Annual report 2012-13 - West London Mental Health NHS Trust

“The system has proved verysuccessful and from an initialpilot of just eight gp’s, we arenow rolling direct bookingout across the trust.“Commissioner engagementRelationships – with patients, with our staff, and withour partner organisations – are key to the success ofthe trust. And with the changes in the NHS, we alsoneed to ensure that the new commissioners in clinicalcommissioning groups (CCGs) hear about the qualityservices we offer and see us as the provider of choicefor local patients.This is also the guiding principal of the integrationwork we’ve been doing with key stakeholdersincluding CCGs, the local authority, primary care,third sector partners, service users and carers onour new transformation board. Set up in January2013, it is co-chaired by our medical directorDr Nick Broughton and one of the CCG mentalhealth leads, GP Dr Annabel Crowe.The transformation board will allow us to build onthe work which has been started by our redesignprogramme board, but with a focus on collaboratingwith our external partners to meet the priorities forthe north west sector of London – making sure thatmental health services are provided where, whenand how local people want them.Michael Doyle,programme managerSupporting GPs to make referralsWe were the first mental health trust in Englandto use direct booking, where GPs can accessour clinical appointments system and book anassessment during a consultation. Based on thenational Choose and Book system, direct bookingprovides a more efficient service for our referrersand a better experience for patients.GPs can now link directly to the adult assessmentteam and the memory and dementia services,allowing them to see exactly what appointments areavailable. They can also look up information suchas referral investigations and treatments offered.Patients can choose the time and date of theirappointment with a mental health clinician whilethey are sitting with their GP.Evidence shows that Choose and Book offers a hostof benefits, including shorter waiting times betweenreferral and a reduction in non-attendance at firstappointments, which are high in the trust. Early datashows non-attendance figures are reducing alongwith average waiting times for first appointment.All 31 GP practices in Hammersmith & Fulham arenow able to use direct booking. Next steps includeadding the Hounslow early intervention and cognitiveimpairment and dementia teams on to the system.Michael Doyle, local services programme manager,said: “The system has proved very successful and froman initial pilot of just eight GPs, we are now rollingdirect booking out across the Trust. A number of acuteproviders have also requested our input to supporttheir own move to electronic referral and booking.”One stop shopTo supplement the support we offer GPs, we’velaunched a new area on our website, specificallyaimed at referrers.The dedicated section was created in consultationwith local GPs and brings referral advice, clinicalpathways and other guidance together in one place.Raising awareness withthe Tamil communityMany of London’s Tamil community arrivedhere as refugees from the war in Sri Lanka.The trust has been keen to raise awareness ofthe psychological effects of war trauma andencourage people to come forward and use theservices available to help them.A conference, ‘Promoting well-being in the TamilCommunity’, brought together Tamil people,clinicians and mental health organisations tohear about the effects war trauma can have onpsychological health.Clinicians who work closely with Tamil peoplehad the opportunity to take part in workshopsto improve their understanding of issues facingthe Tamil community and to help them overcomepossible obstacles to communication.The conference was organised in partnership withCentral and North West London Mental Health Trustand the Tamil Community Centre in Hounslow.Guests also enjoyed a vibrant example of Tamilculture – a display of dancing and music.Trust consultant psychologist, Dr AngelaManning said: “The event was a step towardshelping clinicians and the Tamil communityunderstand the effects of war trauma andreduce the stigma of mental ill health. We werepleased to have over 20 organisations join usat the event and were supported by Mind andthe IAPT (Improving Access to PsychologicalTherapies) service who offered advice to thecommunity. It was a great collaboration.”“The event was a steptowards helping cliniciansand the Tamil communityunderstand the effects ofwar trauma and reduce thestigma of mental ill health.Dr Angela Manning,trust consultant psychologist“16Annual Report 2012/201317