How can patient partnership help to improve equality as COVID‐19 moves from pandemic to endemic?

One of the stated aims of the National Health Service (NHS) within its constitution is the promotion of equality. However, there is evidence inequality has increased over the last decade and the COVID‐19 pandemic has exacerbated this. The current pressures on healthcare mean that there is a case for a shift in approach as we transition to living with endemic COVID‐19. This article sets out how putting patient partnership front and centre at an individual, systems and national level has the potential to improve equality and assist the NHS in achieving its founding principles.

The use of leadership metaphors in the NHS

This article examines the use of leadership metaphors in the NHS. It explores the ways in which metaphors are used, then identifies the most commonly-used metaphors relating to healthcare leadership. Metaphors relating to machines appear to be the most dominant, so the article will consider the implications of this. The potential of the 'living system' metaphor as an alternative to this will also be discussed in relation to the development of integrated care systems.

Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders: Psychologists' Role in Bridging the Gap

Nearly 30% of people with a mental health disorder will also have a substance use disorder at some point in their lives. Despite widespread evidence of the complex interactions between mental health and substance use and the value of integrated treatment, the majority of people with concurrent disorders do not receive treatment that addresses both conditions. Psychologists are ideally suited to bridge this gap in care, but this will not be without challenges. Psychologists possess extensive skills in identifying, diagnosing, and treating mental health disorders, which are transferrable to substance use disorders. Psychologists also have formal training in supervision and consultation and thus can supervise or act as consultants for other professionals in treating concurrent disorders. They have expertise in program development, evaluation, and research and can lead projects to integrate mental health and substance use services. Barriers to psychologists bridging this gap center on siloes in our healthcare system, the lack of training for psychologists to develop competency and confidence in substance use disorder diagnosis and treatment, misperceptions about how individuals with substance use disorders respond to psychological treatment, as well as system barriers. Overcoming these barriers comes with clear benefits and will require changes to professional training, clinical practice, and research on evidence-based treatments for concurrent disorders. Agencies across Canada are calling for action to ensure individuals with concurrent disorders receive the integrated services they require. Being at the leading edge of this change offers an important opportunity for psychologists. Près de 30 % des personnes présentant un trouble de santé mentale auront aussi un trouble lié à la consommation d'une substance au cours de leur vie. Malgré les preuves répandues au sujet des interactions complexes entre la santé mentale et la consommation d'une substance et de la valeur d'un traitement intégré, la majorité des gens ayant des troubles concomitants ne reçoivent pas de traitement simultané pour les deux conditions. Les psychologues sont les mieux placés pour combler cette lacune, mais cela ne se fera pas sans difficulté. Ils possèdent de vastes compétences pour cerner, diagnostiquer et traiter les troubles de santé mentale, qui sont transférables aux troubles liés à la consommation de substances. Ils ont reçu une formation en supervision et en consultation, ce qui leur permet de superviser ou de conseiller d'autres professionnels au sujet du traitement de troubles concomitants. Les psychologues possèdent une expertise en matière de développement de programmes, d'évaluation et de recherche, et ils peuvent diriger des projets visant à intégrer des services en santé mentale et des services concernant la consommation de substances. Les obstacles au règlement des lacunes par les psychologues sont attribuables au travail en vase clos au sein de notre système de santé, au manque de formation qui permettrait aux psychologues d'acquérir les compétences et la confiance requises pour diagnostiquer et traiter les troubles liés à la consommation de substances, à la méconnaissance de la réponse des personnes ayant de tels troubles aux traitements psychologiques, ainsi qu'à divers obstacles du système. Surmonter ces obstacles apportera des avantages nets et nécessitera des changements à la formation professionnelle, à la pratique clinique et à la recherche sur les traitements fondés sur des preuves pour les troubles concomitants. Des organismes partout au Canada demandent que des mesures soient prises pour veiller à ce que les personnes présentant des troubles concomitants reçoivent les services intégrés dont elles ont besoin. Se positionner à la tête de ce changement constitue une occasion importante pour les psychologues.

Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research: The Year (2021) in Review

Practitioners need access to and the ability to openly discuss advancement in practice and concepts as they apply to the practice of cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy (PT). Lack of accessibility to research literature, limited personal time, or insufficient knowledge to adequately review the breadth of literature published each year can hinder this process. This article provides a limited overview of cardiovascular and pulmonary research published in 2021 that the authors believe most important and relevant or speaks to the volume or trend of current topics in the clinical practice of cardiovascular and pulmonary PT. Each topic area is followed by brief overview of clinical relevance and was open to discussion with the participants present at the 2022 Combined Sections Meeting held on February 4, 2022.