A dedicated mental health team has been introduced to help ease pressure on frontline staff at Ealing Hospital, part of London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH), as the number of patients presenting with complex mental health needs continues to rise.
The Enhanced Observations Team – which includes trained mental health nurses and healthcare assistants – was established in response to growing demand for psychological as well as physical care. Operating across all wards at Ealing Hospital, the team provides tailored support for patients and expert guidance for staff managing increasingly complex caseloads.
Deborah Okey, senior mental health nurse, said: “The majority of nurses are trained to look after a patient’s physical, not mental, well-being.
“This can take up a lot of their time if an individual needs a lot of attention, which is where we come in, assess the patient and make a recommendation and provide enhanced observation and support for the patients.”
She added: “We train our healthcare assistants to manage the less complex cases while more complex cases are managed by experienced mental health nurses.”
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