MORE CHANGE NEEDED
THE fact that so many mental health inpatients end up staying in an acute unit when they are fit to be discharged is the result of bed shortages in the community and huge financial pressure on community mental health services.
Not only is this inappropriate for patients, delaying their release and recovery but it also makes little financial sense, adding to pressure on already overstretched services and reducing the number of available beds for those who are in need of acute care.
In recent years, bed occupancy on mental health wards has been dangerously high, resulting in patients being admitted to units hundreds of miles from friends and family or, as this data outlines, remaining in institutions simply because there is no suitable care in the community and no organisation can be found to which these patients can be referred.
There has been investment in mental health services and there have been improvements in some areas of the country so patients can be treated in the most appropriate setting for their recovery but there are still whole regions where people haven’t benefitted from such changes. This variability of services needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
To ensure there is meaningful change, there should be a national review of mental health inpatient ● numbers and further improvements to the provision of mental health services in the community. It is also important that the impact of recent announcements from the government on funding and staffing are fully assessed, to ensure they are delivering the necessary improvements to patient care and frontline services.” Chemical burns 1. Make sure that the area around the casualty is safe. Wear gloves to prevent you coming into contact with the chemical. If the chemical is in powder form, it can be brushed off the skin.
2. Flood the burn with water for at least 20 minutes to disperse the chemical and stop the burning.
Ensure that the water does not collect underneath the casualty.
3. Gently remove any contaminated clothing while flooding the injury.
4. Arrange to send the casualty to hospital. Monitor vital signs, such as breathing, pulse and level of response.
Caution: ● Never attempt to neutralise acid or alkali burns unless you are trained to do so ● Do not delay starting treatment by searching for an antidote Chemical burn to the eye 1. Hold the casualty’s affected eye under gently running cold water for at
Caution: ● Do not allow the casualty to touch the injured eye ● Do not forcibly remove a contact lens
For those looking for quick, easily accessible first aid information, the St John Ambulance app is available free on smartphones and the website (www.sja.org.uk) offers demo videos, an interactive game, and lots of free advice. For more information about first aid courses please call 08700 10 49 50.