Engagement and retention in specialist services for people with personality disorder

To quantify levels of engagement and retention in specialist services for people with personality disorder (PD).

Demographic and clinical data were collected on referrals to 10 specialist services for people with PD. Follow-up data on retention and drop-out from services were collected over the following 30 months.

Seven hundred and thirteen (60.1%) of 1186 people referred to services were taken by them, of whom 164 (23.0%) subsequently dropped out prior to the completion of an episode of care. Men, younger people and those with higher levels of personality disturbance were less likely to complete a package of care.

Specialist community-based services for adults with PD are able to engage most of those that are referred to them, but further efforts need to be made to find ways to engage younger people and men with PD.