News round-up (30 August 2024)

Shocking new figures from the NHS show that the number of children in England being referred to mental health services for anxiety has risen more than 50-fold in seven years. In its efforts to tackle rising rates of mental ill-health, the NHS 111 service has been extended to people experiencing mental health crisis, making England one of the first countries in the world to offer 24-hour mental health support through a single phone line. This week also sees the publication of intriguing research showing that taking a placebo can reduce stress and anxiety – even when the individual knows that it’s a placebo.

 

Main stories from the week

North London Mental Health Partnership adopts personal health record

The North London Mental Health Partnership (NLMHP) has gone live with a personal health record (PHR) and a patient engagement platform.

Tony Blair Institute calls for NHS to introduce digital health record for every citizen

A new report from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has called for the introduction of a digital health record (DHR) for every citizen by 2029.

Majority of care providers want hospital discharge reform, report finds

More than nine in 10 care providers want to see an overhaul of the hospital discharge system, a new report has found.

 

Other stories from the week

NHS referrals for anxiety in children more than double pre-Covid levels

More than 500 children a day in England are being referred to NHS mental health services for anxiety – more than double the pre-pandemic rate, the Guardian has reported. In 2023-24 there were 204,526 new referrals of patients aged 17 or under where the primary cause was anxiety, according to NHS data. In 2019-20, the year before the pandemic, the total was 98,953. In 2016-17, it was 3,879. About 4,000 children a week are now being referred to NHS mental health services in England.

People in mental health crisis in England can now call NHS 111

The NHS 111 helpline is now available to people experiencing a mental health crisis. Adults and children in crisis, as well as concerned relatives, will now be able to call 111, select the mental health option and speak to a trained mental health professional. It means that England is one of the first countries in the world to offer 24-hour mental health support through one phone line. NHS staff are able to guide callers with next steps, including face-to-face community support, crisis cafes or safe havens that provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to A&E or hospital.

Unvaccinated people more likely to develop mental illness after Covid

People who are both unvaccinated and have been hospitalised with Covid are 16 times more likely to develop a serious mental illness after the virus, a study has found. The researchers, from five UK universities, looked at rates of mental illness amongst patients between one and four weeks after being diagnosed with Covid. The highest rate was in those who combined two factors – not being vaccinated against Covid, and being hospitalised with the illness. The study, which examined health data on millions of people aged between 18 and 110, found that the vaccine seemed to mitigate the adverse effects of the disease.

3D body scanner and AI help predict metabolic syndrome risk

Researchers at Mayo Clinic in the US are using artificial intelligence (AI) with an advanced 3D body-volume scanner to help doctors predict metabolic syndrome risk and severity. Metabolic syndrome, which can lead to heart attack, stroke and other serious health problems, affects more than a third of the US population. The researchers found that using a 3D body volume scanner combined with imaging technology and algorithms developed by the Clinic may help clinicians offer a more accurate method for identifying people who have the syndrome, as well as those at risk of developing it.

NHS offers job coaching for patients with depression and anxiety

The NHS is to offer job coaching to all patients with depression or anxiety, as part of a drive to encourage millions of people back to work. Teams of employment advisers who provide one-to-one sessions, including help with CVs and mock interviews, have been introduced at all mental health services across England. It means the 1.2 million people each year who receive NHS psychological therapy will have access to free employment advice, with 100,000 expected to take up the offer this year.

Chronic childhood illness leads to psychosis risk

Chronic infection or illness in childhood could play a part in mental illness later in life, a study by Birmingham University has shown. Nine-year-old children who had raised inflammation markers were found to be five times more likely to develop psychosis or schizophrenia. They were also at higher risk of depression and diabetes, according to the research, which was based on an analysis of data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. An inflammatory marker known as c-reactive protein (CRP) was measured when participants were nine, 15, and 17 years of age. The study found a strong connection between low-level raised CRP when children were nine, with later psychosis and depression.

Knowingly taking placebos reduces stress and anxiety

Researchers at Michigan State University have found that giving people placebos, while telling people that they are placebos, is effective at managing stress and anxiety.  The study recruited participants experiencing prolonged stress from the Covid-19 pandemic for a two-week randomised controlled trial. Half of the participants were randomly assigned to a nondeceptive placebo group (ie they knew they were taking placebos) and the other half to the control group that took no pills. The nondeceptive group showed a significant decrease in stress, anxiety and depression in just two weeks compared to the no-treatment control group.

Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull Talking Therapies launches chatbot and mental health app

A new chatbot function has been launched on the NHS Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull Talking Therapies website, designed to take website visitors through an online conversation and exercises to process referrals to the service. Once referral is complete, patients are encouraged to download the Everyday Mental Health app, which links to the chatbot and provides personalised support such as weekly reports and progress tracking, chatbot conversations and customisable check-in times. The trust describes the app as “emotionally intelligent”, stating that it can “detect immediate risk” and provide appropriate support for people waiting to begin therapy sessions. Information garnered through the chatbot is also automatically populated in the patient record.

Just 10 minutes of mindfulness daily boosts mental wellbeing

People who engage in mindfulness for just 10 minutes every day experience improvements in wellbeing and a reduction in depression and anxiety, a study has found. Researchers from the universities of Bath and Southampton looked at 1,247 adults from 91 countries, and found that those assigned to use the Medito mobile app reduced their depression scores by 19.2% more than the control group, and their anxiety scores by 12.6% more, while their wellbeing scores improved by 6.9% more. The positive effects of mindfulness were largely maintained after 30 days.