Journal of Psychiatric Intensive Care

Table of Contents - 2006 - Volume 2, Issue 01  


Research Article

Twenty four hour medical emergency response teams in a mental health in-patient facility – New approaches for safer restriant

Alan Metherall a1c1, Raili Worthington a1 and Alan Keyte a1
a1 Wotton Lawn Hospital, Horton Road, Gloucester, UK

Article author query
metherall a   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
worthington r   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
keyte a   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (2005) published guidance on the management of disturbed behaviour in mental health settings and emergency departments. The guidance included some of the recommendations made in the Independent Inquiry into the death of David Bennett (2003). One important recommendation requires that staff implementing physical interventions (restraint) and/or parenteral rapid tranquilisation are able to effectively manage the physical health of the patient including any immediate complications that may arise.

This article provides background and a syllabus for training for staff to be able to meet the physical assessment skills and interventions required by recent UK national guidance. Also reported is the creation, role and deployment of a 24-hour Medical Emergency Response Team in an in-patient mental health setting to ensure responses to both medical and psychiatric emergencies offer improved safety and adhere to the new guidance. The article describes the provision of a person with the sole responsibility monitoring a patients physical safety during restriant, 24 hour a day, 7 days a week.

The article will be of interest to those working in in-patient mental health and learning disability services, especially those where they are not served by a resuscitation team as part of a District General Hospital and where there is no resident Duty Medical Officer.

(Published Online January 19 2007)


Key Words: Physical restraint; physical intervention; rapid tranquilisation; psychiatric emergency; medical emergency.

Correspondence:
c1 Correspondence to: Alan Metherall, Matron Manager, Wotton Lawn Hospital, Horton Road, Gloucester GL1 3WL, UK. Tel: 11452 891506; E-mail: alan.metherall@glos.nhs.uk

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