COVID-19 offers an extraordinary opportunity to revisit and strengthen mental health long-term service delivery
The pandemic has stormed through countries at challenging times for mental health and social care organisations. Organisations have responded by shifting resources to tackle the urgency of the situation and create additional capacity within the system.
Increase in mental health services need expected
Whilst clinicians have adapted to these difficult times, the public has reacted with great sense of solidarity and cohesion, by the NHS COVID-19 volunteering efforts.
We now need to prepare for an increase in demand for mental health services related to COVID-19 in the months to come. This is based on multiple evidence, including the recent Royal College of Psychiatrists’ survey and the knowledge from the psychosocial consequences of the 2002 and 2004 pandemics of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The two SARS pandemics resulted in a substantial increase in the rates of anxiety and depression lasting beyond the duration of the infection itself.
Mental health services need to meet the need of individuals already known to suffer with mental health conditions and also: 1) patients with COVID-19, 2) those with pre-existing physical conditions other than COVID-19, 3) the general population for new unfolding cases and 4) COVID-19 exposed healthcare professionals. This response to meet the need for increased capacity could constitute the basis to strengthen the delivery of mental health services.
Shift towards virtual Mental Health
In England, during the pandemic ‘NHS England and Improvement’ has launched a ‘24/7 all ages mental health support service’. This is a very helpful point of entry into mental health service to reach people in need when a face-to-face assessment is not possible or preferable. It is also an efficient and cost effective approach at any point in time in coordination with mental health services, within COVID-19 response and beyond the time of the pandemic.
China showed at the zenith of the infection, that mental health service can shift from clinical interactions to telephonic and on-line consultations. This approach is useful to improve efficiency of care delivery in mental health by reaching individuals in quarantine or self-isolation during the pandemic but also offers flexibility and alternatives to those not keen or able to engage in face-to-face consultations for various reasons at any time point.
Online self-assessment tools can be used to boost mental health resources during COVID-19 and beyond, to screen for psychopathology, and to help identify patients in need for a more comprehensive assessment which can result in improved time management, better use of resources and could save costs to mental health services.
Digital apps can boost personalised health & resilience
Around 318,000 health apps are available and over 10,000 in mental health. Already existing or new online services or ‘digital apps’ can provide essential information, and possibly deliver simple interventions to boost resilience during the pandemic and personalise mental health care delivery in the post COVID-19.
COVID-19 is a challenge for health services but also provides an opportunity to utilise the rapidly improving technology infrastructure to adjust future service delivery and expand capacity in mental health infrastructure.
Dr Danilo Arnone is an Innovex Partners network member, a Consultant Psychiatrist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry King’s College London and United Arab Emirates University Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Psychological Medicine, Centre for Affective Disorders and College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University