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Aims There have been recent policy developments and research into care provision for service users with personality disorder. However, few studies have focused on service user and staff perspectives on how services could be improved. Methods A qualitative study was undertaken in the UK between 2016 and 2017. We conducted six focus groups with clinicians in mental health services with experience of working with people with personality disorder. Using an online survey, we asked current and past service users with personality disorder to describe their experiences of mental health services and make recommendations for improvements. A thematic analysis was conducted. Results Forty‐five clinicians participated in the focus group and 131 service users contributed to the online survey. The main areas of concern identified by both staff and patients were the diagnosis of personality disorder, the absence of a coherent care pathway, access to psychological treatment and staff training. Conclusions The care pathway for individuals with personality disorder is unclear to clinicians and service users, and elements of the pathway are disjointed and not working as effectively as they could. Guidelines recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence are not being followed. Specialist psychological interventions should be available to ensure consistent and stable care provision. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Background It is estimated that 1 in 10 people have a personality disorder. People with emotionally unstable personality disorder are at high risk of suicide. Despite being frequent users of mental health services, there is often no clear pathway for patients to access effective treatments. Aims To describe the characteristics of patients with personality disorder who died by suicide, examine clinical care pathways and explore whether the care adhered to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. Method National consecutive case series (1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013). The study examined the health records and serious incident reports of patients with personality disorder who died by suicide in the UK. Results The majority had a diagnosis of borderline/emotionally unstable or antisocial personality disorder. A high proportion of patients had a history of self-harm (n = 146, 95%) and alcohol (n = 101, 66%) or drug misuse (n = 79, 52%). We found an extensive pattern of service contact in the year before death, with no clear pathway for patients. Care was inconsistent and there were gaps in service provision. In 99 (70%) of the 141 patients with data, the last episode of care followed a crisis. Access to specialised psychological therapies was limited; short-term in-patient admissions was adhered to; however, guidance on short-term prescribing for comorbid conditions was not followed for two-thirds of patients. Conclusions Continuity and stability of care is required to prevent, rather than respond to individuals in crisis. A comprehensive audit of services for people with personality disorder across the UK is recommended to assess the quality of care provided.

Background During the global COVID-19 pandemic, there has been guidance concerning adaptations that physical healthcare services can implement to aid containment, but there is relatively little guidance for how mental healthcare services should adapt service provision to better support staff and patients, and minimise contagion spread. Aims This systematic review explores service adaptations in mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and other contagions. Method The Allied and Complementary Medicine database (AMED), the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO and Web of Science were systematically searched for published studies from database inception to April 2020. Data were extracted focusing on changes to mental health services during contagion outbreaks. Data were analysed with thematic analysis. Results Nineteen papers were included: six correspondence/point-of-view papers, five research papers, five reflection papers, two healthcare guideline documents and one government document. Analysis highlighted four main areas for mental health services to consider during contagion outbreaks: infection control measures to minimise contagion spread, including procedural and practical solutions across different mental health settings; service delivery, including service changes, operational planning and continuity of care; staff well-being (psychological and practical support); and information and communication. Conclusions Mental health services need to consider infection control measures and implement service changes to support continuity of care, and patient and staff well-being. Services also need to ensure they are communicating important information in a clear and accessible manner with their staff and patients, regarding service delivery, contagion symptoms, government guidelines and well-being.

Objectives The number of older adults with severe mental health problems such as schizophrenia is likely to double in the next 20 years. The needs of this patient group change across the life course, but difficulties with social functioning persist into older age. Poorer social functioning is associated with poorer outcomes and has been identified as a priority for intervention by patients themselves. This paper systematically reviews studies examining the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions on social functioning for people with severe mental health problems in later life. Methods A systematic review of peer‐reviewed journal articles was conducted and databases were searched from inception to December 2017. The review was limited to psychosocial interventions, for mid to older aged adults (≥40 years of age) with severe mental illness that included a validated measure of social functioning. Results Fifteen studies (17 papers) met inclusion criteria. There was evidence to support skills training interventions that primarily focused on social skills training or integrated mental and physical health interventions. There was not sufficient evidence to recommend any other interventions. Conclusions The results highlight the limited nature of interventions designed specifically for older people with severe mental health problems that target social functioning and the need for more robust, large‐scale studies in the area. Current evidence suggests that cognitive behaviour therapy can be effective in targeting social functioning in younger age groups, but, as yet, there is insufficient evidence to recommend this intervention for an older population.

Background Psychological therapy is core component of mental healthcare. However, many people with severe mental illnesses do not receive therapy, particularly in acute mental health settings. Aims This study identifies barriers to delivering and accessing psychological therapies in acute mental health settings, and is the first to recommend how services can increase access from the perspectives of different stakeholders (staff, patients and carers). Method Sixty participants with experiences of acute mental health wards (26 staff, 22 patients and 12 carers) were interviewed about barriers to accessing therapy in in-patient settings and how therapies should be delivered to maximise access. Results Four themes were identified: (a) ‘Models of care’, including the function of in-patient wards, beliefs about the causes of mental health problems and the importance of strong leadership to support psychosocial interventions; (b) ‘Integrated care’, including the importance of psychologists being ward-based, as well as having strong links with community teams; (c) ‘Acute levels of distress’, including factors that aggravate or ameliorate the impact of this on engagement in therapy; and (d) ‘Enhancing staff capability and motivation’, which is influenced by contextual issues. Conclusions It is possible to improve access to therapy through strong leadership (that is supportive of talking treatments), flexible delivery of therapy (that considers short admissions) and a whole-systems approach that promotes ward staff understanding of the psychosocial causes of mental illness and staff well-being. It is essential to ensure continuity between in-patient and community therapy services, and for wards to have physical space to carry out therapy.