The trouble with NHS psychiatry in England

McQueen, Daniel, St John-Smith, Paul, Michael, Albert and Ikkos, George (2009) The trouble with NHS psychiatry in England. Psychiatric Bulletin, 33 (6). pp. 219-225. ISSN 0955-6036 Full text available

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Abstract

In ‘Wake-up call for British psychiatry’ Craddock et al explained how recent attempts to improve psychosocial care for people with mental illness focus on non-specific psychosocial support. This has been at the expense of proper diagnostic assessment and prescription of treatment by psychiatrists aimed at treatment of specific disorders and recovery. They describe a creeping devaluation of psychiatry which is caricatured as narrow, biological, reductionist, oppressive, discriminatory and stigmatising. Some trusts have implemented ‘New Ways of Working for Psychiatrists’ in a way that undermines the central importance of psychiatrists in mental healthcare. Consequently, patients may be treated in secondary care without ever being seen by a psychiatrist. We consider a number of different changes that have interacted in unforeseen ways, with unintended adverse consequences for psychiatric services in England. We aim to continue the debate here.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Groups & Organisations > Groups/Institutions/Organisations
Health and Medical Sciences > National Health Service
Psychological Therapies, Psychiatry, Counselling > Psychiatry
Department/People: Children, Young Adult and Family Services
URI: https://repository.tavistockandportman.ac.uk/id/eprint/1831

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