Pictured: Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care
An independent evaluation, which looked at the Scottish Government’s extension of the Distress Brief Intervention programme (DBI) as part of the national COVID response, found that the extended DBI service adapted and integrated successfully with the NHS24 Mental Health Hub to deliver connected compassionate support to more people across Scotland.
This evaluation focussed on the expansion and development of the DBI programme into a nationwide response for people presenting in distress during the pandemic. The expansion allows NHS24 Mental Health Hub staff to offer the additional DBI pathway to person centred support, for anyone who contacts them in distress, 24/7, aged 16 and over, from anywhere in Scotland, where the caller is assessed as appropriate for DBI.
This evaluation, builds on a separate but related evaluation into the core DBI programme, published in May 2022: Distress Brief Intervention Pilot Programme evaluation: findings report – gov.scot (www.gov.scot).
The evaluation was undertaken by an evaluation consortium of the Nursing Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit at the University of Stirling and Glasgow Caledonian University.
Professor Edward Duncan from the University of Stirling, who led the multi-agency evaluation consortium, said: “Our evaluation found that is possible to extend ways in which DBI is delivered without impacting on the positive health outcomes we found in the wider evaluation of the core DBI programme. The evaluation findings support the ongoing implementation of this successful interagency programme to support people in distress.”
Welcoming the findings, national DBI programme manager Kevin O’Neill, said:
“I must thank the evaluation team for the report and emerging findings. The report validates all the tremendous work of the DBI community, who are inspired and committed to using the learning and recommendations, in support of the continuous improvement to provide the best connected, compassionate support possible.
“I pay the highest tribute to the DBI community who have demonstrated incredible commitment, innovation, flexibility, creativity and adaptability in how they have responded to the pandemic, with all involved mobilising their collective assets, not only maintaining the provision of connected compassionate support during these challenging times but answering the call to expand its reach at significant pace and scale.
“Special acknowledgement goes to all our front-line colleagues, which now includes NHS24 and the third sector DBI community, who by working together, day in and day out have provided connected compassionate support to over 30,000 people in distress, 10,000 of whom have been referred by NHS24”.
The evaluation’s findings and recommendations will help inform further improvements and adjustments to the DBI programme over the coming period.
The Associate Director or Nursing and Operations for NHS 24, Gail MacGregor said:
“From the outset of the collaboration, it has been a pleasure to work alongside Kevin and our DBI colleagues. In addition to supporting our callers and providing quality input to their caller journey, it has also been a great experience for our staff in the sharing of services information and in providing the knowledge that their callers will have follow up care and knowing, from 2 way feedback, that their referrals are appropriate.”
Professor Rory O’Connor from University of Glasgow’s Institute of Health & Wellbeing who led the DBI training and intervention development said:
“At the height of COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the national response and as a matter of urgency, the DBI service was extended and integrated with the NHS24 Mental Health Hub to ensure that connected compassionate support was available to anyone across Scotland who needed it. In doing so, the frontline staff have been remarkable throughout and it is great to see this acknowledged in the evaluation. I also welcome the recommendations as the DBI roll-out continues and as we optimise the delivery of the DBI programme moving forward.”
Minister for Mental Wellbeing & Social Care Kevin Stewart said:
“The Distress Brief Intervention programme plays a hugely important role in providing timely, compassionate support to people in emotional distress. It is encouraging to see that this innovative programme has been so strongly endorsed.
“Since the programme was launched in 2017, the service has now supported over 30,000 people at a time of emotional distress – including over 10,000 who have been referred by NHS24 since spring 2020.
“I would like to thank NHS24 and all our partners involved in developing and providing this service, as part of our wider response to the pandemic.”
Read the full report and summary evaluation reports below:
- DBI Extension Evaluation Full Report: Evaluation of the Extended Distress Brief Intervention Programme – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
- DBI Extension Evaluation Summary Report: Evaluation of the Extended Distress Brief Intervention Programme: summary of findings – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Background Note
The evaluation looked at the Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) programme, which has two levels.
Level 1 sees front-line colleagues in areas such Emergency Departments, police, ambulance service, primary care and now NHS24, trained to ease a person’s distress. With the person’s agreement, they then refer the person to the DBI level 2 service, with the promise of support within 24 hours.
Level 2 is provided by commissioned and trained third sector staff who contact the person within 24-hours of referral and provides around 14 days of:
- Problem solving support
- Wellness and distress management planning
- Supported connections
- Signposting
This evaluation of the Extended Distress Brief Intervention Programme focused specifically on the establishment of the national NHS24 DBI pathway.
