All 31 Health and Social Care Partnerships have now signed up to
a programme which supports people experiencing distress.
The Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) service was first launched
as a pilot seven years ago and provides support to people who
present to emergency services or in primary care settings in a
distressed state. Since then, more than 75,000 people have been
helped.
The programme can offer people an initial call within 24 hours.
They are then provided with up to two weeks of one-to-one support
with a specially trained practitioner to help address issues
which might be contributing to their distress, such as money
worries and relationship problems.
Frontline staff in Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service,
Accident and Emergency Depts, Primary Care and NHS24 can refer
people who present to them in emotional distress – and if
assessed as appropriate - to third sector organisations which
provide compassionate and personalised support.
People in distress who speak to a call handler at NHS24, Police
Scotland or the Scottish Ambulance Service can also be referred
for DBI support, from anywhere in Scotland.
Public Health Minister said:
"In developing our world leading DBI programme over 75,000 people
across Scotland have received the right support at the right time
and in the right place. This innovative referral pathway and
collaborative approach has helped reduce pressures in the
Scottish Ambulance Service, A&E and Police Scotland, allowing
frontline staff to focus on other responsibilities.
“By investing £24 million in the programme since 2016, the
Scottish Government has ensured a Scotland-wide approach has been
taken to help people cope when they are in a distressed
state. It is clear that this help provided to people is
invaluable.”
Professor Rory O'Connor, Professor of Health Psychology at
University of Glasgow, President of the International Association
for Suicide Prevention and co-lead for the intervention and
training components of DBI, said:
“DBI is an incredible achievement. Tens of thousands of people in
distress have received immediate, compassionate support since its
launch in 2017. DBI is a remarkable team effort by colleagues up
and down the country, driven by the shared purpose of delivering
compassionate, connected support to people when they need it. I
am so proud to be involved in this world-leading mental health
intervention.”
Kirstie McCulloch, who received support and now works for DBI
said: “I was experiencing severe panic attacks, anxiety, and
depression, due to the Covid lockdowns. NHS 24 helped me when I
had a severe panic attack, and I came off the call feeling less
distressed. I still needed some support, so I was referred to the
DBI service, which in my local area is run by SAMH.
“I was a little unsure initially, but the support was invaluable.
By the end of the two-week service, I felt I had a better
perspective on how to move forward. I asked my practitioner how
they came into the role, and I knew this was something I would
like to do for others.
“In the 18 months I have worked here, I have delivered
compassionate support and helped people get back on their feet. I
get huge satisfaction from this role.
Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said: “Policing is often
the first response when people need help. Our mission is to keep
people safe and we'll always respond to threat, harm and risk to
ensure public safety
“Our involvement in mental health incidents and supporting
vulnerable people has a significant impact on this organisation
and is beyond where policing should be. That's not the best
support for those who need help and it's not delivering best
value for the public.
“DBI enables trained officers to identify when someone needs
support and signpost them to the right service, allowing them to
redirect to tackling threat, harm and risk and preventing
crime.”
Background
Distress Brief Intervention first went live as a pilot in 2017,
helping people over 18. In 2019 it was extended to help 16- and
17-year-olds.
Independent evaluation Distress Brief
Intervention pilot programme: evaluation - gov.scot
(www.gov.scot) and Extended Distress Brief
Intervention Programme: evaluation - summary findings - gov.scot
(www.gov.scot) shows that the model does what it was intended
to do (provide an innovative way of providing non-clinical
support for people experiencing distress and who previously could
not be offered support); that around half of people supported by
DBI did not re-present in distress to frontline services within
the three months after the intervention, and that around one in
10 people supported by DBI reported that if they had not received
DBI support they would have continued to experience suicidal
thoughts or may even have taken their own lives.
Various third sector organisations provide DBI in local areas
across Scotland; Penumbra; Change Mental Health; Scottish Action
on Mental Health (SAMH); Lifelink; Orkney Blide Trust;
Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health (LAMH); Glasgow
Association for Mental Health (GAMH); Recovery Across Mental
Health (RAMH); Falkirk and District Association for Mental Health
(FDAMH); and Mind Your Head Shetland.
