Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jan 13;7(1):e34.
doi: 10.1192/bjo.2020.160.

Survey of CAMHS clinicians about their experience of remote consultation: brief report

Anupam Bhardwaj  1 , Anna Moore  2 , Rudolf N Cardinal  2 , Carol Bradley  1 , Lauren Cross  3 , Tamsin J Ford  2
Affiliations

Survey of CAMHS clinicians about their experience of remote consultation: brief report

Anupam Bhardwaj et al. BJPsych Open. .

Abstract

The Covid-19 crisis necessitated rapid adoption of remote consultations across National Health Service (NHS) child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). This study aimed to understand practitioners' experiences of rapid implementation of remote consultations across CAMHS in one NHS trust in the east of England. Data were collected through a brief questionnaire documenting clinicians' experiences following remote delivery of services. The questionnaire began before 'lockdown' and focused on assessment consultations (n = 102) as part of a planned move to virtual assessment. As the roll-out of remote consultations was extended at lockdown, we extended the questionnaire to include all remote clinical contacts (n = 202). Despite high levels of initial concern, clinicians' reports were positive overall; importantly, however, their experiences varied by team. When restrictions on face-to-face working are lifted, a blended approach of remote and face-to-face service delivery is recommended to optimise access and capacity while retaining effective and safe care.

Keywords: CAMHS; Covid-19; digital health; remote consultation; service delivery.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Supplementary material

References

    1. Wherton J, Shaw S, Papoutsi C, Seuren L, Greenhalgh T. Guidance on the introduction and use of video consultations during COVID-19: important lessons from qualitative research. BMJ Lead 2020. Available from: 10.1136/leader-2020-000262. - DOI
    1. Välimäki M, Anttila K, Anttila M, Lahti M. Web-based interventions supporting adolescents and young people with depressive symptoms: systematic review and meta-analysis. JMIR MHealth UHealth 2017; 5(12): e180. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Martin J, McBride T, Masterman T, Pote DI, Mokhtar DN, Oprea E, et al. Covid-19 and Early Intervention: Evidence, Challenges and Risks Relating to Virtual and Digital Delivery. Early Intervention Foundation, 2020. (https://www.eif.org.uk/report/covid-19-and-early-intervention-evidence-c... [cited 2020 Dec 18])
    1. Greenhalgh T, Shaw S, Wherton J, Vijayaraghavan S, Morris J, Bhattacharya S, et al. Real-world implementation of video outpatient consultations at macro, meso, and micro levels: mixed-method study. J Med Internet Res 2018; 20(4): e150. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Horvath AO, Del Re AC, Flückiger C, Symonds D. Alliance in individual psychotherapy. Psychotherapy 2011; 48(1): 9–16. - PubMed