated the value of a new treatment made available to patients suffering with long-term physical health conditions and comorbid depression/anxiety.

Initial analysis published at the end of 2018 showed an average of £1,870 per patient saving to the health system over two years where patients had integrated physical/psychological treatment. Further research is due to be published shortly.

Improving quality and safety in transfers of people with psychosis

A project to improve quality and safety during patient transfers is being developed by the Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Thames Valley network. It is examining incidents to establish best practice and develop and embed new procedures.

Clinicians, commissioners, managers and researchers from Berks, Bucks, Oxon and Milton Keynes first came together in 2014 to improve quality of EIP services. Their early work used data from electronic health records from 2010-2013 to show that areas with early intervention in psychosis had better outcomes and lower patient costs across health, social care and the welfare system.

The group has continued to meet every two months to share best practice and collaborate to tackle issues. In 2018, the group chose to work in collaboration with the Oxford Patient Safety Collaborative on improving the safety of patients during transfers between teams following several cases where individuals had moved from other regions into the Thames Valley with little or no planning leading to near misses.

Likewise, when people from the Thames Valley moved away – to attend university, for example – some regions did not accept referrals in a timely coordinated manner, again increasing the risk to individuals and their families. 
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New counselling service for young people

Kooth.com is an online information, advice and counselling service for children and young people aged 11-19. Set up in October 2018 Kooth is available in Buckinghamshire, East Berkshire and many other parts of England.

Elements include real-time chat messaging and support from psychotherapists and qualified counsellors. Many young people access Kooth after receiving information sent to schools.

In Bucks the first four months saw more than 300 young people register with the service. There are now over 2,000 forum threads and articles covering a wide range of topics including sex, relationships, family issues, alcohol, drugs, exam stress, peer pressure and anxiety.
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SHaRON: online peer support helps people with mental health conditions

Support Hope and Recovery Online Network (SHaRON) is an online peer support ehealth system for people with mental health conditions. It was designed by patients and clinicians at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to connect individuals to each other and their care providers 24/7 because health issues can develop at any time. It also provides support post-discharge. SHaRON is a secure, clinically moderated social networking platform. Initially developed for people with eating disorders, it now includes many more mental health conditions and it's spreading, including to Oxford Health. SHaRON now has 2,800 users. In a recent survey more than 80% said they found it helpful in their recovery.
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Mental health support teams in schools

One in ten children and young people (aged 5-16) have a diagnosable mental health problem, yet 70% of them have not had early interventions. NHS England and other partners are delivering a transformation programme to establish new teams  in schools and colleges. Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West are among the initial trailblazing areas. They are being supported by the NHS Thames Valley Strategic Clinical Network and will offer treatment, including cognitive behavioural therapy.
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Almost 500 GPs attend psychiatry study days

The NHS Thames Valley Strategic Clinical Network, in partnership with the University of Oxford, developed a programme of psychiatry study days across the Thames Valley in 2018/19 to support primary care clinical practice and share ways of enhancing care. In total nearly 500 GPs have attended the sessions on a variety of topics including suicide prevention, perinatal mental health, medication management and prescribing. The study days also included a specific focus on older people and children/young people.
Read the programme evaluation here