Finalist
Community Mental Health Project
Summary of work
Attigo CIC supported by Johnson and Johnson, The Department for International Development and Yale University have developed a first of its kind community mental health treatment model for people living with schizophrenia and delusional disorders in Accra, Ghana. In line with international best practice the Mental Health Authority in Ghana wants to reduce patients’ dependence on inpatient facilities to limit their mental health beds, with the vast majority of care delivered by community resource, ending restrictive practices in rundown facilities and treating patients in their own homes with their families supporting them. Attigo CiC worked extensively with patients, their families and carers to fully understand their needs and concerns, running multiple workshops throughout the country in advance of scoping the solution. We also worked with psychiatrists, nurses and the Ghanaian Mental Health Authority to develop the entire programme. The result is a comprehensive, evidenced-based care model using remote hand-held digital technology to deliver all aspects of the programme from training though care delivery and outcome measurement. The model leapfrogs western technological models with an agile, portable but all-encompassing model of care in the hands of the clinicians wherever they are, from urban to extreme remote areas.
Judges’ comments
The Community Mental Health Project made an impact in an area of real need, which resulted in positive outcomes for patients and hit the mark from a corporate reputation perspective. It had impressive use of local partners and ambitious objectives.
