Managing personality disorders: making positive connections

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Correctional Healthcare
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Effective management of individuals with personality disorders requires specialized staff skills and support.
• Inadequate support systems for staff can negatively impact both care quality and personnel wellbeing.
• The current healthcare and correctional systems often face challenges in providing comprehensive staff training and support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline essential elements of support, guidance, and training for staff working with individuals with personality disorders.
• To emphasize the critical role of staff wellbeing in the successful implementation of personality disorder treatment programs.
• To inform the development of robust support structures within correctional facilities.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and expert opinion on best practices for staff support in mental health settings.
• Case study of a pilot program at HMP Whitemoor for assessment and treatment of severe personality disorders.
• Ongoing research evaluating staff needs and refining support structures within the pilot program.

Main Results:

• Programmes lacking essential staff support, guidance, and training compromise care quality and staff wellbeing.
• HMP Whitemoor is piloting a program for severe personality disorders, focusing on multidisciplinary team principles and skills competencies.
• Studies are underway to evaluate staff needs and refine support, supervision, and development structures.

Conclusions:

• Prioritizing staff needs is fundamental for the existence and success of services for individuals with personality disorders.
• Without adequate staff support, services are unsustainable, leading to negative outcomes for both staff and patients.
• The findings underscore the necessity of integrating comprehensive staff development into treatment programs for personality disorders.