This presentation will describe a prospective study, due to commence in March 2010, to evaluate the use of Protected Engagement Time in adult acute inpatient wards in three mental health trusts in England.

Patients on acute psychiatric wards in the UK have recurrently reported that they are unhappy with the ward environment, that they are bored and have little to do, that wards are intimidating, and above all, that contact between staff and patients is often identified as too limited in both quantity and quality, and as lacking therapeutic content.

Protected Engagement Time (PET) has emerged as a promising initiative for improving quantity and usefulness of staff-patient contact. During fixed periods of the day, staff are asked to focus solely on patient contact, and are relieved of their administrative duties. However, we do not have any evidence about whether it works or how it should be implemented to achieve the best results.

This study aims to address this lack of evidence and will have three components:

1. a) A national survey investigating how widespread PET now is in England

2. b) Evaluation of the effects of PET on patients and staff by comparing 12 wards with PET and 12 wards without, by investigating staff-patient interactions, patient satisfaction, staff burnout and perceptions of the ward environment.

3. c) In-depth qualitative case studies on three wards with PET.

The objectives for each component and the measures used will be described in detail in the presentation, in addition to an update of study progress.