News, education and training

The following includes information on relevant and interesting news stories and reports surrounding mental and physical health.  You will also find information on upcoming training events and conferences, as well as some interactive training resources.

News

• New research adds further evidence to the link between mental and physical health, in particular that a diet high in processed foods can increase risk levels for developing depression.

• The ‘No Health without Mental Health’ report raises awareness of the importance of liaison psychiatry teams and recommends that each general hospital should have access to an adequately funded service.   The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Centre for Quality Improvement has set up the Psychiatric Liaison Accreditation Network (PLAN) to facilitate development in liaison psychiatry services through a supportive peer-review network.  All liaison teams in the UK and Ireland are invited to join and work towards improving the quality and provision of their services.

• Mental health, resilience and inequalities.  This report from the Mental Health Foundation argues that good, positive mental health and emotional wellbeing leads to healthier lifestyles.  Produced in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (Europe) and supported by the National Institute for Mental Health in England, the report sets out how current policies and programmes can be improved.

• Healthy Mind, Healthy Body.  This briefing from the NHS Confederation looks at opportunities to improve quality and efficiency in acute services by focusing on the needs of the significant number of patients who also have mental health problems complicating their care and discharge.  It sets out some good practice examples together with academic evidence to build a business case for liaison psychiatry services.

• New Horizons Strategy announced.  Care Services Minister, Phil Hope, has announced a new strategy for helping the millions of people who suffer from mental illness at some point in their lives.  “New Horizons” is a new strategy that will promote good mental health and wellbeing, whilst improving services for people who have mental health problems.  It will build on the National Service Framework for mental health which comes to an end in 2009.

• Daring to Choose: 10 ways to deliver choice for people with depression and anxiety.  One in two people with depression and anxiety feel that they are not informed of a choice of treatment.  ‘Daring to Choose’ highlights challenges faced by people with anxiety and depression in getting their choice of treatment and services and calls for the Government to take action on the 10 recommendations for depression and anxiety treatment developed ahead of the Department of Health’s ‘New Horizons for Mental Health’ strategy. 

• Service User Involvement - Putting People First: Working together with user-led organisations.  This document describes the advantages of working with user-led organisations, mainly through local authorities and social services, but with lessons that are also applicable to healthcare.

• Dr Carolyn Chew-Graham is the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Clinical Champion for Mental Health.  She is leading the redesign of primary care mental health services in Manchester and has explored health professional’s attitudes towards patients with mental health problems.

Events

• The Andrew Sims Centre provides education and training to support heath and social care professionals in the fields of mental health and learning disabilities.                                          

             Educational resources

• How much do you know about mental illness and physical health?  Take our quizzes and find out

   

• Here you can find more information on different types of mental illness and treatment options. 

   

• The forum for mental health in primary care is a collaboration between the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of General Practitioners.  It aims to guide and promote good practice in mental health care across generalist and specialist health care services and influence and support the work of practitioners.

• Put your expertise to the test – ‘Take the Challenge’ is an online interactive programme developed by Age Concern, Help the Aged and the Royal College of General Practitioners to help improve the diagnosis and treatment of older people with depression.

• The Royal College of Psychiatrists provides a series of online CPD learning modules for mental health professionals, including physical healthcare in severe mental illness.   Modules include:

  • Physical healthcare in severe mental illness

  • Psychiatric aspects of HIV