Table of Contents

Contents; ; Acknowledgements, xii; Foreword (Authored by Stephen Fry), xiii; Preface (Authored by Christian Betteridge), xiv; Chapter 1 - Introduction, 1; Chapter 2 - Learning Aims, 5; Chapter 3 - Historical Origins, 6; Chapter 4 - Nature and Purpose, 9; Chapter 5 - Good Practice, 13; Chapter 6 - Assessing within Context, 16; Chapter 7 - Methods of Assessment/History Taking, 20; Chapter 8 - Building Rapport and Finding Common Ground, 22; Chapter 9 - Assessment Format, 24; Chapter 10 - Presenting Situation and Background History, 25; Chapter 11 - Appearance, 26; Chapter 12 - Communication, 27; Chapter 13 - Mood/Affect, 31; Chapter 14 - Thoughts, 34; Chapter 15 - Attention/Concentration, 37; Chapter 16 - Motivation/Volition and Coping, 38; Chapter 17 - Drug Use, 40; Chapter 18 - Perception, 46; Chapter 19 - Sleep, 49; Chapter 20 - Appetite, 53; Chapter 21 - Interaction, 55; Chapter 22 - Insight, 58; Chapter 23 - Childhood and Emotional Development , 60; Chapter 24 - Education and Intelligence, 63; Chapter 25 - Identity, 66; Chapter 26 - Memory, 70; Chapter 27 - Summary, 72; Chapter 28 - Recording Observations, 73; Chapter 29 - WMBSE Rapid Recording Tool, 75; Chapter 30 - Risk Assessment (Authored by Richard Whittard), 78; Chapter 31 - Conclusion, 87; References, 92; Appendices - Essays on Mental Health (A collection of brief expert opinion pieces), 113; A Reflection on the Experienced Prevalence of Patients Requiring Support with Mental Health Problems Encountered in Emergency Departments by an Emergency Care Nurse (Authored by Jennifer Humphries), 114; The Importance of Mental Health Awareness for Pharmacists. A Contribution from the President of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy (Authored by Juliet Shepherd), 116; The Relationship Between Delirium and Dementia and their Impact on Mental Health in Older Adults (Authored by Dr. Emma Abbey), 118; Welcoming Your Patients. A Reflection on the Importance of Rapport Building and Listening to the Stories of Others from the Perspective of a Psychotherapist (Authored by Kevin Donoghue), 120; Midwifery and Mental Health (Authored by Dr. Sally Pezaro), 122; General Practice, Dementia and Mental Health (Authored by Dr. Bob Hodges), 124; Mental Health and Occupational Therapy (Authored by Josie Wells), 127; Addressing Emotional and Psychological Needs During Palliative Care. A Perspective on 'End of Life' Care Provision in Mental Health Settings (Authored by Mark Lee), 128; Understanding Well-Being and Mental Health Issues in a Primary School Setting (Authored by G. S.), 130; Why a Knowledge and Understanding of Mental Illness is Important. A Paramedic's Perspective (Authored by Raili Worthington), 133; A Social Worker's Perspective on Mental Health (Authored by Rebecca Barrow), 135; A Reflection on the Challenges Posed by Mental Health Issues for the Police (Authored by Gareth Hopkins), 137; Assessment of Individuals with Psychosis. A View to Longer-Term Engagement (Authored by Deborah Gorman and Bill Newton), 138; Mental Health and Learning Disabilities. The Marginalised Within the Marginalised (Authored by Marc Pratt), 144; Mental Health and the Pressures of Working in the Entertainment Industry (Authored by Chris Renfrew), 146; Wonderful People with 'Chips and Cracks'. A Comedian's View on Script-Writing and Performance as a Metaphor for Recovery and Mental Health (Authored by Billy Kirkwood), 149; Physiotherapy and Mental Health (Authored by Dave Anderson), 150; ;

About the Author

Tim Whittard is a mental health nurse with specialist interests in psychiatric intensive care and older age psychiatry. He began working for the NHS in 2004 and qualified as a mental health nurse in 2008 after receiving the 'Gill Hek Award for Nursing Research' alongside his diploma. He has since maintained contact with the grassroots of his profession, working as a front-line clinician in inpatient care in the roles of both staff nurse and charge nurse.
He has also worked as a lecturer for the University of the West of England and the University of Worcester, covering topics ranging from the assessment of mental and behavioural state, the management of violence and aggression in hospital and care settings, care planning, risk assessment and management, memory assessment, the transition from student nurse to qualified nurse, and also the application of clinical skills. Additionally, he also works as a health and safety trainer in the private sector in the UK and has worked internationally in the role of a specialist consultant, applying knowledge of healthcare-related industry insights in the UK to assist clients in the USA and Canada in exploring opportunities to promote new biopharmaceuticals in the European marketplace.
Interests and qualifications in several other subjects aside from mental health nursing, most notably; parapsychology, philosophy of science, theoretical principles of hypnotherapy, artificial intelligence, the emerging applications of medicinal cannabis and also zoology/cryptozoology (with a specific focus on the study of anomalous predatory cats in Britain).
He has written and published several essays relating to mental health, nursing science, health science, higher education, psychology, abnormal psychology, therapy, public health and alternative medicine.

Reviews

"This guide to psychiatric assessment has arrived in good time. Every few decades the field of mental state examination needs a new view, a re-assessment of past wisdom and a consideration of emergent cultural beliefs/behaviours, with an eye to identifying new phenomena. Whittard's chapter on 'identity' could not have been written by earlier authorities. This is a scholarly work, well referenced and rounded. It will be well received by people who want to look behind the fMRI and find the individual."; Prof. Saxby Pridmore (Professor of Psychiatry, University of Tasmania, Australia. Author of 'The Psychiatric Interview. A Guide to History Taking and the Mental State Examination'). "This book will provide you with some contemporary approaches and theories to assist you in undertaking a mental health assessment...It is written in a non-jargon, straightforward approach and reflects current thinking on adult mental health assessment. I believe its format and content will be a valuable source of information as well as an interesting read, to prepare and update your assessment skills."; David Robson MA Ed RCNT RMN RGN RNC PGDip PGCE (Senior Lecturer of Mental Health Nursing, United Kingdom).