Public Health

Current awareness updates

How has cognitive behaviour therapy been adapted for adolescents with comorbid depression and chronic illness? A scoping review.[Abstract]
Morey A. Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2021;26(3):252-264.
[BACKGROUND: Depression becomes increasingly common in adolescence. Around 10%-20% of adolescents have a chronic illness, and they are more likely to experience depression. There is emerging evidence for cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) interventions to treat depression in adolescents with chronic illnesses, yet no review has been undertaken of how these CBT interventions are delivered in practice.]

The best terminology to describe self-harm: “There is more that unites us than divides us”.
The Mental Elf; 2021.
[Angharad de Cates reviews a recent study which examined international definitions of English-language terms for suicidal and self-harm behaviours.]

Education, schooling and health summary.
Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England; 2021.
[Summary of the existing evidence of the health and wellbeing benefits of school-age education. This paper aims to summarise the existing evidence of the health and wellbeing benefits of school-age education, including the wider impacts on mental and physical health and wellbeing of being in school and the observed impacts of the loss of education in the last 18 months.]

Does the IAPT self-referral process work for people living in poverty?
The Mental Elf; 2021.
[In her debut blog, Alice Potter reviews a qualitative study exploring different perspectives on the accessibility of current IAPT self-referral processes for people with mental health problems living in poverty.]

STI rates remain a concern despite fall in 2020.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[New data from Public Health England (PHE) reveal that diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) decreased in 2020 by 32% compared to 2019.]

Promotional material: Flu immunisation for social care staff.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Leaflets for social care workers and personal care assistants to support the annual flu programme.]

Dismissed for too long: recommendations to improve migraine care in the UK.
The Migraine Trust; 2021.
[This report found a wide range of issues with migraine health care, including slow or no diagnosis and lack of access to specialist care. It sets out the action needed from the government, health care systems and other organisations to give everyone living with migraine in the UK the support they need.]




Psychological Therapies

Annual report on the use of IAPT services 2019-2020

The publication contains analyses on activity, waiting times and outcomes such as recovery in 2019-20. In addition, the report covers a range of demographic analyses including outcomes for patients of different ages, ethnic group and separately for ex-British Armed Forces personnel.

Key facts include;

  • 1.69 million referrals to talking therapies
  • 87.4% started treatment within 6 weeks
  • 1.17 million referrals started treatment
  • 6.9 sessions of treatment on average
  • 606,192 referrals completed course of treatment
  • 51.1% referrals moved to recovery

To read the full report or find out more information click here.

Employment Advisers in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies: Process Evaluation Report

Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care, July 2019

This research looks at stakeholder views of the Employment Advisers in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies pilot which began in March 2018. The Employment Advisers in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies pilot provides tailored employment support to people with depression and anxiety who are currently accessing free cognitive behavioural therapies through the NHS. This research was commissioned to better understand:

  • experiences of implementation of the employment adviser provision
  • views on the effect of the programme on patient employment and mental health outcomes
  •  any service benefits, including increased recognition among therapists of the importance of employment for recovery
  • any operational challenges with the pilot such as employment adviser training and recruitment

Click here to view the full report.