Conceptual and practical challenges associated with understanding patient safety within community-based mental health services.

Introduction: Patient safety problems stemming from healthcare delivery constitute a global public health concern and represent a pervasive barrier to improving care quality and clinical outcomes. However, evidence generation into safety in mental health care, particularly regarding community-based mental health services, has long fallen behind that of physical health care, forming the focus of fewer research publications and developed largely in isolation from the wider improvement science discipline. We aimed to investigate the state of the field, along with key conceptual and empirical challenges to understanding patient safety in community-based mental health care.

Improving usability of Electronic Health Records in a UK Mental Health setting: a feasibility study.

Background: Electronic Health Records (EHRs) can help clinicians to plan, document and deliver care for patients in healthcare services. When used consistently, EHRs can advance patient safety and quality, and reduce clinician's workload. However, usability problems can make it difficult for clinicians to use EHRs effectively, which can negatively impact both healthcare professionals and patients.

Improving MS patients' understanding of treatment risks and benefits in clinical consultations: A randomised crossover trial.

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients find it difficult to understand the complex risk-benefit profiles of disease-modifying drugs. An evidence-based protocol was designed to improve patient's understanding of treatment information: Benefit and Risk Information for Medication in Multiple Sclerosis (BRIMMS).

Objective: A feasibility study to evaluate whether the BRIMMS protocol can improve MS patients' treatment understanding and reduce conflict in treatment decisions compared to consultation as usual.

Building improvement capability in frontline staff: a UK perspective.

This paper gives a narrative account of how the Oxford Healthcare Improvement Centre has embedded continuous quality improvement (CQI) across both mental health and community services in Oxford, UK. The aim of the centre is to develop capability across healthcare services, with frontline staff leading CQI independently. The paper discusses the various methods employed to achieve this aim, including the provision of training, mentoring and support to those undertaking improvement work, alongside developing the required governance for CQI.

Environmental changes to reduce self-harm on an adolescent inpatient psychiatric ward: an interrupted time series analysis.

Existing interventions to reduce self-harm in adolescents admitted to psychiatric wards are usually focused on individual psychological treatments. However, the immediate ward environment in which treatment takes place is an important factor in the success of the treatment and can also influence the likelihood of self-harming behaviours. The aim of the current study was to evaluate changes made to a psychiatric ward environment on incidence of self-harm in adolescents.

Systematic review of interventions to improve constant observation on adult inpatient psychiatric wards.

Constant observation is frequently conducted on inpatient psychiatric units to manage patients at risk of harming themselves or others. Despite its widespread use, there is little evidence of the efficacy of the practice or of its impact on patients and nursing staff. Unnecessary use of this practice can be restrictive and distressing for all involved and can cause considerable strain on healthcare resources.

Usability of Health Information Websites Designed for Adolescents: Systematic Review, Neurodevelopmental Model, and Design Brief.

Background: Adolescence is a unique developmental period characterized by biological, social, and cognitive changes, as well as an interest in managing one's own health care. Many adolescents use the internet to seek health care information. However, young people face barriers before they can understand and apply the health information that they access on the web.

Best Methods of Communicating Clinical Trial Data to Improve Understanding of Treatments for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Patients' understanding of treatment risks and benefits is a prerequisite for shared decision making. Yet, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) do not accurately understand treatment information provided in regular clinical consultations.

Objectives: To identify the best methods of communicating clinical trial data to improve the understanding of treatments among patients with MS and to also examine the relationship between patients' understanding with decisional conflict, individual traits, and MS symptoms.

Multiple sclerosis patients' understanding and preferences for risks and benefits of disease-modifying drugs: A systematic review.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are faced with complex risk-benefit profiles of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) when making treatment decisions. For effective shared decision-making, MS patients should understand the risks and benefits of DMDs and make treatment decisions based on personal preferences.

Methods: This is an inclusive systematic review to primarily assess current understanding of MS patients for information about DMDs provided during the standard healthcare system.

Interventions to support risk and benefit understanding of disease-modifying drugs in Multiple Sclerosis patients: A systematic review.

Objective: The present review evaluates interventions that have been designed to improve understanding of the complex risk-benefit profiles of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Methods: A systematic search conducted using PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar and PsycINFO identified 15 studies. Interventions which provided treatment information were present across a range of study designs.

Do infant vocabulary skills predict school-age language and literacy outcomes?

Background: Strong associations between infant vocabulary and school-age language and literacy skills would have important practical and theoretical implications: Preschool assessment of vocabulary skills could be used to identify children at risk of reading and language difficulties, and vocabulary could be viewed as a cognitive foundation for reading. However, evidence to date suggests predictive ability from infant vocabulary to later language and literacy is low. This study provides an investigation into, and interpretation of, the magnitude of such infant to school-age relationships.