Andre Tomlin

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André Tomlin is an Information Scientist with 20 years experience working in evidence-based healthcare. He's worked in the NHS, for Oxford University and since 2002 as Managing Director of Minervation Ltd, a consultancy company who do clever digital stuff for charities, universities and the public sector. Most recently André has been the driving force behind the Mental Elf and the National Elf Service; an innovative digital platform that helps professionals keep up to date with simple, clear and engaging summaries of evidence-based research. André is a Trustee at the Centre for Mental Health and an Honorary Research Fellow at University College London Division of Psychiatry. He lives in Bristol, surrounded by dogs, elflings and lots of woodland!

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Two systematic reviews find little evidence for drug treatments in children under 12 with autism spectrum disorders

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Around 1% of the population have autism. There are a number of treatments available for the condition, including learning and development techniques, as well as medical interventions. However, there is little consensus about which drug treatments are most effective. A team of researchers from Nashville have recently published two systematic reviews in the Pediatrics journal, [read the full story…]

Depression significantly increases the risk of stroke: new systematic review

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There is a considerable body of research that explores the links between depression and other diseases (e.g. cancer and cardiovascular disease). Many studies have also been published that investigate the relationship between depression and stroke, but the results are inconsistent. Researchers from Harvard have now conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies [read the full story…]

Safeguarding adults reports published by SCIE

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The Department of Health has commissioned the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) to produce two reports on adult safeguarding: 1. Governance of adult safeguarding The research for this report explored the governance arrangements for safeguarding adults. Drawing on a systematic review of the literature, workshops attended by safeguarding specialists, a survey of Safeguarding Adults [read the full story…]

Better information sharing can help prevent prison suicides says new report

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Prison staff need to record and share more information about violence and intimidation to improve prisoner safety, said Nigel Newcomen, the new Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO), publishing a report into the impact of intimidation, violence and bullying on those who take their own lives in prison. The report has been produced as a result [read the full story…]

You want a weekly email newsletter: results from our September poll

Thanks very much to everyone who took the time to participate in our September poll, which asked your preferred method for keeping up to date with the Mental Elf. Half of those who voted said that a weekly email newsletter would be the best way to keep up to date. Visiting the website was quite [read the full story…]

Memantine may reduce fractures and cholinesterase inhibitors may increase syncope in dementia: new systematic review

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Last week I blogged about a study that showed how some dementia drugs may help reduce the progression of the disease and delay admission to care homes for people with the condition. This new systematic review carried out by a research team from Harvard Medical School investigates the potential side effects of two dementia drugs: [read the full story…]

Anti-dementia drugs may help delay people’s admission to care homes: findings from observational study

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Prescribing anti-dementia drugs to patients could help delay their admission to care homes, according to a new study published in the October issue of The Psychiatrist. Psychiatrists Dr Emad Salib and Dr Jessica Thompson studied a total of 339 people with dementia, who were referred to psychiatric services in Peasley Cross Hospital in St Helens [read the full story…]

More mental health support needed for students in higher education

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The Royal College of Psychiatrists has today published a new report into the mental health of students in higher education. The report calls for more investment in mental health support for university students, amid concerns that some students with mental health problems may be missing out on the help they need. The College published its [read the full story…]

Depression in later life: new clinical review from the BMJ

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This week’s British Medical Journal features a review of depression in later life. The authors bring together recent systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomised controlled trials to summarise best current knowledge about the diagnosis and management of patients who develop depression in later life. The review addresses the following questions: What is late life depression and [read the full story…]

The majority of schizophrenia patients in Finland stop taking their antipsychotics within 60 days of discharge

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We know that many people who take antipsychotic drugs find it difficult to cope with the side effects of the medication and this often leads to them stopping their treatment. This large Finish cohort study examines the risks of rehospitalisation and drug discontinuation in patients recently diagnosed with schizophrenia who have been prescribed antipsychotics. The [read the full story…]