Care notes
Jacki Scuffle, Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Trust
"Information systems in the NHS tend to reflect working practices of their time, and therefore legacy systems concentrated mainly on administrative activities, gathering data on spells, events and attendance, for export to financial systems and NHS Central Returns. However, there are now real benefits in clinicians taking advantage of technology to improve the level and quality of information available to them about their patients. The widespread use of computers amongst clinical teams requires enormous investment, not only in the supply and installation of equipment and a suitable network, but also in the training of clinical staff to become computer competent, and in the change management issues around transparency and information sharing."
Monday, June 28, 2004
Medscape Psychopharmacology Today column in Medscape General Medicine, in which Thomas A. M. Kramer, MD, discusses some of the topical psychopharmacology articles, including the debate over the nonpublication of paroxetine trials, recently covered in the New York Times. [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
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NewsRX.com story reprinted at PsycPORT - "A study of male and female adolescents in treatment for substance abuse found significantly greater severity in drug use and associated mental health-related factors among the girls. 'Many adolescents entering substance abuse treatment have coexisting mental health problems and are criminally involved. Examination of the complexities of substance use, mental health, and criminal justice involvement along with changes in these issues following treatment is needed,' stated researchers at the University of Arizona's SW Institute for Research on Women."
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PR Newswire press release on a recent Harris poll, reprinted at PsycPORT - "Many Americans think that well- known drugs -- such as Celexa, Effexor, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft -- which are used to treat depression are safe and effective for adults. It is also widely believed that antidepressants are prescribed too often for everyone, especially teenagers and children."
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SAMHSA press release - " People with co-occurring serious mental illness and substance abuse often do not recognize that they need treatment, a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicates. The report shows that 61 percent of those with both serious mental illness and a substance use disorder who had not received treatment for either illness, perceived no unmet need for treatment. The new report, Adults with Co-Occurring Serious Mental Illness and a Substance Use Disorder was unveiled today by SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie at a conference in Washington D.C. on the complexities of co-occurring medical conditions." See also the full report, available in both HTML and Acrobat format.
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Story at Stuff - "Three health boards and a union have agreed to return to mediation on Monday in a bid to avert a strike of about 350 mental health nurses in the central North Island. The last minute talks come after a 10-hour mediation session between the Public Service Association (PSA) and the Waikato, Lakes and Bay of Plenty health boards ended in stalemate this week. "
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Copyright 2003 © Bill Davis.
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