Improved Care Case Study - Follow appointment offered to patient expressing distress about attending in person.
In December 2019, a patient in Ty Bryn Unit was booked in for a regular follow-up appointment but was expressing distress about attending in person. A telehealth appointment was offered by her consultant psychiatrist as an alternative.The telehealth appointment was reported to have gone very well by the patient, parent and consultant. Dr Kavitha Pasunuru, the Clinical Director of CAMHS and Consultant who conducted the telehealth appointment reported to be very pleased with the experience and outcome. For Dr Pasunuru, what made all the difference was when the young person became upset, she was comforted by her pet dog, and this was described by the consultant as:
“The simple home comforts can make all the difference to a young person in distress. A typical clinical setting wouldn’t allow for the additional support that the young person’s dog was able to offer to her in the telehealth appointment”
The family have now requested that all of the young person’s follow-up appointments are to be held via telehealth.