Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice, 11(5), 2016, pp.286-293.
Publisher:
Emerald
Purpose: Adolescents and young adults’ mental health problems are an important health issue. However, the current organisation of the care pathway is not robust enough and transition between child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS) has been identified as a period of risk. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach: A retrospective survey was conducted in Montpellier University Hospital concerning transitions organised between CAMHS and AMHS between 2008 and 2009. The aim was to assess if transitions met four criteria identified in literature as warranting an optimal transition.
Findings: In total, 31 transitions were included. Transition was accepted by AMHS in 90 per cent of cases but its organisation was rarely optimal. Relational continuity and transition planning were absent in 80 per cent of cases. The age boundary of 16 often justified the triggering of the transition regardless of patient’s needs. Discontinuity was observed in 48 per cent of transition cases, with an average gap of three months without care. Psychiatrists reported difficulties in working together. Finally, at the moment of the survey (one to three years later), 55 per cent of patients were lost to follow-up.
Research limitations/implications: This is a retrospective study on a small sample but it reveals important data about transition in France.
Practical implications: Transition process should include collaborative working between CAMHS and AMHS, with cross-agency working and periods of parallel care.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Purpose: Adolescents and young adults’ mental health problems are an important health issue. However, the current organisation of the care pathway is not robust enough and transition between child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS) has been identified as a period of risk. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach: A retrospective survey was conducted in Montpellier University Hospital concerning transitions organised between CAMHS and AMHS between 2008 and 2009. The aim was to assess if transitions met four criteria identified in literature as warranting an optimal transition.
Findings: In total, 31 transitions were included. Transition was accepted by AMHS in 90 per cent of cases but its organisation was rarely optimal. Relational continuity and transition planning were absent in 80 per cent of cases. The age boundary of 16 often justified the triggering of the transition regardless of patient’s needs. Discontinuity was observed in 48 per cent of transition cases, with an average gap of three months without care. Psychiatrists reported difficulties in working together. Finally, at the moment of the survey (one to three years later), 55 per cent of patients were lost to follow-up.
Research limitations/implications: This is a retrospective study on a small sample but it reveals important data about transition in France.
Practical implications: Transition process should include collaborative working between CAMHS and AMHS, with cross-agency working and periods of parallel care.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
young people, child and adolescent mental health services, mental health services, service transitions, continuity of care, young adults, mental health problems;
Summarises the results of a brief questionnaire on how other European countries manage the community care of violent people with mental health problems.
Summarises the results of a brief questionnaire on how other European countries manage the community care of violent people with mental health problems.
Subject terms:
mental health problems, mental health services, risk, surveys, violence, community care;
British Medical Journal, 5.11.94, 1994, pp.1218-1221.
Publisher:
British Medical Association
Despite legislation to harmonise mental health practice throughout Europe and convergence in systems of training there remains an extraordinary diversity of psychiatric practice in Europe. Approaches to tackling substance misuse vary among nations; statistics on psychiatric morbidity are affected by different approaches to diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders; attitudes towards mental illness show definite international differences. Everywhere, though, mental health care for patients with psychotic illness is a "cinderella service", and there is a general move towards care falling increasingly on the family and the community.
Despite legislation to harmonise mental health practice throughout Europe and convergence in systems of training there remains an extraordinary diversity of psychiatric practice in Europe. Approaches to tackling substance misuse vary among nations; statistics on psychiatric morbidity are affected by different approaches to diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders; attitudes towards mental illness show definite international differences. Everywhere, though, mental health care for patients with psychotic illness is a "cinderella service", and there is a general move towards care falling increasingly on the family and the community.
Subject terms:
law, mental health, mental health problems, mental health services, psychiatry, social care provision, treatment, therapy and treatment, training, attitudes, community care, diagnosis, families;