Impact on mental health care and on mental health service users of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods survey of UK mental health care staff

Abstract

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic has potential to disrupt and burden the mental health care system, and to magnify inequalities experienced by mental health service users. Methods We investigated staff reports regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in its early weeks on mental health care and mental health service users in the UK using a mixed methods online survey. Recruitment channels included professional associations and networks, charities, and social media. Quantitative findings were reported with descriptive statistics, and content analysis conducted for qualitative data. Results 2,180 staff from a range of sectors, professions, and specialties participated. Immediate infection control concerns were highly salient for inpatient staff, new ways of working for community staff. Multiple rapid adaptations and innovations in response to the crisis were described, especially remote working. This was cautiously welcomed but found successful in only some clinical situations. Staff had specific concerns about many groups of service users, including people whose conditions are exacerbated by pandemic anxieties and social disruptions; people experiencing loneliness, domestic abuse and family conflict; those unable to understand and follow social distancing requirements; and those who cannot engage with remote care. Conclusion This overview of staff concerns and experiences in the early COVID-19 pandemic suggests directions for further research and service development: we suggest that how to combine infection control and a therapeutic environment in hospital, and how to achieve effective and targeted tele-health implementation in the community, should be priorities. The limitations of our convenience sample must be noted.

Black and Latino Persons Living with HIV Evidence Risk and Resilience in the Context of COVID-19: A Mixed-Methods Study of the Early Phase of the Pandemic

“…Participants were reliant on the federal “Obama phone” (Lifeline) program, which was vital, but which provided incomplete or insufficient phone and internet access and thus left many unable to access some types of telehealth services. Since telemedicine will likely outlast the pandemic, inadequate internet and computer access and computer skills, as noted above, are serious gaps [ 67 ]. Planning approaches to reducing digital exclusion that include the perspectives of AABL PLWH are warranted.…”

Challenges and opportunities of the COVID-19 pandemic for perinatal mental health care: a mixed methods study of mental health care staff

“…As has been expressed by others (Holmes et al 2020;Johnson et al 2020) and highlighted in this study, some changes to service delivery will suit some groups of service users more than others so support must continue to be individually tailored. Indeed our study highlighted challenges to remote consulting unique to the perinatal period.…”

“…From 22 April 2020 to 12 May 2020, the NIHR Mental Health Policy Research Unit (MHPRU) surveyed staff working across services that provide mental health care in the UK, including the National Health Service (NHS), private services, social care and third sector or voluntary services. The development of the online questionnaire has been previously described and was done in close collaboration with service users and clinicians (Johnson et al 2020). Both structured and open-ended questions explored staff's perceptions of problems faced by service users and carers and challenges to care provision.…”

“…However, there are reports of early discharges from inpatient psychiatric units and reduced community service provision, including fewer face-to-face meetings (Moreno et al 2020). An online mixed-methods survey administered to staff working in mental health services in the UK sought to explore the impact on mental health care (Johnson et al 2020). Here we report the responses from staff working with women in the perinatal period.…”

The Mental Health of Medical Workers During the Covid19 Pandemic: How Do We Manage It?

“…The authors also identify that health personnel work during a pandemic Covid19 experiencing anxiety, disrupsi social, feel lonely, experience domestic abuse, and conflict in the family. And even a higher risk can occur mainly on the health workers who have a history of degenerative disease and the time of work overload or overload, female, and live in rural areas (3,(13)(14). However, the mental disorders that occur in health workers in the country of China including mild mental disorders most of which occur in health workers men of advanced age.…”