Author(s)

Sabrina Carta, Frances Ng

Anaesthetics Department, Salisbury District Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Background: With 1.5% of hospital presentations in Salisbury district hospital in 2019 being attributed to mental health issues, this paper aims to highlight the indirect impact COVID-19 has had on mental health burden in a district general hospital, in southern England. Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out on intensive care unit (ICU) records between March 1^st and May 31^st 2018, 2019 and 2020 relating to total admissions and mental health presentations. Data relating to referrals was analysed from the mental health liaison team (MHLT) for the above monthly periods in 2019 and 2020. Last of all, information relating to emergency department (ED) total and mental health presentations were collected via the trust informatics team for the same period in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Data collected were statistically analysed using the two-proportion z-test. Results: Data from ICU showed a 15.7% increase in specified mental health presentations from 2019 to 2020, compared to a 0.65% decrease from 2018 to 2019. The MHLT report revealed no statistical difference in the number of referrals made between 2019 and 2020. ED data showed mental health issues made up 2.06% of all presentations in 2020, a statistically significant increase compared to 1.53% in 2019. Conclusion: Despite fewer overall admissions to ICU and presentations to ED at Salisbury District Hospital in 2020, the percentage of these due to self-harm, overdose and suicidal attempts have increased compared to the same period in 2019 and 2018. Literature remains limited but the long-term consequences on the mental health of the population are to be expected.

COVID-19, Mental Health, Presentations

Carta, S. and Ng, F. (2021) The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19: Salisbury District Hospital. Psychology, 12, 1118-1126. doi: 10.4236/psych.2021.127068.