Articles: Volume 24.03 July-September 2020

On 23 October 2019 the Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, enthusiastically launched the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP), saying: ‘I’m a massive fan of social prescribing. I founded the National Academy for Social Prescribing to bring health, arts, culture, sport and communities together around the principle that prevention is better than the cure’

This clinical case history illustrates the legal and ethical dilemmas encountered with the first known use of the Coronavirus Act 2020 in the UK to detain a potentially infectious person to a mental health facility. The case highlights the consequences the new legislation may have for psychiatric services and the resulting challenges for clinicians

Meningiomas are the most commonly encountered predominantly non-malignant brain tumours in adults. They are often clinically asymptomatic for years and require no intervention. Certain types of meningiomas are frequently associated with psychiatric symptoms. However, initial surgical and psychiatric intervention may not result in complete psychiatric symptom remission requiring longer term management. Here, we describe a case of meningioma in a patient presenting with concurrent severe psychotic symptoms associated with risk. Relevant recent literature is presented along with management strategies

There is a considerable paucity of empirical data on the use of clozapine in people with intellectual disability, and to the authors’ knowledge these are the first published data on its use in a patient with trisomy 5p and with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. In this case we describe a patient with learning difficulties and a diagnosis of trisomy 5p and schizophrenia that has responded remarkably to clozapine treatment despite numerous additional clinical risk factors

The COVID-19 pandemic presents psychiatrists with new challenges in delivering safe and effective care, with reduced face-to-face contact with patients. To try to address this the Royal College of Psychiatrists has encouraged clinicians to review patients remotely to reinforce the protection of patients and staff. This article aims to provide a structured approach for clinicians to conduct remote psychiatric assessments and considers future developments in telepsychiatry globally

Delirium is an acute disturbance of mind that results from a physical insult. In most cases it resolves rapidly after management of the underlying medical problem but in some cases, particularly in the elderly, it may extend for longer. Here, Dr Al-Rawi describes how Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital collaborated with North Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Hampshire County Council Adult Social Services to develop a pathway that allows these patients to leave hospital early and leads to improved care of this group of patients

The non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are recognised to cause significant impairment in quality of life. In this review, the authors concentrate on the impulse control disorders and describe the current evidence base for psychological treatments, highlighting the importance of appropriate psychoeducation and timely recognition to prevent adverse consequences

Mental Health Action Trust initiative, Kerala
Dr Manoj Kumar, Clinical Director MHAT (Mental Health Action Trust), Kerala.
MHAT (Mental Health Action Trust) is a registered charitable trust based in Northern Kerala, India, which has been at the forefront of a community psychiatry movement in Kerala for more …