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Depression is common in the perinatal period, with prevalence rates of 14.4%, but prevalence rates of adjustment disorder in this period have not been established. We aimed to examine the characteristics of women attending a perinatal psychiatry service diagnosed with adjustment disorder (AD) or depressive episodes (DE). The data were collected as part of a multicentre case-control study of 370 patients, 45 of whom were recruited from perinatal psychiatry service at a maternity hospital. We recruited 45 patients with AD or DE diagnosed in the perinatal period and compared them to a matched sample of 109 non-perinatal women. Almost half, 22 (48.9%) perinatal women had a diagnosis of AD and 23 (51.1%) had a diagnosis of DE. Of the perinatal participants, those with AD had more stressful life events, and suicidal ideation and behaviours were three times more common (31.8%) in AD than in DE (8.7%). There were no significant differences in levels of suicidality between the perinatal and the non-perinatal groups. In our cohort, AD is associated with symptoms of depression including suicidal ideation during the perinatal period. Further study is required to examine the relationship between stressors and suicidality in this population.

Aim: This study aimed to measure patient satisfaction with the care they were receiving; examine patients' knowledge of the psychiatric services in general; and identify variables associated with satisfaction., Methods: Patients attending the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital psychiatric outpatient clinics over a 13-week period, and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital clozapine clinic over a 4-week period and were invited to complete the Barker Scale of Patients' Views Towards Care Received From Psychiatrists., Results: One-hundred and ninety-two patients were invited to participate and there was a response rate of 94%. Eighty-six percent of respondents were satisfied with their care; 92% stated psychiatrists were caring towards them; 85% that psychiatrists know what they are doing; 84% that their illness was explained by their psychiatrist; and 65% that psychiatric care is improving; but 65% stated that psychiatric services are still not good enough. Eighty-six percent were, or had been, in receipt of a psychological treatment. On multi-variable analysis, satisfaction was associated with the view that doctors explained treatment clearly, the view that doctors do not rely excessively on medication, and having been visited by a community mental health nurse., Conclusion: Patients attending psychiatry outpatient services reported a high degree of satisfaction with the treatment they were receiving, although there were discrepancies between satisfaction with their own specific service and with psychiatric services in general.

Background: Ireland's Mental Health Act 2001 resulted in substantial changes to mental health services and the process of involuntary admission., Aims: To determine the views of Irish psychiatrists regarding the new legislation, 1 year after full implementation., Methods: We sent questionnaires to all 735 members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Ireland., Results: The response rate was 43.7%. As much as 84% of respondents reported satisfaction with training; 69.1% reported increased workloads; 26.8% reported decreased time with service-users; 40.7% reported changes in relationships with service-users (e.g. increased empathy, but more legalistic, conflicted relationships). Almost one in three (27.4%) stated that it was not feasible to implement the Mental Health Act. Negative comments highlighted the adversarial nature of mental health tribunals, effects on therapeutic relationships and issues related to children., Conclusions: The implementation of the Mental Health Act 2001 has resulted in increased workloads, more conflicted relationships with service-users and adversarial mental health tribunals.

im: This study aimed to measure patient satisfaction with the care they were receiving; examine patients' knowledge of the psychiatric services in general; and identify variables associated with satisfaction. Methods: Patients attending the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital psychiatric outpatient clinics over a 13-week period, and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital clozapine clinic over a 4-week period and were invited to complete the Barker Scale of Patients' Views Towards Care Received From Psychiatrists. Results: One-hundred and ninety-two patients were invited to participate and there was a response rate of 94%. Eighty-six percent of respondents were satisfied with their care; 92% stated psychiatrists were caring towards them; 85% that psychiatrists know what they are doing; 84% that their illness was explained by their psychiatrist; and 65% that psychiatric care is improving; but 65% stated that psychiatric services are still not good enough. Eighty-six percent were, or had been, in receipt of a psychological treatment. On multi-variable analysis, satisfaction was associated with the view that doctors explained treatment clearly, the view that doctors do not rely excessively on medication, and having been visited by a community mental health nurse. Conclusion: Patients attending psychiatry outpatient services reported a high degree of satisfaction with the treatment they were receiving, although there were discrepancies between satisfaction with their own specific service and with psychiatric services in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last two, possibly three, decades there was a gradual and perhaps insidious move for psychiatric care from primary to secondary or tertiary care. There is now a conscious and deliberate effort to move psychiatric care to primary care (where possible) which has several advantages. In one London Borough (Newham) we have discharged 500 patients from secondary to primary care and preliminary findings show satisfaction with this. However, future Commissioning Management may be based upon the changes. We hope to describe the reasons behind such changes, the advantages and disadvantages of this change and a study showing more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Mental Health Act 2001 was implemented in November 2006 and its introduction has heralded many important changes in the provision of mental health care in Ireland. Objectives: To examine the impact of the Act on the time and patterns of attention given to patients since its implementation, and to look at some of the difficulties encountered. Aims: To propose amendments to the legislation, based on the experiences elicited. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted by questionnaire which we distributed along the chain of command in nursing management. They contained questions looking at attitudes to the Act and the resultant changes in nursing practise. The questionnaire also examined the levels of training with regard to the Act received by members of nursing staff. There was a space given for comments not encompassed by the questions. Results: 317 questionnaires were returned. 56% of nursing staff believed that their workload had increased as a result of the change in legislation. Of those who made a comment, 76.5% were negative in relation to the new legislation, with increased paper work, lack of clarity and an excessive focus on legal technicalities being the most common difficulties reported. Conclusion: Nursing staff have shown mixed attitudes to the Mental Health Act 2001. However, as a majority have reported a need for increased training, this is an important need which needs to be met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]