The Impact of a Digital Referral Platform to Improve Access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: A Prospective Observational Study with Real-World Data.

(1) Background: In the UK, mental health needs for children and young people (CYP) are rising, whilst access to care is declining, particularly in the North of England and post-COVID-19. However, Health Information Technologies (HITs) can simplify access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), reduce waiting times, and provide anonymous support and reliable information. (2) Methods: A single-centre prospective observational study examined the impact of "CYP as One"-a digital referral point to CAMHS-on waiting times and referral rejection rates. (3) Results: Waiting times during the first 12 months of "CYP as One" implementation were compared to the 12 months prior using non-parametric tests. "CYP as One" demonstrated an increase of 1314 referrals, with self-referrals rising by 71%. Initial implementation showed an increase in waiting times by 16.13 days (53.89 days) compared to pre-implementation (37.76 days) (p < 0.001). However, months 10 (M = 16.18, p < 0.001), 11 (M = 17.45, p < 0.001), and 12 (M = 31.45, p < 0.001) implementation showed reduced waiting times. Rejection rates rose due to a 108% increase in referral volume. "CYP as One" improved access and reduced waiting times after the initial phase. (4) Conclusions: Further research is needed to assess its long-term impact and cost-effectiveness, particularly regarding specific mental health conditions and staff time.

Facilitating Access to Mental Health Services: A Stakeholder-Driven Improvement of the Children and Young People (CYP) as One Referral Platform.

(1) Background: Pre-pandemic, child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) referrals were paper based in Liverpool and Sefton (England, United Kingdom), causing delays in waiting times. The "CYP as One" online mental health referral platform was co-created to overcome these challenges. (2) Methods: This study aims to improve "CYP as One" accessibility and usability and, subsequently, support CAMHS to improve waiting times. The current study utilised the Living Lab approach. We conducted content analysis on completed online referrals extracted from the "CYP as One" platform. These findings were supplemented by seven online focus groups, with 16-19-year-old young people, parents of children under 16, and health service providers. Thematic analysis was conducted on all data. (3) Results: The thematic analysis returned seven themes, namely (i) "CYP as One" vs. Traditional Referrals, (ii) Gender and Language Dynamics, (iii) Digital Empathy in Action, (iv) the Influence of the Provider Perspective, (v) Age and Social Sensitivity, (vi) Enhancing Access to Information, and (vii) Boosting Admin and Clinical Efficiency. (4) Conclusions: Digital content that seeks to replace in-person referrals can provide adequate support to children and young people who have faced difficulties accessing mental health services.

Standards of proficiency for registered nurses-To what end? A critical analysis of contemporary mental health nursing within the United Kingdom context.

Against the backdrop of cultural and political ideals, this article highlights both the significance of mental health nursing in meeting population needs and the regulatory barriers that may be impeding its ability to adequately do so. Specifically, we consider how ambiguous notions of 'proficiency' in nurse education-prescribed by the regulator-impact the development of future mental health nurses and their mental health nursing identity. A key tension in mental health practice is the ethical-legal challenges posed by sanctioned powers to restrict patients' freedom at the same time as the desire (and obligation) to promote patients' self-determined recovery. The genericism of the UK's Future Nurse Standards do little to prepare mental health nurses to navigate the tensions that ensue. This has consequences for nurses and patients alike, as both risk experiencing the distress and dissonance that attends giving or receiving poor care. We argue that more needs to be done to enable mental health nurses to define and articulate the nuances of the profession as part of becoming critical, thoughtful and confident practitioners. Educators can contribute to this mission by aligning curriculum, pedagogy and assessment to create meaningful opportunities for mental health nursing students to engage with the complexities of mental health nursing practice. Without this, the credibility of the profession will continue to be questioned; its future uncertain.

Reduction of Urinary Tract Infection in Pediatric Surgical Patients Using NSQIP-P and Quality Improvement Methodology.

BACKGROUND: Hospital-acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs) have a detrimental effect on patients, families, and hospital resources. The Sydney Children's Hospital Network (SCHN) participates in the NSQIP-Pediatric (NSQIP-P) to monitor postoperative complications. NSQIP-P data revealed that the median UTI rate at SCHN was 1.75% in 2019, 3.5 times higher than the NSQIP-P target rate of 0.5%. Over three quarters of the NSQIP-P identified patients with UTI also had a urinary catheterization performed intraoperatively. A quality improvement project was conducted between mid-2018 and 2021 to minimize catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs) at SCHN. STUDY DESIGN: NSQIP-P samples include pediatric (younger than 18 years) surgical patients from an 8-day cycle operative log. NSQIP-P data are statistically analyzed by the American College of Surgeons and provide biannual internationally benchmarked reports. The project used clinical redesign methodology with a 6-phase process for quality improvement projects. RESULTS: The objectives of the project were to reduce urinary catheter duration of use, educate parents or carers, and improve catheter care and insertion technique by health staff. The duration of a urinary catheter in situ reduced from a median of 4.5 to 3 days from 2017 to 2021. The median NSQIP-P UTI rate at SCHN was reduced by 47.4% from 1.75% in 2019 to 0.9% in 2022. CONCLUSIONS: A multifactorial approach in quality improvement has been shown to be an effective strategy to reduce UTI rates at SCHN, and patient outcomes were improved within a 3-year timeframe. Although this project has reduced UTI rates at SCHN, there remain opportunities for further improvement.

Laparoscopic versus open pyeloplasty in paediatric pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction.

AIM: Compared to open pyeloplasty (OP), we hypothesised that laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP) is associated with early recovery, a shorter length of stay (LOS) and less analgesia requirement. METHODS: Between 2011 and 2016, 146 dismembered pyeloplasty cases were reviewed, of which 113 were in the OP group and 33 were in the LP group. We evaluated both groups regarding operative time, LOS, success rate, complications rate and analgesia requirement. Subgroup analysis was done for patients above the age of 5 years, and within the OP group (dorsal lumbotomy (DL) vs. loin incision (LI)). RESULTS: The success rate was 96% in the open group and 97% in the laparoscopic group. The median operative time was significantly shorter in the open group for the entire cohort (127 vs. 200 min; P < 0.05), and in children older than 5 years (n = 41, 134 vs. 225 min; P < 0.05). Other parameters were similar in both groups. The median LOS was significantly shorter (2 vs. 4 days; P < 0.05), and the median analgesia requirement was less (0.44 vs. 0.64 mg/kg morphine; P < 0.05) in the DL (n = 60) compared to LI (n = 53). CONCLUSION: Both OP and LP dismembered approaches are equally effective in treating pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction. Overall, the LOS, complications rate and analgesia requirement were not significantly different; however, the operative time was significantly longer in LP.

How Do We Know Co-Created Solutions Work Effectively within the Real World of People Living with Dementia? Learning Methodological Lessons from a Co-Creation-to-Evaluation Case Study.

Living Labs (LL) are a novel and potentially robust way of addressing real-life health challenges, especially within the dementia field. Generally, LLs focus on co-creating through implementing the quadruple helix partnership as a user-centric approach to co-creating. In the context of this paper, the users were people with dementia and their informal carers. LL are not necessarily environments that evaluate these co-created innovations within the real world. Considering this disconnect between co-creation and real-world evaluation, this paper, as a critical commentary, will reflect on the methodological lessons learnt during the development of an LL model aimed at addressing this discrepancy. The LL at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) was commissioned to co-create and then evaluate a new Dementia Reablement Service. The case study findings revealed that the Dementia Reablement Service had a positive impact on the quality of life of people with dementia, suggesting that the service is a catalyst for positive change. In addition, the critical learning from this case study highlights the potential role of LLs in seamlessly co-creating and then evaluating the co-created solution within the real world. A benefit of this way of working is that it provides opportunities for LLs to secure access to traditional research funding.

Parental decision regret among Australian parents after consenting to or refusing hypospadias repair for their son: Results of a survey with controls.

INTRODUCTION: Parental decision regret in hypospadias surgery is a recognised source of long-lasting psycho-social morbidity. High parental decision regret after their child's hypospadias repair is reported. The aim of this study is to report on decision regret in Australian parents, who accepted and declined surgery for their son and explore underlying factors for decision-making, satisfaction, and regret. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online anonymous survey was administered to three groups of parents: 1) parents who consented for hypospadias repair, 2) parents who declined repair and 3) a control group who requested circumcision for their child. Operations occurred between 2010 and 2020 in two paediatric hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. The survey included a validated decision regret assessment tool and additional questions to explore the possible basis of the opinions. RESULTS: One hundred and eighteen parents (invited - 381, completed - 116, response rate - 31%) participated in the survey. Decision regret was present in group 1 (n = 89) - 55% (moderate-to-severe 15%), in group 2 (n = 14) - 71% (moderate-to-severe 57%), and in the control group (n = 15) - 15% (moderate-to-severe 8%) of parents. There was a significant difference in the median decision regret score between all three groups. Parents who chose hypospadias repair were mostly concerned about function. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of decision regret among Australian parents who consented for their son's hypospadias repair was lower compared with the mean decision regret reported in the literature to date (55% vs 65%). Decision regret and its severity were highest among parents who declined hypospadias repair. New strategies are needed to reduce decision regret in parents whether they elect for surgery or not.

GroundsWell: Community-engaged and data-informed systems transformation of Urban Green and Blue Space for population health - a new initiative.

Natural environments, such as parks, woodlands and lakes, have positive impacts on health and wellbeing. Urban Green and Blue Spaces (UGBS), and the activities that take place in them, can significantly influence the health outcomes of all communities, and reduce health inequalities. Improving access and quality of UGBS needs understanding of the range of systems (e.g. planning, transport, environment, community) in which UGBS are located. UGBS offers an ideal exemplar for testing systems innovations as it reflects place-based and whole society processes , with potential to reduce non-communicable disease (NCD) risk and associated social inequalities in health. UGBS can impact multiple behavioural and environmental aetiological pathways. However, the systems which desire, design, develop, and deliver UGBS are fragmented and siloed, with ineffective mechanisms for data generation, knowledge exchange and mobilisation. Further, UGBS need to be co-designed with and by those whose health could benefit most from them, so they are appropriate, accessible, valued and used well. This paper describes a major new prevention research programme and partnership, GroundsWell, which aims to transform UGBS-related systems by improving how we plan, design, evaluate and manage UGBS so that it benefits all communities, especially those who are in poorest health. We use a broad definition of health to include physical, mental, social wellbeing and quality of life. Our objectives are to transform systems so that UGBS are planned, developed, implemented, maintained and evaluated with our communities and data systems to enhance health and reduce inequalities. GroundsWell will use interdisciplinary, problem-solving approaches to accelerate and optimise community collaborations among citizens, users, implementers, policymakers and researchers to impact research, policy, practice and active citizenship. GroundsWell will be shaped and developed in three pioneer cities (Belfast, Edinburgh, Liverpool) and their regional contexts, with embedded translational mechanisms to ensure that outputs and impact have UK-wide and international application.

Parental decision regret in childhood hypospadias surgery: A systematic review.

We conducted a systematic review of the literature to establish the prevalence of and predictive factors for parental decision regret in hypospadias surgery. A search strategy without language restrictions was developed with expert help, and two reviewers undertook independent study selection. Five studies were included in this review (four for quantitative analysis) with a total of 783 participants. The mean overall prevalence of parental decision regret was 65.2% (moderate to severe - 20.3%). Although significant predictors of regret were identified (post-operative complications, small size glans, meatal location, decision conflict between parents, parental educational level and others), they had unexplained discordance between studies. Parental decision regret after proximal hypospadias surgery and refusing surgery was inadequately reported. In conclusion, even though the prevalence of parental decision regret after consenting for the hypospadias repair appears to be high, risk factors associated with it were discordant suggesting imprecision in estimates due to unknown confounders.

The implications of a new paradigm of care on the built environment. The Humanitas© Deventer model: Innovative practice.

As people live longer, rates of long-term conditions such as dementia are increasing and healthcare costs are exponentially increasing. Dementia services recognise there is a need for change; this paper provides an example of how people interacting within an architectural-led care system can positively influence this need for change. The adopted method within this paper is the 'thinking, making and living' approach underpinned by a one-time post-occupancy evaluation. The architectural-led care system, the Humanitas© Deventer in the Netherlands, is a good example of a new paradigm of care built on sustainable collaboration, which positively contributes to the well-being of the recipients of care - people with dementia.

Practice variation on use of antibiotics: An international survey among pediatric urologists.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND: Although there is abundance in literature focusing on the use of prophylactic antibiotics for adult urological procedures, the evidence for using antibiotics following common pediatric urological procedures is limited with no specific guidelines for use. Consequently, current practices on antibiotic usage for common interventions may be variable among practicing pediatric urologists, lacking evidence-based support. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the current practice pattern on antibiotic usage for common interventions amongst pediatric urologists (PU) practicing in four English-speaking sectors of the world. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous survey of five scenarios with multiple choice options was disseminated to all active practicing members of the Pediatric Urologist of Canada (PUC) and Society of Pediatric Urology of Australia and New Zealand (SPUNZA), as well as all those attending the 2016 British Association of Pediatric Urology (BAPU) and 2017 American Association of Pediatric Urology (AAPU) meetings. The response for each scenario was summarized for overall practice pattern variation and the pattern for each sector was compared using the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: A total of 126 respondents completed the survey (68.5% response rate) with at least a 65% response rate for each of the four sectors. The majority of respondents do not use antibiotics for indwelling urethral (46.8%) and suprapubic catheters (53.4%); however, they do give antibiotics for J-J stent placement (65.1%) and hypospadias surgery (84.9%), and use antibiotics after hypospadias surgery where catheters or stents are left indwelling (80.9%, 84.2%, respectively). Among those surveyed, the PUC members and AAPU PU demonstrated similar practice patterns which often significantly differed from that of SPUNZA members and BAPU attendees. Specifically, a significantly larger proportion of the North American pediatric urologists do not use antibiotics for common procedures compared with Australia, New Zealand, and the UK (Table). DISCUSSION: In the absence of prospective studies in antibiotic use for pediatric patients to guide clinicians, there is a clear variability among sectors in the use of antibiotics for most clinical scenarios investigated. With increasing resistance patterns and possible adverse effects of antibiotics, it is important that the international pediatric urology community engage in discussions and collaborations to address this issue. CONCLUSION: Practice patterns in antibiotic usage amongst PU varies widely, some of which may be associated with their local "culture." There is a need to understand these differences and begin to standardize treatment in the hopes of increasing appropriate use of antibiotics internationally.

Rehabilitation for Survivors of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda: What Are the Lessons Learned?

Rehabilitation remains a significant concern among survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Rehabilitation falls under tertiary prevention, which is a core function of public health. Despite efforts to introduce various rehabilitation programmes for genocide survivors in Rwanda, these initiatives have often proved inadequate in meeting their long-term needs. The failure of the Rwandan Government, international community, United Nations, and other Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) calls into serious question their commitment to international human rights laws. Rehabilitation should be regarded as a free-standing human right for genocide survivors and a human rights-based approach to the rehabilitative process should incorporate measurable outcomes based on an agreed ethical framework. The author calls upon the international community to reiterate its concerns about genocide survivors and reaffirm its commitments to human rights. The main issues discussed in this article are: the long-term needs of survivors of the 1994 genocide; what is already provided, and the gaps; how Stucki's Rehabilitation Cycle framework (a problem-solving tool) can help improve current provision; the role of the international community, NGOs, and genocide survivors' organisations in advancing rehabilitation; and the need for a human rights-based approach to rehabilitation. A strong recognition of the right to rehabilitation is crucial. An ethical framework related to the human rights-based approach should also assist in setting outcomes that can be measured against agreed standards, ensuring: rights that have been violated are identified; the accountability of each service provider in promoting rehabilitation; rehabilitation which is inclusive and non-discriminatory; participation by encouraging collaboration with survivors rather than doing things for them; and empowerment by enabling survivors to understand their rights and have the confidence to challenge or question when their rights have been violated.

Prolonged urinary retention can and does occur after any type of ureteral reimplantantion.

OBJECTIVE: Transient urinary retention has been recognized as a complication of bilateral ureteroneocystostomy (UNC), when performed extravesically. The objective of this study was to review a collective surgeons' experiences of unilateral extra- and unilateral and/or bilateral intra-vesical ureteral reimplanation, where urinary retention greater than 6 weeks, or what we have termed, "prolonged urinary retention" (PUR), occurred. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed charts to identify PUR after any open or robotic reimplant, other than bilateral extravesical, between 1998 and 2015 as reported by five surgeons. RESULTS: During the review period, ten cases were documented where PUR was encountered. Bilateral Cohen reimplants (5), unilateral extravesical open reimplant with ureteral tapering (3), unilateral Cohen reimplant (1) and unilateral extravesical robotic reimplant with tapering (1) were associated with PUR. Younger males predominated (70%). The mean age at operation of the patients was 3.1 years. Eventually 7/10 patients were able to void normally, with periods ranging from 6 weeks to 8 years. The remaining three patients are still unable to void more than 5 years after UNC. A majority of the samples (6/10) were suspected to have bowel and bladder dysfunction (BBD), but neurologically all were normal. CONCLUSION: PUR can occur as a potential complication following any type of UNC and is associated with the risk of significant morbidity, including permanent urinary retention. Patients and caregivers should be counseled accordingly.