People with intellectual disability (PwID) and epilepsy have increased premature and potentially preventable mortality. This is related to a lack of equitable access to appropriate care. The Step Together guidance and toolkit, developed with patient, clinical, charity and commissioning stakeholders, allows evaluation and benchmarking of essential epilepsy service provision for PwID in eight key domains, at a care system level.

To evaluate care provisions for adult PwID and epilepsy at a system level in the 11 integrated care systems (ICSs) of the Midlands, the largest NHS England region (population: approximately 11 million), using the Step Together toolkit

Post training, each ICS undertook its benchmarking with the toolkit and submitted their scores to Epilepsy Action, a national UK epilepsy charity, who oversaw the process. The outcomes were analysed descriptively to provide results, individual and cumulative, at care domain and system levels.

The toolkit was completed fully by nine of the 11 ICSs. Across all eight domains, overall score was 44.2% (mean 44.2%, median 43.3%, range 52.4%, interquartile range 23.8–76.2%). The domains of local planning (mean 31.1%, median 27.5%) and care planning (mean 31.4%, median 35.4%) scored the lowest, and sharing information scored the highest (mean 55.2%, median 62.5%). There was significant variability across each domain between the nine ICS. The user/carer participation domain had the widest variation across ICSs (0–100%).

The results demonstrate a significant variance in service provision for PwID and epilepsy across the nine ICSs. The toolkit identifies specific areas for improvement within each ICS and region.

The cultural narratives around Jinn Possession are deeply intertwined with the societal understanding of mental health in Bangladesh, often blurring the lines between supernatural beliefs and clinical psychiatric diagnosis. This study aims to delineate the community-based differentiation between Jinn Possession and serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar mood disorders and major depressive disorders with psychotic symptoms, as perceived by traditional and faith-based healers in Korail slum. We attempted to unravel the nuanced approaches the healers use to distinguish spiritual afflictions from psychiatric conditions and to explore potential collaborations between traditional healing practices and biomedical mental health services as a part of TRANSFORM Research.

Adopting an ethnographic and participatory approach, this study engaged in a comprehensive qualitative exploration involving community engagement meetings, 45 key informant interviews, 8 naturalistic interviews with 56 participants, year-long observations of the community and healing practices, 5 co-designing workshops with 46 participants, and 2 pilot training programmes from 2021 to January 2024. We discussed with the traditional and faith-based healers, community health workers, medicine sellers, person with lived experience and their caregivers. The continuous discussion and observation of the community help us to develop a trusted relation and explore the healing practices in the korail slum. Data collected from interviews and workshops were meticulously transcribed and analysed using NVivo software to uncover underlying patterns and distinctions made by traditional and faith-based healers in diagnosing Jinn Possession versus serious mental disorders.

We found a stepwise diagnostic framework utilized by healers, initially categorising conditions based on the symptom's onset and presentation. Sudden and rapid symptoms onset, especially during specific times of the day, was often attributed to Jinn Possession. Specific symptoms such as sudden onset convulsions, disorganised speech and self-laughing further supported this distinction. Moreover, they used traditional diagnostic tests, including the use of holy water and recitation of the Quran, if the patient improves immediately following these interventions was considered as confirmation of Jinn Possession. We observed a few of the healers refer cases perceived as non-spiritual to biomedical facilities when they confirmed it was not the case of Jinn Possession, indicating a potential for collaborative mental health-care models

This cultural understanding offers a unique perspective on community-based mental health care in Bangladesh, emphasising the importance of integrating traditional and biomedical approaches to foster a more inclusive and culturally sensitive mental health-care ecosystem.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are seeking effective ways to address the rising demand for student mental health services. Peer support is widely considered a viable option to increase service capacity; however, there are no agreed definitions of peer support, making it difficult to establish its impact on student mental health and well-being.

This systematic review aims to better understand and evaluate peer support in HEIs.

Five databases, OpenGrey and Grey Matters were searched in May 2021. Included studies were quantitative, longitudinal (with and without a control) or cross-sectional with a control. The vote-counting method was used for synthesis. The risk of bias was assessed with the National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool.

Three types of peer support were represented in 28 papers: peer-led support groups, peer mentoring and peer learning. Peer learning and peer mentoring had more positive, significant results reported for the outcomes of anxiety and stress. Peer-led support groups were the only type targeting students with mental health difficulties.

The heterogeneity of measures and outcomes prevents firm conclusions on the effectiveness of peer support for mental health and well-being. Most studies were rated ‘poor’ or ‘fair’ in their risk of bias. There is not a solid evidence base for the effectiveness of peer support. Nonetheless, HEIs can use the terminology developed in this review for shared discussions that guide more robust research and evaluation of peer support as an intervention.

Many studies have found an association between mood-disorder-related traits and endometriosis and adenomyosis. However, the cause–effect relationship remains unclear.

We conducted Mendelian randomisation analyses to evaluate any causal relationship between mood disorders and endometriosis as well as different sites of endometriosis.

Summary-level statistics for mood-disorder-related traits and endometriosis (8288 cases, 68 969 controls) in European populations were derived from large-scale data-sets of genome-wide association studies. A two-sample Mendelian randomisation was performed using the inverse-variance weighted and weight median methods. Further sensitivity analyses, including heterogeneity, pleiotropy and leave-one-out analyses, were conducted to test the consistency of the results.

Genetically determined mood swings (odds ratio = 2.557, 95% CI: 1.192–5.483, P = 0.016) and major depression (odds ratio = 1.233, 95% CI: 1.019–1.493, P = 0.031) were causally associated with an increased risk of endometriosis. Mood swings (odds ratio = 4.238, 95% CI: 1.194–15.048, P = 0.025) and major depression (odds ratio = 1.512, 95% CI: 1.052–2.173, P = 0.025) were also causally associated with the risk of adenomyosis. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the reliability of the results.

Our results suggest that mood-disorder-related traits increase the risk of endometriosis and adenomyosis. This study provides new insights into the potential pathogenesis of endometriosis and adenomyosis, and highlights the importance of preventing endometriosis and adenomyosis in patients with mood-disorder-related traits.

To understand the challenges and barriers experienced by health-care professionals (HCPs) in providing acute cardiac care to patients with severe mental illness (SMI) (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or severe depression) admitted to hospital following a myocardial infarction (MI).

Semi-structured 1:1 videocall interviews with 12 HCPs in two central-Scotland Health Boards involved in delivering pre-/hospital acute care for a MI (paramedics, cardiology/A&E nurses, cardiology/A&E doctors). Interviewee recruitment was via clinical and research networks and newsletters e.g. the Scottish Ambulance Service, the Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Physicians and through professional connections. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically drawing on Braun & Clarke and using NVivo software.

HCPs identified a number of challenges/barriers to providing optimal post-MI acute cardiac care to patients with a SMI across 3 key themes: patient-related; practitioner-related and system/environment-related. Core patient-related challenges/barriers included: diminished patient history capacities especially relating to chronology; the time-consuming nature of effective HCP-patient communication and engagement; medication and intervention concordance concerns and challenging patient behaviour including physical and verbal aggression or severe distress.

Practitioner-related challenges/barriers were: fears of appropriately managing patient behaviour; stigma towards patients with a SMI (putatively arising from knowledge deficits or generational/age-related effects); staff burnout due to length of service and pressures from extreme workloads.

Systemic issues included insufficient staffing precluding the additional time required for effective communication and the distressing nature of hospital environments for patients with a SMI. Side rooms were not routinely available even though these were identified as improving the environment for some patients. A core systemic finding, cited by all interviewees, was the lack of adequate training provision on caring for patients with a SMI. Additional system-level findings were degrees of challenges accessing input from the hospital psychiatric team especially outwith standard hours and problems obtaining rarer psychiatric medications potentially impacting patients’ mental health stability.

Positive findings included that HCPs are generally enthusiastic about providing high quality care to this patient group and to seek help with this. Some HCPs indicated that caring for mentally stable patients with a SMI does not differ from the general population.

Although HCPs aspired to providing optimal acute cardiac care for this patient group, patient-level, professional and systemic barriers often make this challenging. A key area for improvement is enhancing staff training in caring for patients with SMI, ideally delivered in-person.

COVID-19 was a collective traumatic event; however, different individuals may have perceived it differently.

This study investigated what older people in a collective culture perceived as stressful during COVID-19 and examined how different stressors related to COVID-19 infection and mental health risks.

Thirty-six participants from diverse backgrounds engaged in a three-round Delphi study to generate items for a COVID-19-related stress scale for older adults (CSS-OA). Subsequently, 4674 people (aged ≥60 years) participated in a cross-sectional telephone survey; interviewers collected their responses to CSS-OA and information about COVID-19 infection, depressive symptoms, anxiety, loneliness and demographics. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted on CSS-OA. A multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) model was used to examine associations between CSS-OA and other measures.

The Delphi process generated eight items, all secondary or tertiary stressors related to infection. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor model, and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed an excellent fit (comparative fit index = 0.99, root mean square error of approximation = 0.06). Pre-existing mental health conditions, having family members/friends infected with COVID-19, loneliness, anxiety and depressive symptoms were associated with higher stress. Conversely, self-infection with COVID-19, older age, being female and living alone were negatively associated with some domains of CSS-OA (all P < 0.05).

The Delphi process enhanced our understanding of what older people perceived as stressful, much of which resulted from certain healthcare strategies and reflected cultural influences. These and the MIMIC results highlight the need to balance public health policies with respect to infectious diseases and older people's mental health and quality of life.

Constipation is overrepresented in people with intellectual disabilities. Around 40% of people with intellectual disabilities who died prematurely were prescribed laxatives. A quarter of people with intellectual disabilities are said to be on laxatives. There are concerns that prescribing is not always effective and appropriate. There are currently no prescribing guidelines specific to this population.

To develop guidelines to support clinicians with their decision-making when prescribing laxatives to people with intellectual disabilities.

A modified Delphi methodology, the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method, was used. Step 1 comprised development of a bespoke six-item, open-ended questionnaire from background literature and its external validation. Relevant stakeholders, including a range of clinical experts and experts by experience covering the full range of intellectual disability and constipation, were invited to participate in an expert panel. Panel members completed the questionnaire. Responses were divided into ‘negative consensus’ and ‘positive consensus’. Members were then invited to two panel meetings, 2 weeks apart, held virtually over Microsoft Teams, to build consensus. The expert-by-experience group were included in a separate face-to-face meeting.

A total of 20 people (ten professional experts and ten experts by experience, of whom seven had intellectual disability) took part. There were five main areas of discussion to reach a consensus i.e. importance of diagnosis, the role of prescribing, practicalities of medication administration, importance of reviewing and monitoring, and communication.

Laxative prescribing guidelines were developed by synthesising the knowledge of an expert panel including people with intellectual disabilities with the existing evidence base, to improve patient care.

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a composite scale that is included in diagnostic algorithms and in procedures to assess severity of cognitive impairment and efficacy of therapeutic interventions. It is unclear, however, whether the MMSE provides information about the same deficits in different diseases.

To assess patterns of MMSE scores in patients with confirmed diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or depressive disorder.

We used data from a previously published cross-sectional retrospective observational clinical cohort study. The final analysis included only patients in whom biomarker analysis showed results characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (n = 167) and patients with depressive disorder in whom Alzheimer's disease had been ruled out by analysis of biomarkers (n = 69).

A three-point decline in MMSE score from 30 to 27 reflected impairment of memory recall in patients with Alzheimer's disease, whereas it reflected impairments in calculation and memory recall in patients with depressive disorder. A further three-point decline in MMSE score from 27 to 24 predominantly reflected additional calculation impairment in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Our results indicate that memory performance is the most important measure of disease severity and the main contributor to the decline in MMSE score at onset of clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease. In general, this suggests that memory should be the primary measure used in routine clinical care and the primary endpoint in clinical trials involving patients with Alzheimer's disease at onset of clinical manifestation. Changes in other measures of cognition should prompt consideration of possible comorbidities as a cause, rather than the impact of Alzheimer's disease itself.

Evidence attests a link between junior doctors’ working conditions and psychological distress. Despite increasing concerns around suicidality among junior doctors, little is known about its relationship to their working conditions.

To (a) establish the prevalence of suicidal ideation among junior doctors in the National Health Service; (b) examine the relationships between perceived working conditions and suicidal ideation; and (c) explore whether psychological distress (e.g. symptoms of depression and anxiety) mediates these relationships.

Junior doctors were recruited between March 2020 and January 2021, for a cross-sectional online survey. We used the Health and Safety Executive's Management Standards Tool; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21; and Paykel Suicidality Scale to assess working conditions, psychological distress and suicidality, respectively.

Of the 424 participants, 50.2% reported suicidal ideation, including 6.1% who had made an attempt on their own life. Participants who identified as LGBTQ+ (odds ratio 2.18, 95% CI 1.15–4.12) or reported depression symptoms (odds ratio 1.10, 95% CI 1.07–1.14) were more likely to report suicidal ideation. No direct relationships were reported between working conditions (i.e. control, support, role clarity, strained relationships, demand and change) and suicidal ideation. However, depression symptoms mediated all six relationships.

This sample of junior doctors reported alarming levels of suicidal ideation. There may be an indirect relationship between working conditions and suicidal ideation via depressive symptoms. Clearer research exploring the experience of suicidality in junior doctors is needed, including those who identify as LGBTQ+. Systematic interventions addressing working environment are needed to support junior doctors’ mental health.

Developmental trauma increases psychosis risk and is associated with poor prognosis. It has been proposed that psychosis in survivors of developmental trauma gives rise to a distinct ‘traumatogenic’ phenotype.

Given the implications for personalised treatment, we sought to explore the traumatogenic psychosis phenotype hypothesis in a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing psychotic presentations between adults with and without developmental trauma histories.

We registered the systematic review on PROSPERO (CRD42019131245) and systematically searched EMBASE, Medline and PsycINFO. The outcomes of interests were quantitative and qualitative comparisons in psychotic symptom expression (positive, negative, cognitive) and other domains of psychopathology, including affect regulation, sleep, depression and anxiety, between adults with and without experience of developmental trauma.

Of 34 studies included (N = 13 150), 11 were meta-analysed (n = 2842). A significant relationship was found between developmental trauma and increased symptom severity for positive (Hedge's g = 0.27; 95% CI 0.10–0.44; P = 0.002), but not negative symptoms (Hedge's g = 0.13; 95% CI −0.04 to 0.30; P = 0.14). Developmental trauma was associated with greater neurocognitive, specifically executive, deficits, as well as poorer affect, dissociation and social cognition. Furthermore, psychotic symptom content thematically related to traumatic memories in survivors of developmental trauma.

Our findings that developmental trauma is associated with more severe positive and affective symptoms, and qualitative differences in symptom expression, support the notion that there may be a traumatogenic psychosis phenotype. However, underdiagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder may also explain some of these findings. More research is needed to explore this further.

Although immigrants are considered to be vulnerable to mental illness, there is limited knowledge regarding their suicide mortality.

To investigate standardised mortality ratios (SMR) for suicide among the largest immigrant populations in Germany before and after the refugee movement of 2015.

Data on immigrants and the general population in Germany between 2000 and 2020 were provided by the scientific section of the Federal Statistical Office. SMR with 95% confidence intervals were calculated by indirect standardisation for gender, age and calendar year for the pre-2015 and post-2015 time interval, first for all the immigrant populations studied and second for the Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi populations separately.

Immigrants from the countries studied showed a lower suicide risk compared with the German reference population (SMR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.35–0.41). No differences in SMR were found between pre- and post-2015 time intervals, in either the aggregate data for all populations or the data for Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi populations. Post-2015, Afghan immigrants (SMR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.54–0.83) showed a higher SMR than Syrians (SMR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.25–0.36) or Iraqis (SMR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.26–0.48).

Despite the many and varied stresses associated with flight, comparison of the pre- and post-2015 time intervals showed that the suicide risk of the populations studied did not change and was considerably lower than that of the German reference population. We attribute this to lower suicide rates in the countries of origin but also to flight-related selection processes that favour more resilient individuals.

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare trusts began to implement remote working arrangements, with little knowledge of their impact on staff well-being.

To investigate how remote working of healthcare workers during the pandemic may have been associated with stress, productivity and work satisfaction at that time, and associations between loneliness, workplace isolation, perceived social support and well-being.

A questionnaire was developed to explore remote working and productivity, stress and work satisfaction during time spent working remotely. Associations between current loneliness, workplace isolation and well-being, and the influence of perceived social support, were explored with perceived social support as a potential moderator.

A total of 520 participants responded to the study, of whom 112 were men (21.5%) and 406 were women (78.1%), with an age range of 21–77 years (mean 40.0, s.d. = 12.1). Very few (3.1%) worked remotely before the COVID-19 pandemic, and this had increased significantly (96.9%). Those who worked ≥31 h a week remotely reported higher stress and lower workplace satisfaction at that time, compared with office work, yet also felt more productive. Current loneliness, workplace isolation and perceived social support were cross-sectionally associated with lower current well-being.

Those who worked more hours a week remotely during the pandemic reported increased stress, which may be related to the lack of resources in place to support this change in work.

Little is known about the use of the Mental Health Act (MHA) in children and young people (CYP). There is some evidence that having a diagnosis of psychosis or substance misuse disorder, having an intellectual disability, being older and being of black ethnicity are associated with involuntary admission. However, the existing literature is limited and relies on retrospective case note review or surveys based on a small number of sites over short periods of time. We investigated the social and clinical factors associated with MHA use in CYP using electronic health records. We hypothesised that older adolescence, psychosis, more severe illness, the presence of risk to others and Black ethnicity would be associated with involuntary admission under the MHA.

Using data from the Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) system for South London and the Maudsley (SLaM) services we identified 2165 CYP under 18 years, with a first admission to inpatient units between 2007 and 2021 with complete data on variables of interest; 1638 (75.7%) were voluntary patients for the duration of the admission and 527 (25.3%) had been detained under a section 2 or 3 of the MHA during the admission. We conducted univariable logistic regression to investigate the association between clinical factors (diagnosis, severity of illness, risk) and social factors (gender, age, ethnicity, deprivation) with the outcome i.e. MHA admission. We then conducted multivariable logistic regression to investigate the association between the clinical and social factors and involuntary admission.

In multivariable analyses we found evidence that a diagnosis of psychosis (OR 2.63, 95% CI 1.83–3.76, p < 0.001), being older (age 13–15 years: OR 5.88, 95% CI 3.46–10.03, p < 0.001; age 16–17 years: OR 6.72, 95% CI 3.97–11.41, p < 0.001), having a developmental disorder (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.04–2.47, p = 0.033) and being of Black ethnicity (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.60–2.89, p < 0.001) were associated with involuntary admission after accounting for other factors. Being less impaired (i.e. a higher CGAS score) was associated with a lower odds of involuntary admission (moderate impairment: OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.42–0.74, p < 0.001; lowest impairment: OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.30–0.54, p < 0.001).

In this large cohort of child and adolescent inpatients from South East London, we found that CYP of Black ethnicity are more likely than those from White groups to have an involuntary than voluntary psychiatric hospitalisation, after adjusting for social and clinical factors relating to admission. The finding that Black CYP are more than twice as likely to experience involuntary admission is in keeping with prior literature in CYP and the adult literature. This racial inequity requires further investigation to address disparities in access to mental health care and application of the MHA.

Sex differences in the prevalence of ADHD are well reported in the literature, with childhood ADHD being diagnosed 7–8 times more frequently in males than females, despite a population sex ratio of 3–4:1. A recent consensus statement argued that ADHD is under-identified and under-diagnosed in the UK, and this is especially concerning with regards to females. This systematic review aims to investigate specific symptoms characterising the manifestation of ADHD in females compared with both males with ADHD and females without ADHD.

A systematic search of eligible studies was conducted using predefined search criteria across six databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Ovid APA PsycINFO, ProQuest, EBSCO ERIC and EBSCO British Education Index), in line with a registration protocol on PROSPERO. Eligible studies included those with statistical analysis comparing ADHD, impact or co-occurring mental health difficulties at the item level, which compared ADHD symptoms in both sexes, or contrasted females with and without ADHD. Studies that exclusively reported total scores without item-level statistical results were excluded. A total of 5,378 articles were identified in the search and 13 studies met the criteria for inclusion.

Outcomes from 13 studies were analysed thematically. 7 studies looked at ADHD at an item level, while 7 studies explored disparities in impairment or other items. Of the eligible studies, 12 compared males and females with ADHD and 4 compared females with and without ADHD. 7 studies focussed on children with ADHD and 6 on adults. Preliminary results from 3 studies of ADHD symptoms in children indicated sex differences in hyperactive and impulsive symptoms: males were more likely to exhibit symptoms such as fidgeting and difficulty remain seated, while females exhibited higher rates of excessive talking and interrupting. Sex differences in impairment showed mixed results. Females with ADHD endorsed self-reported items related to mind-wandering and parent-reported impairment, including friendship difficulties, more than females without ADHD. Overall, the analysis of the results suggested that most studies do show some sex differences in ADHD and impairment items.

While current studies of individuals diagnosed with ADHD highlight important sex differences, the limited number of direct investigations and predominant focus on total symptoms underscore the need for further research. Item-level analysis of symptoms and their impact is essential in exploring how sex influences the associations between ADHD, risk factors and functional outcomes. Recognising potential sex differences is essential for improving ADHD assessment in females and later life outcomes.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 12- to 17-year-old adolescents in the USA. Research on biological mechanisms contributing to self-harm risk that could be targeted in treatment could help to prevent suicide and self-harm episodes.

We aimed to evaluate whether markers of inflammation, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), predict self-harm over 3 months within a sample selected for elevated suicide/self-harm risk at project entry.

Fifty-one adolescents aged 12–19 years selected for elevated suicide/self-harm risk completed three clinical interviews about suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injury, 3 months apart. At baseline and 3 months, youth also provided blood samples, from which we assayed levels of IL-6 and CRP.

Using generalised mixed models, we found that greater levels of IL-6 predicted more self-harm episodes (odds ratio [OR] = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 10.0) and specifically, non-suicidal self-injury (OR = 3.5, 95% CI: 1.1, 11.2), over 3 months.

The study findings increase our understanding of whether and how inflammation may be implicated in risk of self-harm. IL-6 may be a viable biological marker of short-term risk for self-harm.

Depression is common in people with dementia, and negatively affects quality of life.

This paper aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an intervention for depression in mild and moderate dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease over 12 months (PATHFINDER trial), from both the health and social care and societal perspectives.

A total of 336 participants were randomised to receive the adapted PATH intervention in addition to treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 168) or TAU alone (n = 168). Health and social care resource use were collected with the Client Service Receipt Inventory and health-related quality-of-life data with the EQ-5D-5L instrument at baseline and 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up points. Principal analysis comprised quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) calculated from the participant responses to the EQ-5D-5L instrument.

The mean cost of the adapted PATH intervention was estimated at £1141 per PATHFINDER participant. From a health and social care perspective, the mean difference in costs between the adapted PATH and control arm at 12 months was −£74 (95% CI −£1942 to £1793), and from the societal perspective was −£671 (95% CI −£9144 to £7801). The mean difference in QALYs was 0.027 (95% CI −0.004 to 0.059). At £20 000 per QALY gained threshold, there were 74 and 68% probabilities of adapted PATH being cost-effective from the health and social care and societal perspective, respectively.

The addition of the adapted PATH intervention to TAU for people with dementia and depression generated cost savings alongside a higher quality of life compared with TAU alone; however, the improvements in costs and QALYs were not statistically significant.

The physical health comorbidities and premature mortality experienced by people with mental illness has led to an increase in exercise services embedded as part of standard care in hospital-based mental health services. Despite the increase in access to exercise services for people experiencing mental illness, there is currently a lack of guidelines on the assessment and triage of patients into exercise therapy.

To develop guidelines for the pre-exercise screening and health assessment of patients engaged with exercise services in hospital-based mental healthcare and to establish an exercise therapy triage framework for use in hospital-based mental healthcare.

A Delphi technique consisting of two online surveys and two rounds of focus group discussions was used to gain consensus from a multidisciplinary panel of experts.

Consensus was reached on aspects of pre-exercise health screening, health domain assessment, assessment tools representing high-value clinical assessment, and the creation and proposed utilisation of an exercise therapy triage framework within exercise therapy.

This study is the first of its kind to provide guidance on the implementation of exercise therapy within Australian hospital-based mental healthcare. The results provide recommendations for appropriate health assessment and screening of patients in exercise therapy, and provide guidance on the implementation and triage of patients into exercise therapy via a stepped framework to determine (a) the timeliness of exercise therapy required and (b) the level of support required in the delivery of their exercise therapy.