SHaRON Benefits

“SHaRON provides the service in between the service, the space to be part of the service, gain access to like-minded individual’s and moderators whilst waiting at the start of the journey, it continues through and can be effective at the end, ensuring there is not drop off for users at the end of their mental health support process.” NHSX

Available 24-7, 365. Provides accurate NHS contacts in a secure space, useable in urgent situations. Detects deterioration early. Moderated by service, supported by volunteers and peers. Offers an excellent addition to service waiting times, enables support at step down phase and can help with potential earlier discharge.

Reach out to individuals by circumstance (e.g. location mental health, finance). Accessible on any device with WIFI or data. Reducing stigma by being anonymous to other members. Safe place to share. Peer support, helping to manage long terms or lifelong conditions. Expand your clinical team with volunteer and peer moderators.

Bespoke accurate service specific resources you can access in one place. Reduces searching for information. Reduces travel and time costs. One clinician can reach out and interact with many members at the same time. SHaRON can be with them on their journey in real time to support them.

SHaRON meets digital demands for patient care

Escalating waiting times, increased service user expectations, more service users than ever, mental health funding. How can SHaRON help?

_{A recently Healthwatch survey tells us Waiting lists are inevitable. It's how we manage them that matters.}

_{Conducted by YouGov, a disappointing 45% of people said they received no information or not enough whilst waiting.}
_{Patients need support outside their therapy sessions.}

_{The SHaRON platform provides access to an online digital community for service users from their first assessment right through their final therapy sign off and beyond.}

_{Access to SHaRON stops the isolated wait for interaction; it begins the support from clinicians, prior to, or, whilst receiving therapy.}

_{“Furthermore, accessing health information online is viewed as a confidential and convenient way to access information” (Prescott et al., 2017)}

_{"Having 24/7 access to an online support was perceived to be valuable Online support seemed to have a positive impact on emotional well-being, as it's continuous availability gave participants a secure feeling and the opportunity to clear their mind from frustrations and worries immediately". (Miriam Zaagsma et al., 2021)}

_{Young mental health referrals double in England after lockdowns / Mental health / The Guardian}

_{How to get the right support for our young people and how to get support for their relatives and carers?}

_{SHaRON is used across many services, each offer a safe, welcoming community, with no stigma, which provides accurate, informative resources. As well as helping those service users SHaRON can also offer a supportive network for relatives and carers, and}_{peer to peer support provides invaluable shared lived experiences.}

_{Services are judged by CQC through the five key areas of:}

_Safe
_Effective
_{Caring - within this area we look at people experiencing poor mental health}
_{Responsive – within this are we consider the development of services, ensure individual patients’ needs are considered.}
_Well-led

_{BHFT is categorised as a CQC outstanding trust, offering innovative solutions. Putting patient care at the heart of everything we do. Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (cqc.org.uk) SHaRON was born from BHFT clinicians innovation in supporting their patients. The SHaRON HQ Team is an experienced clinical and non clinical project team, who will guide you through every stage of project inception, to go live and beyond.}

Clinicians use SHaRON to extend their service remit

Many services use their SHaRON platform to provide additional support and communication, they run workshop advertisements through SHaRON, instigate activities, chat and empathise and provide fact filled sessions to ignite their online community. The benefit of service user anonymity is realised when people have the freedom to ask questions they may feel they cannot ask anywhere else. The benefit for clinicians who have a SHaRON in there service are:

Clinicians can provide specific support, advice or dedicated psycho-educational material to an individual or a group or across the whole of SHaRON, e.g. SHaRON videocasts.
Clinical teams can use SHaRON in various ways to deliver a therapeutic service 24/7 and 365 days a year.
Clinicians can provide online individual treatment sessions which are at mutually convenient times, either within regular working hours or outside office hours.
SHaRON can be used to continue providing a therapeutic service, even in times of local or national severe or adverse events and will be the bedrock of contingency planning.
SHaRON will provide the opportunity for clinicians, that are competent in their IT skills, and who are wanting to offer services that are patient focused and to be creative in the delivery of therapeutic advice and support.
SHaRON allows for the training of staff in direct intervention with patients and the opportunity to observe clinicians in intimate therapeutic relationships with their patients. SHaRON provides a unique simulation opportunity in the training of all disciplines, eg. Medical, Psychology, Nursing staff to witness and learn about responses to clinical material in the online environment.
Clinicians using SHaRON can gain a much more extensive picture of their client's life and successful areas that can be utilised in their traditional face to face sessions. Clinicians are also able to engage more easily with parents and carers which will enable a more holistic approach to their therapeutic work.