Citation

Schneider J, Brandon T, Wooff D, Carpenter J, Paxton R. Psychiatr. Bull. 2006; 30(3): 89-94.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Royal College of Psychiatrists)

DOI

10.1192/pb.30.3.89

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Aims and method: This survey set out to profile the case-loads of assertive outreach teams in North East England, to discover whether they were reaching the people for whom they were meant. A survey of case-loads of 29 assertive outreach teams was carried out using the MARC-2, HoNOS and GAS instruments.

FINDINGS were compared with earlier surveys of the case-loads of community mental health teams in parts of the same region.

RESULTS: Clients of assertive outreach teams proved to be at the more severe end of the spectrum on almost every measure: 95% were deemed 'psychotic' and 30% had three or more admissions in the previous 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS: Assertive outreach teams in the North East are reaching the people they are meant to target. The effects of this shift on existing teams remain to be evaluated.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; United Kingdom; prevalence; aggression; psychosis; scoring system; drug use; suicide attempt; risk assessment; disease severity; homelessness; alcohol consumption; article; controlled study; mental health care; health care delivery; health care policy; community care; hospital admission; population research; health care access; mental health service; geographic distribution; health survey; methodology; health care need; hospital care; behavioral science; intermethod comparison; self neglect