Memoona Usman1, Leona Lally2, Sinead Costello3, Aoife Kiely4, Sabina Fahy5. 1. Senior Registrar in General Adult Psychiatry, Sligo Leitrim Mental Health Services, Markievicz House, Barrack Street, Sligo, Co Sligo, Ireland. drmemoonaanjum11@gmail.com. 2. Locum Consultant in General Adult Psychiatry, Clare Mental Health Services, Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland. 3. Senior Registrar Psychiatry of Later Life, St Brendan's CNU, Creagh, Ballinasloe Co. Galway, Ireland. 4. C/O Galway Bay Medical Centre, General Practitioner, Dock Road, Galway, Ireland. 5. Consultant Psychiatrist of Later Life, St Brendan's CNU, Creagh, Ballinasloe Co. Galway, Ireland.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The HSE "Vision for change", national service plan and other policies emphasise the importance of incorporating the views of service users and carers in the design and delivery of mental health services. AIMS: To obtain the views of service users in relation to a rural POLL service. Compare our service to best practice and address issues identified. Repeat the audit cycle based on recommendations. METHODOLOGY: New referrals to the POLL service were identified, and a pseudo-anonymised audit tool questionnaire was posted to these patients after initially making a telephone contact and obtaining informed consent. Results were compared to standards set by our team based on local and national policies. We used Microsoft Excel and performed a thematic analysis of qualitative data in the fourth cycle. This audit has been repeated on four occasions: 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2019. RESULTS: More than 90% of patients marked as being benefited by the POLL team. Overall, most positive responses pertained to supportive and professional staff, resolution of disease symptoms, psycho-education and attentive follow-up whereas negative responses were in relation to limited access to disabled parking spaces, perceived inadequate discharge planning and non-resolution of disease symptoms in few patients. CONCLUSION: Involving POLL patients in audit provided useful insights to improve the quality of service. We resolved the issue of disabled parking access and have developed a service information leaflet and a discharge leaflet. We intend to focus more on psychoeducation and discharge planning based on the results of the current cycle.
INTRODUCTION: The HSE "Vision for change", national service plan and other policies emphasise the importance of incorporating the views of service users and carers in the design and delivery of mental health services. AIMS: To obtain the views of service users in relation to a rural POLL service. Compare our service to best practice and address issues identified. Repeat the audit cycle based on recommendations. METHODOLOGY: New referrals to the POLL service were identified, and a pseudo-anonymised audit tool questionnaire was posted to these patients after initially making a telephone contact and obtaining informed consent. Results were compared to standards set by our team based on local and national policies. We used Microsoft Excel and performed a thematic analysis of qualitative data in the fourth cycle. This audit has been repeated on four occasions: 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2019. RESULTS: More than 90% of patients marked as being benefited by the POLL team. Overall, most positive responses pertained to supportive and professional staff, resolution of disease symptoms, psycho-education and attentive follow-up whereas negative responses were in relation to limited access to disabled parking spaces, perceived inadequate discharge planning and non-resolution of disease symptoms in few patients. CONCLUSION: Involving POLL patients in audit provided useful insights to improve the quality of service. We resolved the issue of disabled parking access and have developed a service information leaflet and a discharge leaflet. We intend to focus more on psychoeducation and discharge planning based on the results of the current cycle.