C. J. Ball

Bio: C. J. Ball is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Service (business). The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 3 citations.

A comparison of communication modes in adult psychiatry.

Abstract: The process and outcome of clinical tasks in an acute psychiatric unit were compared using four different communication modes: face to face, telephone, hands-free telephone, and a low-cost videoconferencing system. Six doctors and six patients took part in the study. Four assessment measures were used. The videoconferencing system was positively received by both patients and doctors. Both doctors and patients preferred communication modes with visual cues. However, there were few significant differences between communication modes when using single measures; only multiple levels of analysis can adequately assess the differences between such modes of communication.

An Evaluation of the Use of Interactive Television in an Acute Psychiatric Service

Abstract: This study reports the results of the use of a low-cost videoconferencing system (LCVC) for communication in an acute psychiatric service. Qualitative research methodology was used to examine the use of the LCVC in interactions between psychiatrists, patients and nursing staff, including information on refusals. One hundred and five clinical interactions were studied over four months. The LCVC proved technically reliable and compatible with the performance of a wide range of clinical tasks. However, the results suggest the need for better understanding of the nature and origins of the attitudes that users bring to the use of such communications technology. A framework is presented for the classification of user responses in terms of preexisting attitudes of the users, technological limitations of the system and the mental state of the users. The study demonstrated the potential for interactive television to support many of the communication tasks necessary in a dispersed psychiatric service and for teleps...

Telephone consultancy in adolescent psychiatry: an audit

Abstract: Objective: An audit was carried out to evaluate the performance of a telephone consultancy service in adolescent psychiatry. Its objective was to answer the following questions: What does a telephone consultancy service actually do? Is it worth having? If so, how can we improve it? Method: Proforma data sheets on 69 consecutive calls to the Telephone Consultancy Service over a 16-month period were analysed. Results: Seventy-seven percent of enquirers used the service to request a referral or to ask about the appropriateness of referral but only 46% of enquiries were responded to in this way. Twenty-two percent of enquiries were given counselling or advice on how to proceed with the cases themselves. Almost 50% of calls came from the social work department and they enquired principally about conduct problems (27% of their calls) and sexual abuse victims (18% of their calls). General practitioners infrequently used the service (7 calls over a 16-month period). Conclusions: These findings appear to indicate that a telephone consultancy service can provide a counselling service and highlight community resources that may be overlooked by other agencies. However, infrequent use of the service by general practitioners suggests that there has been poor dissemination of information about the service – therefore it is important to bolster awareness of the service itself on a periodic basis amongst potential users.