NEWS
Valuable support for armed forces veterans
A new NHS service for former armed forces personnel experiencing severe mental health problems, the Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS), provides care and treatment for veterans experiencing a mental health crisis and needing urgent help, by working with local mental health services already treating a veteran, to improve their experiences, and ultimately their health and lives. The HIS is part of a new national service being rolled out across England. In the North of England, the service is being delivered in partnership between the NHS and well-established veterans’ support charities. Together, they will work with local mental health services to provide: l Support to crisis care services for veterans presenting in a mental health crisis.
l Support during an inpatient unit stay – including access to a clinician advice line 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
l Care navigation – helping veterans and their carers find the local services best suited to their needs.
l Support and care for family members and carers.
The new service is part of the NHS Long Term Plan to expand support for all veterans and their families, ‘helping them from their transition out of the armed forces and beyond’.
The HIS is provided by a collaborative
including: l Lead provider, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
Door alarm ‘designed to save lives’
Safehinge Primera says what it claimed – on its launch last September – was the world’s first full- door ligature alarm for mental health, was introduced for ‘the sole purpose of saving people’s lives’, and since then, the product ‘has been proven to do just that’.
l Veteran’s support charity, Walking With The Wounded.
l Veterans’ mental health charity, Combat Stress.
l Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.
The HIS comprises clinical staff including psychologists, mental health professionals, and Veteran Liaison and Support Officers – some veterans themselves. Samantha Hannar-Hughes, Clinical Team manager for the North of England Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service, said: “We know veterans can struggle to engage with health services, particularly mental health, and sometimes it can take years for them to seek help. This means they can present in crisis to local services that might not have experience of dealing with veterans with complex mental health problems. We’ll get involved really quickly, and support veterans and their families through their immediate crisis and into longer-term recovery.”
Security bed for ‘challenging environments’
Healthcare solutions provider, Teal LifeCare, has unveiled what is describes as ‘a secure, extremely durable, new addition’ to its challenging environment bed collection. Myla features smooth, round profile edges, with ‘durable, scratch, and stain- resistant’ vinyl-wrapped MDF construction to ensure enhanced strength, safety, and security. The furniture specialist said: “Unique design aids infection control, while also reducing manual handling issues. Sloping sides enable staff to work closer to
the bed for cleaning, and will also help service-users to get out of bed, assisting in the sit-to-stand movement.” In addition to its ‘safe, round profile edges’, Myla features a channelled platform to allow easy cleaning, and help air to circulate under the mattress, waterfall edging around the platform/base to prevent fluid ingress, and integral mattress retainers. Beneath the sealed 22 mm soft edge top, Myla’s internal support sections are plated and fixed with security screws to provide enhanced durability and strength. A floor fixing option is also available. Model options are available, including free-standing or wall fixed options dependent on room layout and access. Myla is available with an enclosed underside option to prevent misuse and concealment, a floor standing co- ordinating headboard, and finish options including Graphite Grey, Pippy Oak (vinyl wrapped and laminated), or white KYDEX thermoplastic sheet.
6 JANUARY 2021 | THE NETWORK
Using ‘uniquely developed technology’ which was rigorously tested for more than 1.5 million hours, SHP’s full-door alarm turns the entire door into a large weighing scale, detecting ligature attempts made on any part of the door. Filtering out false alarms, the sensor sends an alert to the nearest nursing station if a ligature is attempted – allowing clinical staff to respond immediately to an emergency.
In the first five months since its official launch, the full-door alarm has been rolled out across a number of NHS estates – including Surrey & Borders, Bradford District Care, Cornwall, Devon, and Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber. Two of these Trusts have already cited the full-door alarm as a means of saving the lives of patients at vulnerable times. Simon Adamson, deputy director, Estates and Facilities, at Bradford District Care NHS Trust, said: “I am happy to report that in its first two months’ use by us, the full-door alarm system has prevented two suicides already. For me that proves that the investment is worth it.”
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