Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

Twelve years on: service use and costs for people with mental health problems who left psychiatric hospitals

Beecham, Jennifer, Hallam, Angela, Knapp, Martin R J., Carpenter, John, Cambridge, Paul, Forrester-Jones, Rachel, Tate, Alison, Wooff, David, Coolen-Schrijner, Pauline (2004) Twelve years on: service use and costs for people with mental health problems who left psychiatric hospitals. Journal of Mental Health, 13 (4). pp. 363-377. ISSN 0963-8237. (doi:10.1080/09638230410001729816) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:767)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09638230410001729816

Abstract

Background: Few studies have estimated the full costs of moving people from long-stay psychiatric hospitals to community residence. Fewer still have examined the long-term implications of this important component of mental health policy.

Aims: To assess the full service and cost implications of community care for people who moved from long-stay psychiatric hospitals 12 years ago. To explore the associations between costs and people's characteristics, needs and outcomes.

Method: Data were collected from 128 people in seven English localities that were part of the 1983 Care in the Community Initiative. For a sub-sample of 75 people, changes in resource use between 1 and 12 years after leaving hospital were assessed.

Results: Most people live in staffed accommodation supported by a range of community-based services. Mean community care costs (555 per week) are lower than long-stay hospital residence or community costs 1 year later.

Conclusions: High support homes, in-patient beds, and day care services are costly but important care components. The low utilization rate of general practitioners is concerning given residents' increasing age. There was no evidence to suggest the reduction in costs was a response to reductions in user needs.

Declaration of interest: The Department of Health funded the research.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/09638230410001729816
Uncontrolled keywords: De-institutionalization; mental health; service use; cost
Subjects: H Social Sciences
H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research
Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Personal Social Services Research Unit
Depositing User: Rachel Forrester-Jones
Date Deposited: 19 Dec 2007 18:28 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:39 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/767 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Beecham, Jennifer.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5147-3383
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Cambridge, Paul.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Forrester-Jones, Rachel.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.