Social disability, challenging behaviour and risk: A comparison of health and Social Services residential provision for people with severe and enduring mental health problems

Abstract

The population characteristics of people with severe and enduring mental health problems living in 'high support' Health and Local Authority (LA) residential facilities were compared in this survey of social functioning and psychiatric symptomatology. The survey was intended to assist in local service planning, particularly in the targeting of relatively high cost provision. A cross-sectional survey of all 62 residents of the three Local Authority hostels was conducted and compared to an earlier survey of 76 residents living in seven NHS residential facilities. Residents of NHS facilities were found to have poorer social functioning than LA residents; had more physical health problems; had higher levels of behaviour problems and risk behaviours which were both rated as more serious in terms of their effect on community tenure. The survey's findings were consistent with the results of other surveys of the characteristics of people considered 'hard to place' in the community as a result of mental health problems.