Liaison Mental Health Service Annual Report 2003-2004

WORKLOAD
756 referrals to the team (a 15% increase in referral rate over the previous year)
100 of these taken on for short term intervention

ACHIEVEMENTS
Maintained a high quality rapid service to Emergency Care in the face of increasing pressure from the 4 hour wait target in A&E and limited bed numbers.
A 7 day service was successfully introduced on 1 December 2003 that enables all clients to be assessed at weekends as soon as they are medically fit.
We successfully bid for the contract to deliver Specialist Psychological services to Palliative Care
Rosemary Corke was appointed as a DOH National Assessor for the appointment of Consultant Clinical Psychologists in Adult Mental Health.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
All team members have continued to host numerous visits and provide short term placements and teaching sessions for nurses, occupational therapists, junior doctors and psychologists in training.
Rosemary Corke was invited to join the Strategic Health Authority/ Veterans Affairs Exchange Programme.
Clinical Supervision has been given to three senior nurses in psychological aspects of acute and community care.
Andrew Southall is undertaking a course of study in Qualitative methods with the Open University.
Rosemary Corke and Rachel Lucas are leading a study group on Consultation and Organisational process.

RESEARCH
Suzanne Elliot, D Clin Psych trainee at the University of Birmingham is conducting her doctoral research into men who self harm under the supervision of Julia Henn.
There is an ongoing programme of evaluation of short term interventions for people who self harm.

AUDIT
A comprehensive data base is fully functioning and facilitates timely audits.

CHALLENGES
The team now comprises 8 members of staff, 6 of whom are part time. It is not possible to provide cover in the event of absence of any kind.
The team does not have a base or indeed access to appropriate interviewing facilities at either hospital site.
The 15% increase in referrals can be attributed to increased demand in Telford and Wrekin. This appears to reflect a dearth of services which leads to both increased referrals and minimal referral options after assessment.
The team has not been successful in developing links with inpatient services.