In response to the understaffing of mental health wards and to accommodate the complex needs of mental health patients, EMED Group’s Bed Watch and Companion service provides crucial expertise and the additional capacity needed to prioritise the safety and well-being of patients and medical staff involved.
Although funding for mental health (MH) services has increased in recent years, the National Audit Office (NAO) found that: “many people still cannot access services or have lengthy waits for treatment”. Statistics show that around 1.2 million people are waiting for support from community-based MH services.
While the MH workforce grew by 22% between 2016 and 2022, the NHS also reported a 44% increase in referrals over the same period and experienced 17,000 (13%) MH staff resigning in 2021-2022. A research project conducted at University College London and funded by the National Institute for Health Research further indicates that: “four in ten mental health trusts (41%) have staffing levels well below established benchmarks”.
Understaffing can raise serious safety concerns for both patients and staff. Wards often lack the capacity to allocate staff to monitor individual patients who are assessed as high-risk or suicidal and may resort to using on-site security guards as direct observers. Further, medical ward staff may not have the necessary training to deal with high-risk MH patients, which can lead to escalated crises and further endanger the patient and anyone within proximity.
As a part of the nationwide Right Care Right Person (RCRP) partnership agreement, EMED Group provides a bespoke Bed Watch and Companion service designed to provide MH wards with additional staffing capacity and capabilities across the UK.
After an Approved Mental Health Professional (AHMP) conducts a specific risk assessment of a concerned patient in line with the Mental Health Act, EMED Safe Care can teams – often between two and five trained professionals – to help support patients with specific needs through Bedwatch.
Bedwatch teams are professionals working in EMED’s Safe Care division tasked with mobilising the Bed Watch service and are highly trained practically and legally. These teams are trained to deal with unique MH circumstances, such as preventing ligatures and administering appropriate sedation if necessary. They are also handcuff trained, utilising soft and hard cuffs, depending on the situation.
EMED Safe Care’s safe, empathetic, caring culture empowers crews to focus on de-escalation. It supports an industry-low requirement of using restraints and guarantees safety and a patient-focused experience. Compassionate yet firm communication allows EMED staff to effectively connect with the patient, which ensures a de-escalated situation and a safer environment for ward staff and patients.
By tailoring the number of professionals provided and the length of Bed Watch to each patient, EMED can facilitate patient recovery by providing caring and dignified care, accompanying them while waiting for the right care from the right people. This support also relieves nurses and medical personnel during staffing shortages, allowing them to allocate their time and resources where needed, often returning to frontline duties.
EMED Safe Care go above and beyond, a big thank you for your help with the patient’s bed situation tonight and getting this resolved. Your staff have been amazing!
