School of Nursing Project: Managing Bipolar Disorder in the NHS

This project delves into the complexities of Bipolar Disorder within the National Health Service (NHS), presenting a detailed analysis of the problem, its justification, and the significant economic impacts. The project outlines specific objectives, including providing a common care center, implementing tracking technology, and establishing a research center to improve patient outcomes. The project's deliverables encompass a common care facility, safety technology, and an improved research center. The methodology involves proper planning, financial strategies, and a ten-year design life, supported by SWOT analysis. The project aims to improve the well-being of patients through coordinated care, enhanced research, and technological advancements, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life for individuals with bipolar disorder and reducing the economic burden on the healthcare system. The project is a response to an identified issue within the student's area of practice.

National Health Service Bipolar Disorder
Name of student:
Institutional Affiliations:

Problem Justification
Research indicates that a person who is suffering from bipolar disorder suffers from
periods of depressive and manic moods, which have an intermittent period of normal moods.
This, as such, tends to change the lifestyle of an individual to a large extent, limiting his/her
ability to live a normal life. These periods when an individual shifts to maniac mood tends to
affect the sleep patterns, sleep and even interaction, among other factors. Nonetheless, the World
Health Organization (2019) indicates that approximately 45 million people globally suffer from
the disorder.
According to research, there are 4 types of bipolar disorder: bipolar 1, bipolar 2,
cyclothymiacs and other progressive The level of a bipolar disorder is dependent on the extent of
the symptoms with bipolar 1 exhibiting less symptoms that bipolar 2 and so on (World Health
Organisation 2019). The major implication, nevertheless, lies on the fact that the disease does not
chose an age set or any other demographic characteristic but can occur to any individual. In that
regard, it has also been noted that there has been no emphasis on the moist appropriate
mechanism for treatment and it is only vital to pay a closer look at anyone who may have
symptoms of depression.
The economic Impacts
The United States
That being the case, it has been established that these ailment tends to have a major
implication in the economy, mainly through the restrictive practices associated with anyone that
suffers from it. According to a study that was conducted on the number of employees who had a
bipolar disorder, it was estimated that as many as 0.3% of the total labor force may suffer from

bipolar disorder (Gardner, et al. 2006). In this case, it has been estimated that companies have to
pay an annual fee of approximately $7000 for these employees. Increase in the health benefit
costs, together with an increase in the rate of absenteeism, as such, is of major concern when it
comes to economic development. As per the analysis of Cloutier et al, it was established that the
total health care of bipolar 1 was $202.1 billion in the year 2015. This, as such corresponded to
approximately $80,000 for each individual that suffers from the metal ailment (Cloutier, et al.
2018). In such regards, it was compared that the extra costs that were associated with the bipolar
individuals was approximately $120 billion. In this case, it was estimated that the average cost
of each individual is approximately $50,000 (Cloutier, et al. 2018). These costs were allocated
in various domains which include care giving, the direct healthcare costs and unemployment.
UK, Germany and France
In the case of European countries, it has been noted that the prevalence of the ailment is
approximately 1% (Fajutrao, et al. 2009). In this case, it has been noted that Germany has a
prevalence of approximately 0.8%, Italy has a prevalence of about 0.8% while the UK has a
prevalence rate of about 4% (Fajutrao, et al. 2009). One of the criteria used in assessing the
economic burden, in this case, regards the suicide and morbidity rates. In this case, it was noted
that bipolar1 results to the deaths of approximately 18% and the related deaths of approximately
7% (Fajutrao, et al. 2009). This is the case of the UK. In Italy, however, it was noted that most
bipolar males have a suicide attempt of about 22% while in females, the suicide attempts are
about 54% (Fajutrao, et al. 2009). In the case of employment and disabilities, it has been noted
that only 30% of people who suffer the disorder are employed on a full time basis (Fajutrao, et
al. 2009). In such a case, these figures indicate that there is an overall reduction in the

profitability and productivity levels of economies. It, as such, should be addresses through a
policy implementation framework between the government and the other stakeholders.
Project Objective
Seeing that bipolar disorder is a major economic burden, the major objective is to:
1. Provide a common care center for bipolar disorder patients, relieving the care burden
inflicted onto family members.
2. Provide tracking technology for security purposes in case a bipolar disorder patient gets
lost.
3. Provide a research center that aims at facilitating proper research into bipolar disorder
conditions and the proper medical conditions.
Project Outputs
1. As it has been noted the cost of care for bipolar disorder patients results to an economic
burden and as such, one deliverable is to ensure that there is a common facility to provide
proper care for the bipolar disorder patients.
2. Another deliverable is the implementation of appropriate technology that will ensure that
the safety of the patients is well maintained. The implementation of a tracking technology
has been effective in numerous parts of th3e globe and as such, may be implemented in
line with the project requirements.
3. Better research center to ensure that all the needs of the bipolar disorder patients are well
conserved and understood. Although there is no cure for bipolar disorder, it has been
noted that there are some medical; interventions that may improve the well being of a
bipolar disorder patient.

4. Proper coordination and communication between the government agencies and the
bipolar disorder care. This focuses on a state planning approach to ensure that every
bipolar disorder patient is provided with the most intensive and appropriate facilities for
their overall well being.
5. Community participation in the implementation of proper care for the bipolar disorder
patients. In this, it is vital to understand the importance of the community when it comes
to bipolar disorder care.
Project Outcomes as per PRINCE2
1. Coordination between the government and local facilities in care for bipolar
disorder patients. This provides a proper business justification scenario since it
results to better local and regional management plans.
2. Improved well being of bipolar disorder patients through an improvement in the
security level.
3. Improved clinical and medical research on bipolar disorder. Within the
organizational environment, this provides a better approach to limiting the social
and economic problems.
Methodology
1. Proper management of bipolar disorder patients
2. The project should begin after proper planning. This means 2 weeks
3. Proper financial plans and policy regulations should ensure project
success.
4. This means that there is a need to consider help from both the government
and non government organizations.

5. The project, as such, is based on a 10 year design life. This considers the
average time that a patient needs to be taken care,.
6. As per estimation, this requires proper funding in the range of $10 million.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
 Technological awareness improving the
healthcare provision to bipolar disorder
patients
 Increasing government support for mental
health care
 Policy frameworks ensuring better health
care management.
Weaknesses
 Lack of an integrated database to monitor all the
bipolar disorder patients countrywide.
 Lack of an integrated management approach
between caregivers and the government agencies
Opportunities
 A gap in healthcare provision to bipolar
disorder patients.
 The world Health Organization support for
mental health care programs.
Threats
 Financial threats due to economic downturns.
 Competition from different non-government
organizations on mental health care needs.

References
Cloutier, Martin, Mallik Greene, Annie Guerina, Maelys Touya, and Eric Wu. "The economic
burden of bipolar I disorder in the United States in 2015." Journal of Affective Disorders
226 (2018): 45-51.
Fajutrao, Liberty, Julie Locklear, Jennifer Priaulx, and Anne Heyes. "A systematic review of the
evidence of the burden of bipolar disorder in Europe." Clinical Practice and
Epidemiology in Mental Health 5, no. 3 (2009).
Gardner, H H, N L Kleinman, R A Brook, K Rajagopalan, T J Brizee, and J E Smeeding. "The
economic impact of bipolar disorder in an employed population from an employer
perspective." J Clin Psychiatry. 67, no. 8 (2006): 1209-18.
World Health Organisation. Mental disorders. November 28, 2019. https://www.who.int/news-
room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders.