Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-pftt2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-01T10:16:53.227Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 8 - Prevention and Management of Violence in Inpatient Psychiatric Settings

from Section 2 - Medical and Psychological Intervention

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 May 2023

Masum Khwaja
Affiliation:
Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London
Peter Tyrer
Affiliation:
Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London
Get access

Summary

Violence and aggression remain common reasons for admission to psychiatric wards, and violence and aggression commonly occur in inpatient psychiatric units. Furthermore, exposure to violence and aggression has a deleterious impact on patient and staff safety, treatment outcomes, staff morale and performance, and on the therapeutic environment. The chapter begins with a discussion of clinical governance and of factors that contribute to violence. The importance of service user and carer involvement is emphasised, as is the need to create a safe and therapeutic ward environment. Sexual safety and comorbid substance misuse is mentioned. Principles of managing acutely disturbed behaviour and the prediction of violence in inpatient settings are summarised. Readers are also reminded of issues pertaining to observation, de-escalation, seclusion and restraint. The extra care area, therapeutic interventions, meaningful activity and the role of psychologists on acute wards to reduce the risk of violence and restricted practices are discussed. The chapter concludes with considerations regarding pursuing criminal proceedings against violent perpetrators and inpatient care in the context of COVID-19.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Prevention and Management of Violence
Guidance for Mental Healthcare Professionals
, pp. 118 - 135
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Royal College of Psychiatrists. Healthcare Commission National Audit of Violence 2006–7 Final Report – Working Age Adult Services. www.dynamis.training/wp-content/uploads/violence-audit-report.pdf [Accessed 28.4.2022].Google Scholar
Royal College of Psychiatrists. Standards for Inpatient Mental Health Services. Third edition. [online 2019]. www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/improving-care/ccqi/ccqi-resources/rcpsych_standards_in_2019_lr.pdf?sfvrsn=edd5f8d5_2 [Accessed 25.4.2022].Google Scholar
Care Quality Commission. Key lines of enquiry for healthcare services. 2020. www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/healthcare/key-lines-enquiry-healthcare-services [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
National Institute of Clinical Excellence. Violence and aggression: short-term management in mental health, health and community settings. NICE guideline NG10 28 May 2015. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng10/resources/violence-and-aggression-shortterm-management-in-mental-health-health-and-community-settings-pdf-1837264712389 [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
National Association of Psychiatric Inpatient Units (NAPICU). National Minimal Standards for Psychiatric Intensive Care in General Adult Services. September 2014. https://napicu.org.uk/publications/national-minimum-standards/ [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Safe Wards. www.safewards.net/ [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Star Wards. 2004. www.starwards.org.uk/ [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
The Strategy Unit. Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit. November 2019 [online]. www.strategyunitwm.nhs.uk/publications/exploring-mental-health-inpatient-capacity [Accessed 14.4.2022].Google Scholar
Royal College of Psychiatrists. Quality Networks and Accreditation. www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improving-care/ccqi/quality-networks-accreditation [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
O’Sullivan, O. P., Chang, N. H., Njovana, D., Baker, P. and Shah, A. Quality improvement in forensic mental health: The East London forensic violence reduction collaborative. BMJ Open Quality 2020 Sep;9(3):e000803. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2019-000803. PMID: 32928782; PMCID: PMC7488843.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
NHS England. Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health. www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/fyfv-mh.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022]Google Scholar
National Institute of Clinical Excellence. Violence and aggression: Service user experience in adult mental health services. Quality standard [QS14] Published: 13 December 2011. Last updated: 31 July 2019. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs14 [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Beer, M. D., Pereira, S. M. and Paton, C. Psychiatric Intensive Care. 2nd ed. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Pres, 2008.Google Scholar
Department of Health. Health Building Note 03-01: Adult acute mental health units. 2013. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/147864/HBN_03-01_Final.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
National Association of Psychiatric Inpatient Units (NAPICU). Design Guidance for Psychiatric Intensive Care Units. 2017. https://napicu.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Design-Guidance-for-Psychiatric-Intensive-Care-Units-2017.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
NIDUS UK. Nidotherapy. Better Mental Health through Environmental Change. https://nidotherapy.com [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Carmel, H. and Hunter, M. Psychiatrists injured by patient attack. Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 1991;19(3):309–16. PMID: 1777692.Google Scholar
James, D. V., Fineberg, N. A., Shah, A. K. and Priest, R. G. An increase in violence on an acute psychiatric ward: A study of associated factors. British Journal of Psychiatry 1990 Jun;156:846–52. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.156.6.846. PMID: 2207515.Google Scholar
NHS England. Mental Health Staffing Framework. www.england.nhs.uk/6cs/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2015/06/mh-staffing-v4.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
The Kings Fund and Gilburt, H. Securing money to improve mental health care … but no staff to spend it on. October 2019. www.kingsfund.org.uk/blog/2019/10/mental-health-staff-shortage [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Department of Health and Social Care. Statutory guidance. Code of Practice: Mental Health Act 1983. [online] Published 2015. Last updated 2017. www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-mental-health-act-1983 [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Weaver, T., Madden, P., Charles, V. et al. Comorbidity of substance misuse and mental illness in community mental health and substance misuse services. British Journal of Psychiatry 2003 Oct;183:304–13. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.183.4.304. PMID: 14519608.Google Scholar
Department of Health. Dual diagnosis in mental health inpatient and day hospital settings. Guidance on the assessment and management of patients in mental health inpatient and day hospital settings who have mental ill-health and substance use problems. October 2006. www.drugsandalcohol.ie/17765/1/DOH_Dual_diagnosis_in_mental_health_inpatient_and_day_settings.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
DrugWise. Promoting Evidence based information on drugs, alcohol and tobacco. www.drugwise.org.uk/new-psychoactive-substances/ [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Shafi, A., Gallagher, P., Stewart, N., Martinotti, G. and Corazza, O. The risk of violence associated with novel psychoactive substance misuse in patients presenting to acute mental health services. Human Psychopharmacology 2017 May;32(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.2606. Epub 2017 Jun 19. PMID: 28631373.Google Scholar
Smith, M. Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust to use sniffer dogs in St. Ann’s Hospital wards to clamp down on drug use. Tottenham and Wood Green Independent, December 2015. www.thetottenhamindependent.co.uk/news/14130697.barnet-enfield-and-haringey-mental-health-trust-to-use-sniffer-dogs-in-st-anns-hospital-wards-to-clamp-down-on-drug-use/ [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Nash, M. Who let the dogs in? The use of drug sniffer dogs in mental health settings. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 2005 Dec;12(6):745–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2005.00918.x. PMID: 16336601.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Institute of Clinical Excellence. Coexisting severe mental illness and substance misuse: community health and social care services. NICE guideline [NG58]. 30 November 2016. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG58 [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Department of Health. Health Policy Implementation Guide. Dual Diagnosis Good Practice Guide. www.dualdiagnosis.co.uk/uploads/documents/originals/Dual_Diagnosis_Good_Practice_Policy_Implementation_Guide.PDF [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Care Quality Commission. Sexual safety on mental health wards. 2017. Last Updated 2018. www.cqc.org.uk/publications/major-report/sexual-safety-mental-health-wards [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. Sexual Safety Collaborative. Standards and guidance to improve sexual safety on mental health and learning disabilities inpatient pathways. London: National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health; 2020. www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/improving-care/nccmh/sexual-safety-collaborative/sexual-safety-collaborative–-standards-and-guidance.pdf?sfvrsn=1eb6a5b7_2 [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Department of Health. Mental health policy implementation guide: National minimum standards for general adult services in psychiatric intensive care units (PICU) and low secure environments. 2002. https://napicu.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/2002-NMS.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
NAPICU. Joint BAP NAPICU evidence-based consensus guidelines for the clinical management of acute disturbance: De-escalation and rapid tranquillisation. 2018. https://napicu.org.uk/publications/joint-bap-napicu-evidence-based-consensus-guidelines-for-the-clinical-management-of-acute-disturbance-de-escalation-and-rapid-tranquillisation/ [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
RCPsych. Rethinking risk to others in mental health services. College Report (CR201). [online 2017]. www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/improving-care/better-mh-policy/college-reports/college-report-cr201.pdf?sfvrsn=2b83d227_4 [Accessed 18.4.2022].Google Scholar
Bowers, L. and Park, A. Special observation in the care of psychiatric inpatients: A literature review. Issues in Mental Health Nursing 2001 Dec;22(8):769–86. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840152713018. PMID: 11881179.Google Scholar
Bowers, L., Simpson, A. and Alexander, J. Patient-staff conflict: results of a survey on acute psychiatric wards. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 2003 Jul;38(7):402–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-003-0648-x. PMID: 12861448.Google Scholar
Flood, C., Bowers, L. and Parkin, D. Estimating the costs of conflict and containment on adult acute inpatient psychiatric wards. Nursing Economics 2008 Sep-Oct;26(5):325330, 324. PMID: 18979699.Google Scholar
Lambert, K., Chu, S., Duffy, C. et al. The prevalence of constant supportive observations in high, medium and low secure services. BJPsych Bulletin 2018 Apr;42(2):5458. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjb.2017.14. Epub 2018 Feb 6. PMID: 29405902; PMCID: PMC6001855.Google Scholar
NHS. The Atlas of Shared Learning. Reducing ‘enhanced observations’ on a mental health ward. [online]. 2019. www.england.nhs.uk/atlas_case_study/reducing-enhanced-observations-on-a-mental-health-ward/ [Accessed 26.4.2022]Google Scholar
Cardell, R. and Pitula, C. R. Suicidal inpatients’ perceptions of therapeutic and nontherapeutic aspects of constant observation. Psychiatric Services 1999 Aug;50(8):1066–70. https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.50.8.1066. PMID: 10445656.Google Scholar
Reen, G. K., Bailey, J., Maughan, D. L. and Vincent, C. Systematic review of interventions to improve constant observation on adult inpatient psychiatric wards. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 2020 Jun;29(3):372–86. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12696. Epub 2020 Feb 12. PMID: 32048785.Google Scholar
Department of Health. Positive and Proactive Care: Reducing the need for restrictive interventions. [online] 2014. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/300293/JRA_DoH_Guidance_on_RP_web_accessible.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Stevenson, S. Heading off violence with verbal de-escalation. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services 1991 Sep;29(9):610. PMID: 1941731.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Care Quality Commission. Brief guide: Restraint (physical and mechanical). [online]. www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/20180322_900803_briefguide-restraint_physical_mechanical_v1.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
NAPICU. NAPICU position on the monitoring, regulation and recording of the extra care area, seclusion and long-term segregation use in the context of the Mental Health Act 1983: Code of Practice (2015). 2016. https://napicu.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/NAPICU-Seclusion-Position-Statement.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Dix, R., Betteridge, C. and Page, M. (2008) Seclusion: Past, present and future. In Psychiatric Intensive Care, 2nd ed., ed. Beer, D., Pereira, S. M. and Paton, C.. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 106–23.Google Scholar
National Association of Psychiatric Intensive Care (NAPICU). Managing acute disturbance in the context of COVID-19 [online]. Updated December 2020. https://napicu.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/NAPICU-Guidance_rev5_15_Dec.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Royal College of Psychiatrists. The National Audit of violence (2003 – 2005). Final Report. [online]. 2005. www.wales.nhs.uk/documents/FinalReport-violence.pdf [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
NICE. Service user experience in adult mental health services. Quality standard [QS14]. Quality statement 8: Inpatient meaningful activities. Published: 13 December 2011. Updated July 2019. [online]. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs14/chapter/Quality-statement-8-Inpatient-meaningful-activities [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Mental Health Foundation. How to look after your mental health using exercise. [online]. www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-using-exercise [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Rahman, M., Taylor, C., Abdullahi, R. et al. Nile Ward PICU violence reduction quality improvement project. Published online by Cambridge University Press, 18 June 2021. www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-open/article/nile-ward-picu-violence-reduction-quality-improvement-project/18A86956B08923300E523FA803F2C0FD [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Psychological Professions Network England. Implementing the NHS Long Term Plan: Maximising the Impact of the Psychological Professions. [online] 2019. www.nwppn.nhs.uk/attachments/article/2578/PPN_Long_Term_Plan_Online_Single_compressed.pdf# [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
The University of Manchester. Talk, Understand, Listen for In-Patient Settings (TULIPS). [online] https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/tulips/ [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Berry, K. Acute inpatient wards: Time to implement psychological therapies. University of Manchester: blog [online]. June 2021. https://blog.policy.manchester.ac.uk/posts/2021/06/acute-inpatient-wards-time-to-implement-psychological-therapies/ [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
The Association of Psychological Therapies. What does RAID® stand for in mental health? [online]. www.apt.ac/what-does-raid-stand-for-in-mental-health.html [Accessed 26.4.2022].Google Scholar
Royal College of Psychiatrists. COVID-19: Guidance for clinicians. www.rcpsych.ac.uk/about-us/responding-to-covid-19/responding-to-covid-19-guidance-for-clinicians [Accessed 6.10.2022].Google Scholar
Royal College of Nursing. COVID-19 guidance on mental health care delivery. [online]. Updated June 2021. www.rcn.org.uk/clinical-topics/mental-health/professional-guidance/covid-19-guidance-on-mental-healthcare-delivery [Accessed 21.5.2022].Google Scholar
Care Quality Commission. CQC finds mental health inpatient services coped well with coronavirus (COVID-19) but there will have been ‘significant unmet need’ during lockdown. [online 2020]. Available at: www.cqc.org.uk/news/releases/cqc-finds-mental-health-inpatient-services-coped-well-coronavirus-covid-19-there-will [Accessed 6.10.2022].Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×