Further growth of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs)
The focus on patient outcomes increases the flexibility of the whole psychiatry workforce.
Amendments to the Mental Health Act mean a range of clinicians can make decisions about the care of a patient and decision-making is no longer the exclusive responsibility of doctors. While patients are increasingly being looked after by further-developed multidisciplinary teams, the role of other professions in managing the mental health of service users needs revalidating for them to respond to different needs
Proposed workforce impact
- Upskilling the non-medical workforce in the mental health team
- Decrease in number of consultants
- Revalidation of the whole psychiatry workforce
- Changes in the Mental Health Act in the long term will reduce the demand for psychiatrists
Sources or references
- DH, (2011), The economic case for improving efficiency and quality in mental health
- Whyte and Brooker, (2001), Working with a multidisciplinary team in secure psychiatric environments. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv, 39, 9, 26-34
- Godden and Wilson, (2010), BASW Policy on Social Work in Multi Disciplinary Mental Health
- Teams, British Association of Social Workers
Additional research questions
- What additional education and training opportunities are likely to be needed to enable multidisciplinary teams to deliver a high-quality service?
Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.
