Home-based treatment and psychiatric admission rates: Experience of an adult community mental health service in Ireland

Abstract

Objectives. This study assessed the impact of the introduction of a Home-Based Treatment (HBT) Service on hospital admission rates from two adjacent sectors within a mental health service. Methods. This study used a naturalistic design to compare admissions into the acute inpatient psychiatric unit of Cavan General Hospital from two differently configured sectors - East and West Cavan Psychiatric sectors (East was a community-based and oriented service while the West was a more hospital-based service) prior to and following the introduction of a shared home-based treatment team. Data including demographics, date of admission, diagnosis at admission and sector of admission were retrospectively collected from a mental health register of hospital admissions between 1995 and 2002. Data was analysed using SPSS version 13 for windows. Results. There was a 50% reduction in admission to the inpatient unit in the first two years of the introduction of HBT. This drop was more marked in the West sector compared to the East. Conclusions. The introduction of HBT resulted in a marked reduction in overall hospital admission rates and this reduction was also evident in the sector where other elements of a modern community mental health service already existed.

Key Words::

• Home
• treatment
• admission rates
• mental health

Acknowledgements

None.

Statement of Interest

None to declare.