We have worked as a committee for the Complex Mental Health Network since 2019, please see more information about us here. Our vision as a network is ‘To promote, psychologically and trauma informed ways of understanding and working with complex mental health issues – a whole person approach’. We will provide an outline of some of the activities of the network and ways people can get involved. Please see our Terms of Reference.

We aim to;

• Provide a national voice for clinical psychology in complex mental health contexts
• Promote access to psychologically informed interventions for people with complex mental health issues
• Support work with teams and systems – increasing access to psychologically informed environments for people with complex mental health issues
• Promote psychologically safe environments for service users and staff

We do this through;

• Providing Continuing Professional Development and networking opportunities
• Leadership – developing national guidance and being a voice for psychology in complex mental health settings
• Influence – responding to and collating psychologists views on policy consultations
• Developing links with Psychological Professions Networks, and other relevant external organisations
• Listening to, actively promoting the views of and working collaboratively with Experts by Experience
• Promoting practice based research, service evaluation and training
• Building the membership – webpage, network email list to share ideas, newsletter, videos about the network

Complex Mental Health Network Activity 2019 – 2021

Suicide Prevention Webinars June/July 2020:

• Psychological models enabling understanding of suicide
• Working clinically with suicidal ideation and risk
• The impact of bereavement by suicide on mental health staff, family and friends
• Presentations and slides are available for members on website here

Briefing Paper: Psychological Services within the Acute Adult Mental Health Care Pathway: Guidelines for Commissioners and Managers

• A number of members of the committee have been involved in the joint development of these guidelines with BPS colleagues (Psychosis Complex Mental Health Faculty)
• The guidelines span Mental Health Liaison Services, Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Teams and Adult Mental Health Acute Inpatient Services.

Acute AMH Survey Publication

• We would like to thank the many ACP-UK members who took part in a survey in 2019 of experience in working within the acute care pathway
• A publication was developed based on the findings; Ebrahim, S. (2021) ‘Psychologists’ Perspectives on the Value of Psychology in Acute Adult Mental Health Inpatient, Crisis Home Treatment and Mental Health Liaison Services.’ Journal of Mental Health. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2021.1875410

UCL Core Competency Guidelines for Acute Inpatient Services

• The network was represented by Selma Ebrahim in the development of competency guidelines for staff working into Acute Inpatient Mental Health Services
• Wood, L., Williams, C. & Roth, A. (2020) Competency Framework Acute Mental Health Inpatient Settings. Available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/research/clinical-educational-and-health-psychology/research-groups/core/competence-frameworks

National Clinical Audit of Psychosis

• ACP is represented through the network

APPG on Prescribed Drug Dependence

Paul Sams led on our engagement in the APPG on Prescribed Drug Dependence, and was involved in the production of ‘A short guide to what every psychological therapist should know about working with psychiatric drugs’

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/940255/PHE_PMR_report_Dec2020.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prescribed-medicines-review-report/prescribed-medicines-review-what-this-report-means-for-patients

https://prescribeddrug.info/short-guidance/

Our focus for 2021

Dissociation Guidelines

• The network plan to develop guidelines for working with dissociation. This work is to be co-led by Helena Crockford, and Melanie Goodwin, First Person Plural Expert by Experience and to be co-developed with experts by experience. It is hoped the guidelines will be published in 2022.

Briefing Paper: Psychological Services within the Acute Adult Mental Health Care Pathway: Guidelines for Commissioners and Managers

• We hope to launch the guidelines in May 2021

Mental Health Act Reform 2021

• The CMHN led on a survey of members about the proposed changes in the government White Paper on reforming the Mental Health Act. Our submission to the government was informed by discussion with a number of psychologists with significant experience of working as Approved Clinicians and integrated the views of members.

Team Formulation Discussion Paper for Clinical Psychologists

• The network has put forward a proposal to work alongside other ACP networks to develop a discussion paper for Clinical Psychologists on team formulation. This work will be co-chaired by an Expert by Experience and link in EbE’s from a variety of clinical pathways.

For further information please see our Network Plan 2021 – 2022

Committee Opportunities

We are seeking representatives for

• Wales
• Scotland
• Northern Ireland
• Research

Please get in touch with us if you are interested in further information, we would be happy to discuss what is involved. Feedback from our Scotland Representative who unfortunately recently had to stand down due to a change in circumstances was that the role had been interesting, provided valuable experience and that we were a warm and welcoming group to work with.

We would love to hear from you.

Get in touch with us on twitter @ukcmhn or email us at [email protected]