Developing mental health services in response to research evidence

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Services Research
• Psychiatric Care Delivery
• Healthcare Policy Implementation

Background:

• Shift in psychiatric care from hospitals to community-based services in England.
• Evolution of intensive home-based treatments: Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and Crisis Resolution Teams (CRTs).
• Implementation of ACT and CRTs across England based on international evidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the evidence supporting ACT and CRTs.
• To present findings from the first UK evaluations of these services.
• To assess the impact of ACT and CRTs on service utilization and patient experience.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of ACT and CRTs in Camden and Islington, inner London.
• Comparative analysis of service outcomes.
• Assessment of patient satisfaction and engagement levels.

Main Results:

• Crisis Resolution Teams (CRTs) associated with reduced inpatient service use.
• Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams not associated with reduced inpatient service use.
• Both ACT and CRTs improved patient satisfaction; ACT demonstrated superior patient engagement compared to Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs).

Conclusions:

• Findings highlight challenges in implementing evidence-based innovations from external contexts.
• Implications for service planners regarding the integration of new mental health service models.
• Need for careful consideration of local context in adopting international best practices for psychiatric care.