Mental Health Patients “Missed Care” During Covid | Mental Health

Mental health patients have found that their condition worsened during the pandemic as the NHS switched from face-to-face assistance to telephone, video, and text message assistance, a new study found.

According to a study at University College London, many reported poor quality of care. Others felt that having difficulty accessing the drug, canceling an appointment, or losing face-to-face help meant “missing care.”

Discovered by researchers led by Dr. Brinmore Lloyd Evans For many patients, switching to remote care increased the isolation and loneliness they already felt because they could no longer see their friends and family.

“People with existing mental health conditions experienced serious disruptions to access and quality of mental health care as a result of the pandemic. Remote mental health care opportunities and challenges are important to our findings. It was an aspect, “Lloyd-Evans and colleagues wrote in the journal. social Psychiatry And psychoepidemiology..

“Some people have telephone and digital support providing continuous care, while others have problems with access to technology, maintaining distance care relationships, and digital interfaces that exacerbate difficult mental health-related emotions and symptoms. There is also. “

After interviewing 49 people in London’s mental health state about Covid’s first wave experience, researchers found “insufficient access to mental health services,” “difficulty in daily functioning,” and “social connectivity.” I found an important issue such as “Fighting with”.

One patient said: It feels like an expert used it as an excuse to stop offering reservations.I met her every week, and it was cut every 3 weeks [by telephone].. “

Another said of their therapist: [by] It’s a text message, but it’s not really enough. Another person who was offered a video call instead of direct help said: I tend not to do them because they make them worse. “

Forty-nine people had various symptoms such as anxiety, depression, mood disorders such as PTSD, schizophrenia, psychiatric disorders, and bipolar disorder.

Lloyd Evans, an associate professor of psychiatry at UCL and deputy director of psychiatry at UCL, said: Mental Health Policy Unit of the National Institute of Health.

Some patients explained their frustration with losing contact with fellow patients who became friends by attending group therapy sessions. NHS Care.

Andy Bell, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the thinktank Center For Mental Health, said: Mental health services have worked hard to maintain support during difficult times, but some people find it difficult to find the right support. We know from our own research that many people felt isolated and missed essential services last year. Lloyd-Evans emphasized that he and his team identified some positive points. “A small number of participants have found alternative sources of mental health support from services in the voluntary sector or informal support groups, which have been highly valued and reduced disruption to available health care.” Some have received significant support from the GP.

The NHS England will continue to book the same number of conversational therapies after the first blockade began on March 23, last year, until November, primarily through the use of remote technology to maintain treatment support for vulnerable patients. He emphasized that the number of people increased to 490,000 per month. A new mental health helpline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, has also been quickly set up across the UK so that adults and children can seek urgent help with problems without having to go to A & E.

A spokesperson for the NHS said: support. “