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Working in partnership with probation

The first two years of a mental health worker scheme in a probation service in Wandsworth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Andrea Cohen ,
Nick Bishop  and
Matthew Hegarty
Andrea Cohen*
Affiliation:
Section of Forensic Psychiatry, St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE
Nick Bishop
Affiliation:
79 East Hill London SW18 2QE
Matthew Hegarty
Affiliation:
Section of Forensic Psychiatry, St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE
*
∗Correspondence: Department of Clinical Psychology, Salomon Centre, Broomhill Rd, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 0TG
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Abstract

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Aims and method

To describe the characteristics of probationers assessed (n=83) and supported (n=31) by a mental health worker (MHW) attached to a probation service. A survey of cases and case descriptions.

Results

Referrals were predominantly White, unemployed males on probation orders. Most had acquisitive/property and violent convictions along with substance misuse problems and personality disorder diagnoses. The MHW supported probationers already in contact with psychiatric services and provided a safety net and sometimes sole support, to those who were not.

Clinical implications

The MHW helped to bridge the gap between criminal justice and mental health systems by facilitating contact between probationers and psychiatric services. The clinical effectiveness of the scheme should now be examined.

Type
Original Papers
Information
Psychiatric Bulletin , Volume 23 , Issue 7: The Journal of Trends in Psychiatric Practice , July 1999 , pp. 405 - 408
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

References

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