Background: Non-forensic placements within the independent sector represent one of the largest parts of the care system for adults with severe and enduring mental illness. Aims: To describe a cohort of patients placed out of area in one voluntary sector and 11 private sector open (non-forensic) facilities by one PCT and Social Service authority. To provide empirical evidence on the care they receive. Method: A purpose-designed survey instrument based on patient and staff interviews and analysis of documentation (casenotes, careplans, risk assessments, prescription cards) examining 70 (100%) adult patients with severe and enduring mental illnesses placed out of area of origin. Results: Significant numbers of patients were not in receipt of CPA (45/70, 64.3%) or multi-disciplinary review (44/70, 62.9%), most were locked within facilities although informal patients (55/70, 78.6%), clinical and treatment histories were absent in half of the cases (35/70, 50.0%) and many needed supported accommodation rather than independent hospital or nursing home care (19/70, 27.1%). Involvement of patients (19/70, 27.1%) and relatives (30/70, 42.9%) in care planning was limited. Placement costs for 2003/04 was £2,160,662 (mean = £30,867). Conclusions: Closer collaboration between NHS providers, service commissioners and the independent sector is required to ensure greater consistency in quality of care and to prevent patients from being lost from the commissioning system. The role of regulators requires review in light of these findings. Declaration of interest: None.
The elevated risk of suicide in prison and after release is a well-recognised and serious problem. Despite this, evidence concerning community-based offenders' suicide risk is sparse. We conducted a population-based nested case–control study of all people in a community justice pathway in England and Wales. Our data show 13% of general population suicides were in community justice pathways before death. Suicide risks were highest among individuals receiving police cautions, and those having recent, or impending prosecution for sexual offences. Findings have implications for the training and practice of clinicians identifying and assessing suicidality, and offering support to those at elevated risk.
Aims and method To describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of all in-patients experiencing delayed discharge over 3 months in an English urban mental health National Health Service trust. We carried out a cross-sectional case record study with care coordinator questionnaire.Results Overall, 67 in-patients with delayed discharge occupied 18.6% of acute beds. Older in-patients were White, diagnosed with dementia and experienced relatively short admissions. Younger in-patients were often of Black and minority ethnic background with a psychotic diagnosis and long service contact, and sometimes experienced very long admissions. They were similar to a long-stay comparison group. The whole cohort was socially isolated and marginalised, and frequently misused alcohol.Clinical implications People with complex mental health problems can experience long stays in acute care settings. This particularly affects people with psychosis who are isolated in the community. Alcohol misuse is the most common complicating factor. There are insufficient community-oriented rehabilitation services to meet these patients’ diverse needs.
Overall Purpose: To investigate the referral processes in use by mental health staff working in the custodial environments of police stations and remand prisons and referring service users with mental illness to community mental health teams for aftercare.
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