Making It Work: The Experiences of Delivering a Community Mental Health Service during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Burton, Leanne ORCID: 0000-0002-5870-4161, Wall, Abbie ORCID: 0000-0002-2812-6874 and Perkins, Elizabeth ORCID: 0000-0002-0213-8105 (2022) Making It Work: The Experiences of Delivering a Community Mental Health Service during the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH, 19 (19). 12056-.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912056

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced rapid innovative change to healthcare delivery. Understanding the unique challenges faced by staff may contribute to different approaches when managing future pandemics. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 21 staff from a Community Mental Health Team in the North West of England, UK, three months after the first wave of the pandemic. Thematic analysis was used to examine data reporting the challenges arising when working to deliver a service during the pandemic. Data is discussed under four headings; "senior trust managers trying to make it work", "individuals making it work", "making it work as a team", and "making it work through working at home". Clear communication was essential to ensure adherence to guidelines while providing safe care delivery. The initial response to the pandemic involved the imposition of boundaries on staff by senior leadership to ensure that vulnerable service users received a service while maintaining staff safety. The data raises questions about how boundaries were determined, the communication methods employed, and whether the same outcome could have been achieved through involving staff more in decision-making processes. Findings could be used to design interventions to support mental health staff working to deliver community services during future crises.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	service delivery, healthcare management, crisis leadership, crisis communication, COVID-19
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Population Health
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	11 Oct 2022 11:24
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 20:37
DOI:	10.3390/ijerph191912056
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912056
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3165345