Paediatric Mental Health Liaison in England
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evolving the Evidence for Paediatric Mental Health Liaison Services in England
IRAS ID
332432
Contact name
Miriam Avery
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 26 days
Research summary
Many children and young people (CYP) in England experience conditions with physical and psychological aspects, e.g. eating disorders, self-harm, and ‘medically unexplained’ symptoms (MUS). These can be complex with serious consequences if untreated. Recommended treatments are both psychological (e.g. talking therapy) and physical (e.g. weight restoration), ideally provided by professionals who understand both psychological and physical aspects of health. However, CYP presenting to hospital usually see professionals with limited mental health training, e.g. children’s nurses. Research indicates that these CYP often have negative healthcare experiences including delays accessing treatment.
One solution to this problem is bringing mental and physical health services together. Government guidelines recommend that all hospitals have mental health liaison (MHL) services to help people of all ages with both mental and physical health problems. Although research indicates that adult MHL services are common in England and that they help some adults receive treatment more quickly, the evidence about paediatric mental health liaison (PMHL) services in England is virtually non-existent. Research is needed to investigate whether PMHL services are effective and acceptable for CYP
Research question:
‘How do PMHL services in England bring together mental and physical healthcare to support CYP with physical and psychological symptoms?’
Research aims:
1. Investigate how PMHL services work to ensure young people receive appropriate psychological and medical treatment.
2. Find out what young people, families, and professionals think about PMHL service delivery.Research methods:
Case studies of 3 different PMHL services in England. Data will be collected by observation (e.g. notes on staff meetings), sourcing of relevant documentation (e.g. hospital policy), and interviews with service users, families and staff. Qualitative data analysis will be used to identify themes and compare different services. This will tell us more about how different PMHL services support CYP with psychological and physical problems, which aspects of services work well, and which need improvement.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
24/NS/0015
Date of REC Opinion
26 Feb 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion