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Patients text messages win award
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| Project team members with their award |
A text messaging system for Oxfordshire mental health patients has won a national award.
The project, which won the NHS Live award, was a collaboration between Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford University's department of psychiatry.
The two organisations created a text messaging system for people with bipolar disorder, which enables them to monitor their own condition and keep GPs updated on how they are feeling.
The team beat two other national finalists and was selected overall winner by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and the Department of Health.
Oxford University's Prof John Geddes said: "I'm delighted that our project has been selected from so many for the NHS Live award.
"We believe our text messaging system is a great way of improving support for those with bipolar disorder, and it allows them to take much more control of the way they live with their condition. With this project, we've created something that can really make a difference to the way care is provided.
"We're keen to share our learning more widely so that others can copy it for themselves. This award is an important step in that process."
Mental health staff send out weekly text messages and the patients send back one of a number of pre-arranged replies, depending on how they are feeling.
Health organisations in France and the US are now hoping to copy the scheme.
Bernard Crump, a spokesman for the NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement, said: "It's breakthrough ideas like this one from people on the frontline who understand the issues that can make the biggest difference."
Sarah Hills, a spokesman for the mental health trust, said: "We have been working closely with Prof Geddes on this and we are delighted with the award."
3:22pm Monday 7th July 2008
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CommentPosted by: Dave, Utah, United States on 6:02am Wed 9 Jul 08
This is interesting. MoodTracker.com has been using text messaging for helping people with Bipolar and Depression for almost four years.
This is interesting. MoodTracker.com has been using text messaging for helping people with Bipolar and Depression for almost four years.
Posted by: Still Asking, Baltimore Maryland US on 11:40pm Sat 12 Jul 08
(please pre-pardon any typos, or broken grammar - I'm o n painkilller, bug they are blurring my vision a bit too)
This 'theraputic texting' could be a great tool, I just hope it is not treated as a band-aid on top of a band-aid on top of a baind-aid over here.
[bold]
I'm commenting mostly go ask [bold]-to whom are the clients sending their messsages? [/bold]
[/bold] One bit of the article sounded as if they would be reviewed by the GP's and another as if it were the responsiblity of "Mental Health Workers" but didn't indicate their level of experience.
I mean, seriously. are we talking undergrad psych/candy strippers or MSCW-C's
Around here, in an not so thriving port city, surrounded by the thriving suburbs of our nation's captial and apparently major producor of scrap and recycled papers , any how, I digress, its the meds, honest - the Rx'es say I CAN do this, but I really don't think I will want to,
ANYH0W (me yelllinv af me, sorry)
around here the job would probally go to the 'Case Managers"
If you don't have case managment structures set up in your area and want me to try to explain them, I will, But only if asked. 'Cause you might not really want to know.
Anyhow. CM's - the good ones, are BUSY. The study showed good outcomes - and yes, we all want that. But did it show efficient time managment?
Because.....[italic]The straw that breaks the camels back might be a [bold]beautiful straw of spun gold[/italic][/bold] (excaped from a neighboring fable no doubt) . But if it founders the beast, no one is helped.
Maybe participation in the pager programs could be offered as a privlidge - earned on token economy points during inpatient and day hospital, and then they get the beeper (phone?)
This would add the program in slowly, and the CW's might not feel so much like they were being burried under the paving stones of someone elses good intentions!
As for longterm outpatients, not needing case workers and doing therapy simply at a 'maintence level' who are just coming by for a meds check and a refil - I can't tell if the writers want to include them in the program or notl
I know there are times it would have helped me.
Times I sat with a knife in one hand and the phone in the other, and callled, and callled and callled - all but the last one two digits of my psych's emergency number.
I know this comment may have sounded critical at times, that voice came from fear, and from hope.
This whole things sounds good. Really goodl And I want it to be good, I wish I could help it be goodl Actually, I want it to be incandescenty brilliant.
I want it to SHINE.
(please pre-pardon any typos, or broken grammar - I'm o n painkilller, bug they are blurring my vision a bit too)
This 'theraputic texting' could be a great tool, I just hope it is not treated as a band-aid on top of a band-aid on top of a baind-aid over here.
I'm commenting mostly go ask -to whom are the clients sending their messsages?
One bit of the article sounded as if they would be reviewed by the GP's and another as if it were the responsiblity of "Mental Health Workers" but didn't indicate their level of experience.
I mean, seriously. are we talking undergrad psych/candy strippers or MSCW-C's
Around here, in an not so thriving port city, surrounded by the thriving suburbs of our nation's captial and apparently major producor of scrap and recycled papers , any how, I digress, its the meds, honest - the Rx'es say I CAN do this, but I really don't think I will want to,
ANYH0W (me yelllinv af me, sorry)
around here the job would probally go to the 'Case Managers"
If you don't have case managment structures set up in your area and want me to try to explain them, I will, But only if asked. 'Cause you might not really want to know.
Anyhow. CM's - the good ones, are BUSY. The study showed good outcomes - and yes, we all want that. But did it show efficient time managment?
Because.....
The straw that breaks the camels back might be a beautiful straw of spun gold (excaped from a neighboring fable no doubt) . But if it founders the beast, no one is helped.
Maybe participation in the pager programs could be offered as a privlidge - earned on token economy points during inpatient and day hospital, and then they get the beeper (phone?)
This would add the program in slowly, and the CW's might not feel so much like they were being burried under the paving stones of someone elses good intentions!
As for longterm outpatients, not needing case workers and doing therapy simply at a 'maintence level' who are just coming by for a meds check and a refil - I can't tell if the writers want to include them in the program or notl
I know there are times it would have helped me.
Times I sat with a knife in one hand and the phone in the other, and callled, and callled and callled - all but the last one two digits of my psych's emergency number.
I know this comment may have sounded critical at times, that voice came from fear, and from hope.
This whole things sounds good. Really goodl And I want it to be good, I wish I could help it be goodl Actually, I want it to be incandescenty brilliant.
I want it to SHINE.
Posted by: John, USA on 5:10pm Tue 15 Jul 08
I would like to see this done in the States and as well with all what people face. As well I am curious if there is any just lied about they had a great day when they have a bad day.
However, it is easy to do text then call.
I would like to see this done in the States and as well with all what people face. As well I am curious if there is any just lied about they had a great day when they have a bad day.
However, it is easy to do text then call.
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