Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-dnltx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-20T01:02:11.474Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Preliminary Findings of a New Primary and Community Care Psychological Service in Northern Ireland: Low-Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Common Mental Health Difficulties

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2018

Orla McDevitt-Petrovic ,
Karen Kirby ,
Orla McBride ,
Mark Shevlin ,
Donal McAteer ,
Colin Gorman  and
Jamie Murphy
Orla McDevitt-Petrovic
Affiliation:
Ulster University
Karen Kirby*
Affiliation:
Ulster University
Orla McBride
Affiliation:
Ulster University
Mark Shevlin
Affiliation:
Ulster University
Donal McAteer
Affiliation:
Ulster University
Colin Gorman
Affiliation:
Ulster University
Jamie Murphy
Affiliation:
Ulster University
*
*Correspondence to Karen Kirby, School of Psychology and Psychology Research Institute, Ulster University, Derry BT48 7JL. E-mail: k.kirby@ulster.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of mental health difficulties in Northern Ireland (NI) is significantly higher than in England. In recent years, there have been extensive consultations, and subsequent recommendations made in NI in an effort to address this. Aims: The current study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) stepped care service model using low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (LI-CBT) in primary and community care settings. Method: A pilot intervention trial design utilized two standardized outcome measures (PHQ-9 and GAD-7) before treatment (at baseline), during treatment (in every session) and at discharge (at final session). Results: Preliminary reliable change outcomes for the pilot cohorts showed a recovery rate of 47.9%, improvement rate of 76.7% and deterioration rate of 6%. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the IAPT service model is clinically effective in the NI population. Data collection for the larger study was completed in December 2017. Future analyses will include follow-up data collected at 4 months post-treatment, and will also aim to identify individual and service level factors that potentially impact treatment effectiveness.

Keywords

effectivenessImproving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)low intensitypsychological wellbeing practitionersstepped care
Type
Brief Clinical Report
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 46 , Issue 6 , November 2018 , pp. 761 - 767
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Betts, J. and Thompson, J. (2017). Mental Health in Northern Ireland: Overview, Strategies, Policies, Care Pathways, CAMHS and Barriers to Accessing Services. Research and Information Service Research Paper. Northern Ireland Assembly. http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/documents/raise/publications/2016-2021/2017/health/0817.pdfGoogle Scholar
Department of Health (2007). IAPT outline service specification: Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). https://www.uea.ac.uk/documents/246046/11991919/iapt-pathfinder-outline-service-specification.pdf/9fc11891-ecc5-48e4-a974-9bbc8ab0c690Google Scholar
Gyani, A., Shafran, R., Layard, R. and Clark, D. M (2013). Enhancing recovery rates: lessons from year one of IAPT. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 51, 597–606.Google Scholar
Health and Social Care Board (HSC) (2014) You In Mind. Mental Healthcare Pathway. http://www.northerntrust.hscni.net/pdf/Care_pathway_for_people_who_require_mental_health_care_and_support.pdfGoogle Scholar
Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSC) (2016). Psychological Therapies, Annual Report on the use of IAPT services.Google Scholar
Kroenke, K. and Spitzer, R. L. (2002). The PHQ-9: a new depression diagnostic and severity measure. Psychiatric Annals, 32, 509–515.Google Scholar
Richards, D. A. and Whyte, M. (2011). Reach Out: National programme student materials to support the training and for Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners delivering low intensity interventions. UK: Rethink Mental Illness, 2011. https://cedar.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/schoolofpsychology/cedar/documents/Reach_Out_3rd_edition.pdfGoogle Scholar
Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B. and Löwe, B. (2006). A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166, 1092–1097.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

McDevitt-Petrovic et al. supplementary material

McDevitt-Petrovic et al. supplementary material 1

Download McDevitt-Petrovic et al. supplementary material(File)
File 173 KB
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.