Research and Improvement

As a result of research, there is now clear evidence regarding which interventions should be delivered shortly after traumatic events to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and which interventions should be delivered to provide the best treatment outcomes.  There is also emerging evidence regarding the best interventions to treat complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD).  Much work remains to be done, however, to improve our understanding of PTSD and CPTSD and how best to help people with these conditions.  There is also work to be done to ensure that people across Wales at risk of or with PTSD or CPTSD have timely access to evidence-based care.

Traumatic Stress Wales is committed to conducting research and quality improvement work to address gaps in knowledge, capacity and capability, to improve the health and wellbeing of people of all ages living in Wales at risk of developing or with PTSD or CPTSD.  Education and training, research and development, clinical audit and improvement methodology will be used to drive a continuously learning and increasingly effective system.

Traumatic Stress Wales Improvement Initiatives

• The development of a quality improvement framework that introduces a clinical governance system using a variety of approaches associated with safety and quality improvement, to deliver a continuously improving all Wales approach.
   
• A national minimum dataset will be routinely collected and analysed to monitor and facilitate service improvement against service standards.
   
• Development of all Wales materials, data processing and reporting, benchmarking, training and supervision.
   
• Updating Matrics Cymru’s recommendations for the psychological treatment of people with PTSD and CPTSD and facilitating the implementation of these.
   
• Implementation of evidence-based prescribing of medication guidelines for people with PTSD and CPTSD.