Physical health and the mental health curriculum
Let's get physical - Putting the health into learning and teaching about mental health
This day was organised by the Mental Health in Higher Education project and the Middlesex University Centre of Excellence in Mental Health and Social Work. It took place on Thursday 22 May 2008 at the Middlesex University Archway campus in London. 70 people booked, and 52 attended, from a range of disciplines and professions - including educators, practitioners, service users, carers and researchers.
The day built on the results of a questionnaire, created using an online suvey tool, and circulated in advance. This was targeted at mental health service users, carers, educators, practitioners and students. It sought their views on physical health and its connection with mental wellbeing; physical healthcare within mental health services and how both feature within the education of health and social care professionals. Download summary of results.[1] See http://www.zoomerang.com/ .
For further information about the survey, contact: j.anderson@lancaster.ac.uk or j.sapiro@mdx.ac.uk
Aims of this event:
1. To raise awareness of the need for a focus on physical health within mental health curricula - drawing on user and carer perspectives as well as work across diverse academic disciplines
2. To identify and share examples of approaches to learning and teaching about
- health promotion and mental health (with a focus on exercise, diet, the side effects of medication etc)
- the teaching of physical healthcare skills to MH professionals
3. To hear about current policy and practice initiatives in this area, and research findings, and to consider the implications of these for learning and teaching about mental health.
4. To create opportunities for networking between those with an interest in the physical health care needs of people with mental health problems, and to link them with those wishing to develop their teaching in this area.
- Flyer
- Programme
- Contributor list
- A resource list was produced for the event and included in the packs. A number of other documents were shared by participants:
- A checklist was devised - to inform teaching
- Evaluation of the day
Presentations and workshops
The day began with moving and informative presentations by Tracey Holley (a service user trainer), Catherine Clarke (a carer and trainer) and Alan Cohen, from the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health.
- Alan Cohen's presentation.
- See here for Catherine's website on neuroleptic awareness and here to a link to an article written by Catherine together with Joy Bray et al: Should we be 'pushing meds'? The implications of pharmacogenomics.
There followed a series of workshops and a final feedback session:
1. The use of exercise in mental health: using case studies to reflect on practice
Andy Buckton, Senior Lecturer in Exercise Science, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, York St John University.
The session reflected on experiences of teaching ‘exercise and mental health' to multi disciplinary groups of health and exercise professionals as part of a continuous professional development (CPD) programme at York St John University. The use of individual case studies in teaching to illustrate observations of relationships between mental illness, physical health and exercise was explored. This included examples of patient's observation of the physical benefits of exercise and the influence this has on mental health. Learners on this programme are ‘self-selecting' and the educational experience could be considered as ‘preaching to the converted'. Through discussion, implications for teaching on pre- and post-qualifying mental health programmes were explored.
Contact Andy: a.buckton@yorksj.ac.uk
2. Addressing the interplay of physical and mental health on an undergraduate physiotherapy programme
Rachel Spearing, Senior Lecturer, Department of Physiotherapy, Manchester Metropolitan University
Physiotherapists have a key role to play in addressing the physical health needs of people with mental health problems. It is important that students of mental health address physical health issues in their training and gain an understanding of the role of the physiotherapist; also that learners on physiotherapy programmes are enabled to develop their understanding about mental health. At the end of this session, participants had:
- considered the clinical areas in which physiotherapists work with people with mental health problems
- considered a brief overview of an undergraduate physiotherapy programme and seen where mental health teaching is incorporated.
- had an opportunity to analyse a case study of a service user with comorbid physical and mental health problems
- considered how the case study can be used to facilitate consideration of issues and management for a service user with comorbid physical and mental health problems.
- discussed implications for their own teaching in the area of physical and mental health.
Contact Rachel: r.spearing@mmu.ac.uk
3. Developing physical health care skills: Using a 'training needs analysis' to explore diabetes care skills training and education needs
Mike Nash - Senior Lecturer, Middlesex University Centre for Excellence in Mental Health and Social Work
There can be an assumption - from service users and other professionals - that mental health nurses (because they are nurses) will have well developed physical health care skills. As in other professional groups, however, mental health nurses can lack skills and confidence in this area. This session explored the process of developing learning materials aimed at increasing the knowledge and health care skills of mental health nurses in relation to one particular condition - diabetes. It explored the method of using training needs analysis. The session was aimed at those who would like to gain more insight into mental health nursing training but was also of relevance to thinking about the development of physical healthcare skills and the use of training needs analysis in relation to other professional groups.
Contact Mike: m.j.nash@mdx.ac.uk
4. The Role of Physical Activity in the Lives of People with Mental Health Problems.
Diane Crone - Reader in Exercise Science, Faculty of Sport, Health and Social Care, University of Gloucestershire
This session presented a rationale, drawing from both research and current health policy, for the use of physical activity in mental health services, to promote physical health, for people with health problems. Relevant health policy and current research were discussed including findings from a research project which investigated the role and purpose of physical activity in the treatment of people with mental health problems, from the perspective of service users. The session concluded with a discussion on implications for practice, particularly for educators of health promoting professionals, and of the role of health professionals to support the strategic promotion of physical activity in mental health services.
Contact Diane: dcrone@glos.ac.uk
5. Physical health and well being in Birmingham and Solihull Mental health trust, including the supplementary experiential learning framework.
Sue Coffee, Head of physical health and Allied Health Professional Services and Jacqui Gatcombe, Senior Nurse responsible for pre-registration training - Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust
Sue presented the Physical health strategy for Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust, which she led on and developed.
She spoke about the drivers for the strategy, and how improved physical health and well being is to be achieved within the Trust. Part of the implementation of the strategy has included extensive training delivery of a variety of elements. The SELF (Supplementary Experiential Learning Framework) programme presented by Jacqui Gatcombe delivers training to a variety of staff and students (from disciplines such as nursing and allied health professions). Jacqui presented a summary of the programme.
Sue provided information about a forthcoming event to be held in Birmingham on World Mental Health Day:
Contact Sue and Jacqui:
sue.coffee@bsmht.nhs.uk and jacqui.gatcombe@bsmht.nhs.uk
6. Using physical activity within mental health services: the important role of mental health professionals.
Naomi Ellis, lecturer in public health - department of Sport and Exercise Science, Staffordshire University
This workshop presented a summary of research findings recently conducted into the use of physical activity as an adjunct therapy within mental health services. This research investigated the experiences of service users, mental health professionals and carers. The focus of this workshop was on the experiences of mental health professionals. Mental health professionals play an essential role in the promotion of physical activity. As a result, establishing their experiences and the impact of running physical activity groups is fundamental when considering the promotion of physical activity within the mental health services. The discussion centred on the role of mental health professionals in encouraging, supporting and delivering physical activity groups within mental health services and charitable organisations. Implications for learning and teaching were considered.
Contact Naomi: n.j.ellis@staffs.ac.uk
7. If you can't see it, how do you know it's there?
Becky Shaw, Independent trainer and researcher in mental health
This workshop allowed time to think and reflect on the links between physical and mental health, and the role that user trainers can play in helping students learn about these. It was planned in conjunction with Nicky Bennett, a lecturer at the Nottingham Institute of Mental Health. In this workshop, Becky drew on her joint work with Nicky in delivering a session as part of the Certificate in Mental health run by Nottinghamshire Health Care NHS Trust. This session was designed to follow on from a "Making the Links" session, which starts to get students looking at the connections between disease processes, and the physiological and psychological effects of these. In Becky's session, she describes her experience of the mental health services, in which, sadly, they failed to pick up on a number of physiological and psychological problems which had long term consequences for her. Often non-registered staff have significant encounters with mental health service users, but do not believe that they can make a difference. Within this teaching session we generate questions and answers and then as a whole group, stimulate discussion aimed towards problem solving some of the issues raised by Becky's story. For example a question would be: "Given that time back, what would you do differently now?" We also encourage the students to come up with a number of current issues, in relation to their own practice areas, and again as a group, discuss these with a problem solving focus, challenging any beliefs which students offer to disempower themselves.
8. Physical health, pharmacology and medication monitoring: classroom theory to clinical practice
Sue Jordan, Senior Lecturer, School of Health Science, Swansea University
This workshop presented an evaluation of a pharmacology module available to mental health nurses, social workers and other healthcare professionals. There was an opportunity to discuss the implications for learning and teaching in mental health across the disciplines. There is growing recognition of the problems caused by the adverse effects of prescribed medication. To address this Sue and colleagues introduced a specialist pharmacology module for mental health nurses. They evaluated the impact of the course on practice by observing and interviewing a cohort of students (n=7) and seven matched comparators before and after the course, and six months later. Adverse effects of long-term administration of anti-psychotic medications were a common problem that was often managed poorly. There was a ‘care gap' in the area of adverse drug reaction (ADR) monitoring which was attributable to limited resources and interest. The course and the research empowered students and comparators to improve ADR monitoring. The management of clients' physical health problems improved. However, when investigations or changes to drug regimens depended on the co-operation of doctors, nurses were not always able to proceed. Subsequently, they developed the West Wales ADR profile for antipsychotic medication (Jordan et al 2004), and evaluated it in practice. The learning outcome of the course is to equip practitioners to administer and act on the West Wales ADR profile, with a view to reducing the impact of medications on the physical health of service users.
Contact Sue: s.e.jordan@swansea.ac.uk
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