Ben Thomas
Ben Thomas: Challenging health inequalities for gay and bisexual men and transgender...
Figures from Prostate Cancer UK show the number of men dying from prostate cancer has overtaken female deaths from breast cancer in the UK for the first time. Mental health expert Ben Thomas says health professionals must ensure that gay and bisexual men and transgender women with prostate cancer receive the help and support they need
Reducing health inequalities for older LGBTQ+ people
Older LGBTQ+ people have low expectations of health and social care as they age, and fears about facing further discrimination, says Ben Thomas.
60 Seconds with Department of Health professional adviser Ben Thomas
Ben Thomas loves visiting frontline services and meeting brilliant and inspirational nurses working in mental health, learning disabilities and dementia care.
Learning disability nursing: how to refocus the profession
It has been found in recent years that the healthcare needs of people with learning disabilities have not always been fully met. The authors suggest that this situation can be improved if specialist learning disability nurses are more involved in mainstream services. They argue that learning disability nurses should focus their efforts on health, rather than social care activities, and suggest that there are further groups of people in society who, while not having a learning disability, could benefit from the interventions of this skilled professional group.
Nursing care plans in acute mental health nursing
Aims and intended learning outcomes This article promotes the care plan as a means of providing more effective care on acute inpatient units. It emphasises the use of such plans within the context of a therapeutic relationship, using the care plan as a therapeutic tool. It highlights professional standards for record keeping and sets out the legislative framework for care planning in mental health nursing. This article aims to promote understanding of the principles of good record keeping, and to develop more effective and accurate records. After reading this article, you should be able to: ■ Identify ways and means of using the care plan as a therapeutic tool. ■ Identify professional standards for record keeping. ■ Understand the importance of the care plan as a legal document. ■ Improve your own skills in writing care plans.
The use of nurses’ holding power in a large psychiatric hospital
The use of nurses’ holding power is a poorly explored aspect of psychiatric inpatient care. This study examined the use of Section 5(4) at the Maudsley Hospital, London, since the introduction of the 1983 Mental Health Act. Between 1983 and 1996 nurses’ holding powers were used on 25 occasions. Seventy two per cent of patients detained under Section 5(4) of the Mental Health Act 1983 were subsequently detained under Section 5(2). Results were broadly consistent with previous studies, although some significant inconsistencies were observed which can probably be attributed to small sample sizes. Further, multicentre research is needed in order that substantive conclusions can be drawn.