MENTAL-HEALTH specialists have been given a valuable chance to learn from the first-rate levels of service available in the Isle of Man. Nine key members of Guernsey’s Community Mental Health Service visited the Isle

of Man thanks to the Insurance Corporation healthcare bursary.

‘The trip was very informative for everyone and it gave us a lot of useful ideas for streamlining the Guernsey service,’ said community mental health team manager and bursary winner Monica Mitchell.

‘Creating a strong and effective network between ourselves and other island communities helps us to draw upon their practical experience and highlight best practice for the

good of our patients in Guernsey.

‘In this way, the bursary could bring about some real, tangible benefits locally.’

In recent years, the team has faced the challenge of ever-increasing referrals. The job of managing these has also increased.

‘Faced with a similar challenge, specialists in the Isle of Man managed to turn their service around with some innovative approaches to mental health delivery such as the introduction of central referral, crisis intervention and a home-resolution team,’ said Mrs Mitchell.

‘While we’re not intending to simply copy the Isle of Man approach, we can tailor many of their ideas to the Guernsey situation.’

Statistics collated in the Isle of Man showed big improvements. Medical referrals were reduced by 52%, community mental health team referrals by 74% and counselling referrals went down 40%.

Insurance Corporation representative Connie Wakeham said she was pleased to see how the bursary had taken shape over the year.

‘It seems to have been very useful for the community mental health team and we’re very much looking forward to seeing how their ideas develop.’