The IMPARTS Programme offers an opportunity to collaborate with clinical teams across King’s Health Partners and in the near future, with organisations outside King’s Health Partners, to develop their services and provision of mental health support. The collection and analysis of routinely collected patient outcomes provides a rich data source to justify, evidence, and support the need for service development.

IMPARTS has contributed to a number of successful business cases within King’s Health Partners for substantive posts for mental health professionals. See below for examples of these. If your team is currently using the IMPARTS platform and would like to discuss how we can support business planning, please email us: imparts@slam.nhs.uk

Case examples

Dermatology – Funding bid for psychological support in severe skin disease, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Applicants: Karina Jackson (Nurse Consultant); Catherine Smith (Consultant Dermatologist); Nicky Thomas (Consultant Health Psychologist).

IMPARTS has allowed the systematic and integrated assessment of depression and anxiety in psoriasis patients attending Guy’s and St’ Thomas’ outpatient Dermatology department. The IMPARTS screening system has identified that over 15% of psoriasis patients experience probable major depressive or anxiety disorder. In addition to identifying psychological need, IMPARTS also develops referral pathways and self-help materials for patients with any level of psychological morbidity. The dermatology service was keen to extend this model of holistic and integrated care, by developing a model of psychological care supported by a dedicated team psychologist.

The application for funding this role was submitted in August 2013 and funding was granted by the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals charity in September 2013. Upon the successful contribution of the clinical psychologist this has since become a full-time substantive post. Additional roles for clinical psychologists have since been developed across dermatology services in Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Orthopaedics – Funding application for a liaison psychiatry service in King’s College Hospital limb reconstruction service

Applicants: Graeme Groom (Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon).

IMPARTS screening in limb reconstruction commenced in April 2012, and with 22.0% of patients screening positive for depression, 21.0% for anxiety and 9.0% for post-traumatic stress disorder, a need for mental health services was evident. The limb reconstruction team applied for funding for two positions, a liaison psychiatrist and cognitive behavioural therapist. Whilst IMPARTS provided training and self-help materials to allow clinical staff to advise on the management of milder, less complex cases, provision of a dedicated psychiatrist and therapist would allow more appropriate treatment of the more severe, complex and enduring cases.

The application for funding these roles was submitted in December 2011 and funding was granted by the orthopaedics charity in early 2012. The new psychiatrist and therapist were in position in August 2012. Following this, these posts became fully funded by King’s College Hospital and remain an integral part of the limb reconstruction service.