The introduction and evaluation of telehealth into a mental health service

Introduction: This two-year project involves the introduction and evaluation of telehealth into a mental health service. Phase 1 of the

services.

•• Quality of care

•• Access, communication, and relationship between inpatient, CMHT staff, service-users, carers

•• Telehealth for therapeutic work

•• Focus groups, interviews with: staff, service-users

•• Piloting of video conferencing facilities

•• Focus groups/interviews: (a) isolation of different teams; (b) communication, relationship between teams; (c) staff, service-users’

•• Literature review: identified relevant articles from 2000 onwards on the effectiveness of telehealth in mental health services and

•• Utilising the findings of (i) and (ii) to make recommendation.

Conclusions: The combined findings from the focus groups and literature review have identified ways of introducing and evaluating

•• Per site: 1 meeting room with 1 large screen for team activities (e.g. ward rounds).

•• Per site: 1 dedicated computer with web-cam for quickly arranged, 1-1 calls (e.g. professional-professional, practice sharing).