HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2018: Mental Health and Learning Disabilities

Our judges selected two winners in this category: one for mental health, and one for learning disabilities. The winner for the former was Dorset HealthCare University Foundation Trust.

A unique local agencies’ collaboration piloted a pioneering approach to mental health street triage, providing an effective, coordinated crisis response, directly supporting the police who were too often the first point of call for people in mental distress, crisis and emergency.

The collaboration aimed to maximise patient experience and deliver maximum financial efficiency. This meant integrating the workforce, adapting the existing service and mobilising resources.

The 2016 inspection of Dorset Police Custody by HM Inspectorate of Prisons, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Care Quality Commission reported a large reduction in the number of people brought into custody under section 136 of the Mental Health Act and significant progress in improving outcomes for this vulnerable group. It also found that mental health provision had improved considerably and was excellent.

The second winner in this category is Essex County Council’s quality innovation team.

On noting that a large number of local people with learning disabilities and/or autism were not attending health appointments because they were afraid to do so, the team developed a video “book” of short films.

The rechargeable video brochures are A5 in size, and play videos on what to expect from various health appointments.

Since their introduction, Hertfordshire Partnership University Foundation Trust has reported improved appointment attendance.

To read this entry in full visit HSJ Solutions.

Click here for more details on the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2018.