Skin Disease With Chronic Itch Linked to Depression, Suicidal Thoughts

Itchy skin in patients with chronic skin disease is significantly linked to clinical depression, suicidal ideation and stress, according to a new study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Click here to read PsychCentral article
Click here for original full text article - you will need an athens account. Any problems please contact the library 01905 760601

National Clinical Audit of Anxiety and Depression: inpatient mental health services

Click here for link to report

Ex-DH boss declares ‘scandal’ in mental healthcare

A shortage of beds for mental health patients – leaving them waiting in emergency departments for more than 12 hours – is a national “scandal”, according to one of the NHS’ most senior and experienced leaders. Read HSJ article here - any problems accessing please contact the library 01905 760601

Safety and mental health are top concerns at Brum Youth Trends Summit 2019

Hundreds of Birmingham’s young people gathered last Thursday (24/10) to discuss the big issues affecting them at this year’s Brum Youth Trends Summit. The Summit, run by the  social enterprise, Beatfreeks Collective, coincided with the launch of the highly anticipated 2019 Brum Youth Trends report. Read Birmingham Updates article here

In the long run, drugs and talk therapy hold same value for people with depression

Spending an hour in talk therapy with a trained counselor costs much more, and takes more time, than swallowing an inexpensive antidepressant pill. But for people with a new diagnosis of major depression, the costs and benefits of the two approaches end up being equal after five years, a new study shows. Read ScienceDaily article here

Mental health and wellbeing: JSNA toolkit

Links mental health data, policy and knowledge to help planners understand needs within the local population and assess local services. Click here to link to government guidance

Mentally ill die many years earlier than others

New research confirms that people with mental disorders have an increased risk of premature mortality. When compared to the general population, average life expectancy is respectively 10 and 7 years shorter for men and women with mental disorders. Read ScienceDaily article here

PTSD Nearly Doubles the Risk of Infection

A new study finds that people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are 1.8 times as likely to have any infection as those without PTSD, ranging from being 1.3 times as likely to have meningitis, to 1.7 times as likely to have influenza, to 2.7 times as likely to have viral hepatitis. Read PsychCentral Article here

County chiefs back ‘Every Mind Matters’ mental health campaign

COUNTY chiefs are backing ‘Every Mind Matters’ a new way to help people manage their mental health. Click here for local newspaper article

Delivering The NHS Long-Term Plan's Ambition Of Ageing Well: Old Age Psychiatry As A Vital Resource

This guidance is to help local areas plan and deliver specialist services, led by old age psychiatrists, to meet the needs of older people. It brings together views from older people, service users, carers and a wide range of health and social care professionals. Click here for King's Fund blog

World Mental Health Day: Suicide prevention text service starts

A suicide prevention text message service to encourage more men to "open up" has been started by a charity on World Mental Health Day. Click here for local news piece

Brexit update - RCOT

In light of the ongoing uncertainty around Brexit, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists is continuing to monitor developments and consider how our members, and the services they provide, might be impacted. Click here for RCOT website

Gambling-related harms: evidence review

Information about a review of the prevalence of gambling, its associated health harms and their economic and social burden. Click here for government information

The NHS needs a chief psychological professions officer

Dr Nick Waggett and Sarb Bajwa join leaders representing 12 psychological professional groups and service users of psychological services to call for a new role of chief psychological professions officer. Click here to read HSJ article - any problems accessing the full text please contact the library 01905 760601

Suicide prevention: identifying and responding to suicide clusters

This toolkit, based on research of suicide clusters, is part of PHE's support for the government’s suicide prevention strategy. Click here for government guidance

Mindfulness may reduce opioid cravings, study finds

Opioid users, chronic pain sufferers may experience fewer relapses and greater well-being. Click here to read ScienceDaily article
Or here for the original article - will need athens password - ask the library if you have difficulties 01905 760601

Significant new mental health funding to improve lives across Worcestershire

SIGNIFICANT new mental health funding is set to improve patients’ lives across the region with a share of £70million earmarked for 11 areas going into care models for young, working age, and older adults. Read newspaper article here

Rough sleepers in homeless hotspots to benefit from NHS mental health outreach

Towns with high rates of homelessness are set for investment in specialist mental health care, as part of NHS services for rough sleepers across the country. Read NHS England news here

Encouraging service users to complete research survey

There is still time for members and people who use their services to complete the occupational therapy research priorities survey before it closes on Tuesday 5 November 2019. Click here for the website

How putting NHS staff first is making hospitals better

Yoga, pilates and Dragons’ Den-style contests are among a host of innovations that are turning around failing trusts. Click here to read newspaper article and link to report

Every Mind Matters

Public Health England has launched England’s first NHS campaign to improve mental health literacy.  Every Mind Matters is designed to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others.  The new platform will enable people to create a personalised action plan recommending a set of self-care actions to deal with stress, boost mood, improve sleep and feel in control. Click here for website

When Abuse Involves Controlling a Partner’s Education

A new study offers a closer look at a lesser-known form of psychological abuse: educational sabotage. This type of abuse involves behaviors aimed at hindering or stopping another person’s educational efforts. Click here to read PsychCentral article

We are in the midst of a mental health crisis – advice about jogging and self-care is not enough

Physical exercise can help, but we need to understand what it is about the way we live that makes so many of us ill. Read newspaper article here

Palliative and end of life care

Information and resources for health and social care professionals to improve the quality of services and reduce inequalities in care. Click here to government resources

Groundbreaking new platform launched to support mental health

PHE and the NHS launch Every Mind Matters to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others. Click here to access news item for government site

The community mental health framework for adults and older adults

The Community Mental Health Framework describes how the Long Term Plan’s vision for a place-based community mental health model can be realised, and how community services should modernise to offer whole-person, whole-population health approaches, aligned with the new Primary Care Networks. View NHS England document here

Acute psychotic illness triggered by Brexit Referendum

Political events can take a serious toll on mental health, a doctor has warned, after treating a man with a brief episode of acute psychosis, triggered by the 2016 Referendum on Brexit -- the process of the UK leaving the European Union (EU). Read ScienceDaily article here Click here for case report - you may need an athens password - contact the library 01905 760601 if you have access problems

Sleeping pills reduce suicidal thoughts in patients with severe insomnia

Insomnia is a driver of suicide, and particularly people with severe insomnia may safely benefit from taking a sedative to help address their sleep problems as it reduces their suicidal thoughts, investigators report. Click here to read ScienceDaily article

How and Why Parkinson’s Hits Men, Women Differently

A new review from Italian scientists adds to the growing body of evidence describing how Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects women and men differently. Click here to read PsychCentral article