This paper advocates for a holistic approach to the menopause transition and challenges the current dominant narrative that frames this transition primarily in biological terms. It examines the psychological, social and cultural dimensions, addresses the stigma faced by older women and advocates for the vital role psychiatrists have to play in supporting postmenopausal women.

To review and explore the eating disorder admissions to an in-patient child and adolescent mental health hospital which had restarted taking such presentations. This was done by conducting three audits using RiO (an electronic patient records system) and including all young people with eating disorders or related difficulties admitted between 1 February 2019 and 30 June 2023. As part of this, relevant practice standards were identified using the baseline assessment tool in UK national guidelines.

The audits identified 46 completed admissions, detailing demographic information, nasogastric and restraint feeding, therapeutic interventions and medication, admission and discharge routes, length of admission and more.

The review highlighted the apparent overall success of a general admission unit in treating eating disorders and related difficulties and identified key areas of importance and development in terms of clinical practice.

This study examines more than 5.8 million bed days of data from private and National Health Service care providers who contribute to the Mental Health Services Monthly Statistics in the UK. The use of oral chemical restraint is compared with provider size, and the relative use of oral chemical restraint as opposed to seclusion is investigated.

The data-set has large amounts of missing data. The use of oral chemical restraint is proportional to provider size in terms of bed days. Analysis of those providers who reliably submit data demonstrates patterns of reported use of oral chemical restraint versus use of seclusion.

Further research is required into the institutional characteristics that are correlated with increased use of oral chemical restraint. Efforts to investigate the use of restrictive interventions in mental health settings are frustrated by inconsistent reporting.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a fatal condition affecting older people. This study aims to identify specific risk factors for VTE in older psychiatric in-patients within mental hospital settings. Using predefined search terms, we searched five databases to capture studies evaluating risk factors associated with the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in older psychiatric in-patients.

Thirteen studies were identified, and a narrative synthesis performed. Increasing age was a consistent risk factor for VTE. Diagnosis and psychotropic medication use were inconsistent. Depression, catatonia and use of restraint in people with dementia were associated with higher risks.

Older psychiatric in-patients differ from medical and surgical in-patients in their risk profiles. Screening tools used in general hospital patients are of limited use among older adults in psychiatric hospital settings. An exclusive screening tool to identify VTE risk factors in older psychiatric in-patients is needed.

In the UK, Black doctors experience higher levels of discrimination, bullying and harassment compared with other doctors. This study aims to explore the impact of this on perceived well-being and mental health. A UK survey of 109 Black psychiatrists asked about racism, othering, microaggressions, bullying and harassment, plus any links to career progression or mental well-being.

Sixty-three survey participants (57.8%) had faced workplace microaggressions, 44 (40.4%) had experienced workplace bullying and 41 (37.6%) had faced workplace harassment. Forty-seven (43.1%) participants reported a detrimental impact on their mental health, with 35 (32.1%) considering quitting and 24 (22%) reporting a poorer work performance.

These experiences are unacceptable and can be traumatic. The impact of racism and discrimination can also undermine effective service delivery. Barriers to reporting can prolong mistreatment and deter professional aspirations among Black psychiatrists. Collective action is needed to drastically improve the workplace environment, including the widespread institutional adoption of an anti-discriminatory stance.

This study explored the association among dissociative experiences, recovery from psychosis and a range of factors relevant to psychosis and analysed whether dissociative experiences (compartmentalisation, detachment and absorption) could be used to predict specific stages of recovery. A cross-sectional design was used, and 75 individuals with psychosis were recruited from the recovery services of the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust. Five questionnaires were used – the Dissociative Experiences Scale – II (DES), Detachment and Compartmentalisation Inventory (DCI), Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery, Stages of Recovery Instrument (STORI), and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale – and a proforma was used to collect demographic data.

Our findings indicated that compartmentalisation, detachment and absorption, as measured by DES and DCI, do not predict stages of recovery as measured by the STORI.

The results of this study suggest that there is no simple relationship between dissociative and psychotic symptoms. They also suggest a need to assess these symptoms separately in practice and indicate that special approaches to treatment of psychosis may be needed in cases where such symptoms have a significant role.

An equitable child mental health service provides access to treatment proportionally to the need of individual demographic groups. Despite qualitative and survey-based evidence of barriers disadvantaging some demographic groups, it is not well understood how these barriers translate into quantifiable inequities. We calculated the treatment access rate for English children aged 6–16 years in 2021–2022, using the patient-level Mental Health Services Data Set and Mental Health of Children and Young People Survey.

The number of primary school children in treatment needs to increase nationally by 173%, the number of boys by 65% and the number of children from a White ethnic background by 31%, to achieve equity in treatment access. There was no evidence of inequities by area deprivation.

Child mental health services in England should not only increase overall access rates, but also pay more attention to equity in access across different demographic groups.