The use of digital solutions in alleviating the burden of IAPT's waiting times.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports have shown that there are long waiting times to commence therapy in the community-based mental health programme, IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore both causes and potential solutions to alleviate the burden of these waits. METHODS: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and Semi-Structured Interviews (SSIs) were conducted to identify causes and effects of these waits. Consequently, meaningful recommendations were made and tested with the aim of improving IAPT's waiting times. RESULTS: SLR and SSIs revealed high 'Did Not Attend' (DNA) rates and a lack of support between initial appointments as being both a cause and effect of long waits. The identified issues were tackled with the development of an app design. Expert interviews and a mass survey fuelled the iterative process leading to a final prototype. Notable features included: therapist profile page, smart appointment reminders and patient timeline. Positive feedback was received from university students and ICS Digital, with scope to trial the app within Manchester CCG. CONCLUSIONS: In the long run, the app aims to indirectly shorten waiting times by addressing treatment expectations and serving as an IAPT companion along the patient journey, thus reducing anxiety and consequently DNAs.

Analysis of the causes of moral injury in the outbreak of 2019-nCoV.

The infection of the novel coronavirus that originated from Wuhan, China in December 2019 converted rapidly into a pandemic by March 11, 2020. Whereas the infection mortality rate is not completely understood, it seems to be significantly beyond that of other recent pandemics (e.g., H1N1 pandemic). This paper discusses moral injury in the context of disaster and epidemic and how easily the moral psychology of individuals and society can be shaken. Moral injury is a multiscientific concept involving psychology, culture, and religion. Amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia, immoral behaviors and events such as violence, injury, and illness have also caused different degrees of impact on the moral standards of individuals, confusing moral cognition, destroying moral emotion, and weakening moral toughness, resulting in varying degrees of moral injury. If there is no national health, there will be no positive society for all. Based on this, the public needs to pay close attention to the moral health of the whole people and effectively avoid the occurrence of moral injury. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).