Remote mental health services: a mixed-methods survey and interview study on the use, value, benefits and challenges of a national video consulting service in NHS Wales, UK

Abstract

Objective To extract and analyse mental health specific data from a national dataset for 1 year (March 2020–March 2021).Design A mixed-methods study using surveys and interviews.Setting In NHS mental health services in Wales, UK.Participants With NHS patients and clinicians across child and adolescent, adult and older adult mental health services.Outcome measures Mixed methods data captured measures on use, value, benefits and challenges of video consulting (VC).Results A total of 3561 participants provided mental health specific data. These data and its findings demonstrate that remote mental health service delivery, via the method of VC is highly satisfactory, well-accepted and clinically suitable for many patients, and provides a range of benefits to NHS patients and clinicians. Interestingly, clinicians working from ‘home’ rated VC more positively compared with those at their ‘clinical base’.Conclusions Post 1-year adoption, remote mental health services in Wales UK have demonstrated that VC is possible from both a technical and behavioural standpoint. Moving forward, we suggest clinical leaders and government support to sustain this approach ‘by default’ as an option for NHS appointments.