The Day Resource Centre-Bedford

In the directorate for People of Working Age the Arts Psychotherapies team consists of 6 therapists working in community and ward based Teams across Bedfordshire seeing patients in secure, acute, day-care and out-patient settings. The team offers both individual and group therapy.

In Luton the team consists of three Art Psychotherapist's and one Drama Psychotherapist. The team works at Robin Pinto Unit, Oakley Court, Townsend Court, and at Calnwood court for Luton CMHT West and Luton CMHT East. The team is based at:

Townsend Court
Mayer Way
Houghton Regis
Dunstable
LU5 5BF

In Bedford the team consists of one Art Psychotherapist and one Drama Psychotherapist. The team works at the Day Resource Centre Bedford

Day Resource Centre
Bedford Health Village
3 Kimbolton Road
Bedford
MK40 2NT

People who have the following conditions

• Anxiety and depression
• Mood disorders
• Psychotic disorders
• Personality problems

The difficulties patients experience may be in one or more of the following areas.

• Physical, emotional or sexual abuse
• Loss and bereavement
• Difficulties with motivation
• Self-Harm
• Relationship difficulties
• Managing mental health symptoms
• Problem solving
• Fragile sense of self
• Role and identity issues
• Coping with life changes

The Arts Psychotherapies are statutory regulated professions under the Health Professions Council and are due to this deemed an ‘evidence based’ intervention. Furthermore the Arts Psychotherapies are included in all of the government White Papers on Modernisation of the NHS.

The Arts Psychotherapies practise psychotherapy within a particular model and offer type C psychological treatment for service users with moderate to severe mental health problems and complex needs or type B psychological treatment for service users with time limited disorders who can benefit from specialist intervention.

NICE Guidelines on Schizophrenia (2009) found consistent evidence that: arts therapies are effective in reducing negative symptoms when compared to any other control. There was some evidence indicating that the medium to large effects found at the end of treatment wre sustained at up to six months follow-up. There is consistent evidence to indicate a medium effect size regardless of modality used within the interventions. (i.e. music, drama or art), and that arts therapies were equally as effective in reducing negative symptoms in both inpatient and outpatient populations' The same guidelines recommended that Arts Psychotherapies be offered to all people with schizophrenia particularly for the alleviation of negative symptoms and can be started either during the acute phase of later.

Referrals can be made to the team by a number of different professionals, these include:

• Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Community Psychiatic Nurses
• G.P.'s via CMHT or Day Care
• Ward Staff
• Day Care Staff

We recommend that patients receiving other psychologically based treatment complete this before a referral is made. Referral forms are available from the Arts Psychotherapies Team

Patients referred for individua therapy and closed groups will be offered an assessment with a member of the Team. Patients will receive information about the Arts Psychotherapies and decide with the therapist whether treatment is appropriate to their needs. A therapuetic contract will then be agreed.

For ward based and open groups assessment is ongoing and forms part of the multi-disciplinary approach to treatment.

Some typical outcomes reported back to us are;

Inpatients

• Increased insight into mental health problems
• Better management of states of mind
• Reduction of symptoms
• More receptive to medical and nursing intervention
• Better interpersonal relating within the ward environment
• Better coping strategies
• Better management of frustration and dispair
• Ability to express thoughts and feelings in a safer and more appropriate way

Outpatients

• Self management of mental health problems
• Reduction of symptoms
• Better internal stability and improved sence of self
• Reduction of anxiety
• Better coping strategies
• Increased assertiveness
• Improved day to day functioning
• Reduction of relapse or readmission
• Improved interpersonal relating
• Better engagement with voluntary work and social inclusion
• Increased confidence and self-esteem

In order to obtain these goals the Arts Psychotherapists work closely with other members of the therapeutic team