Managing personality disorders: making positive connections.
This article has outlined what the author believes to be the essential elements of support, guidance and training for staff working with people with personality disorders. It can be argued that programmes without these elements compromise not only the quality of care but also staff wellbeing. HMP Whitemoor, Cambridgeshire, is currently piloting a programme for the assessment and treatment of severe personality disorders. The multidisciplinary team is actively working towards the principles as defined in this paper, and is also involved in the development of skills competencies to underpin the whole process. There are several studies underway relating to the needs of the prison's staff team and these will evaluate the aforementioned principles and thereby refine the staff support, supervision and development structures. There is no apology made for the focus of this article being on staff needs. Without them being met, any service designed to care and manage people with personality disorders cannot exist, thus returning the people this programme is designed to help to a chaotic and crisis-driven existence.
Annette
A
Duff
D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000193:education; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory / Q000458:organization & administration; D016272:Occupational Health; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D012944:Social Support