Abstract

SummaryIn this issue, Dr Lodge makes a plea for continuity of care in the face of the increased specialisation of mental healthcare over recent years. However, continuity of care is not a straightforward concept and its relationship to clinical outcome is not established. The increased specialisation of mental healthcare reflects an evolving evidence base that has increased our understanding of mental illness and the treatments and delivery systems that are most effective. In other words, specialisation is the sign of a progressive field.

Highlights

  • Importance of specialisation in psychiatric servicesSummary In this issue, Dr Lodge makes a plea for continuity of care in the face of the increased specialisation of mental healthcare over recent years

  • In his editorial in this issue of The Psychiatrist, Dr Lodge makes a plea for continuity of care, making a case that the increased specialisation of mental health services in recent years has led to fragmentation of patient care.[1]

  • A specialist team who focus on the needs of people who are at an early stage in coming to terms with a possible diagnosis of a serious mental illness, must be an improvement on sitting in the waiting area of an out-patient clinic or community mental health team office with people who have longer-term and rather different needs, wondering ‘will that be me in 10 years time?’ National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance on the treatment of schizophrenia mentions that the smaller case-loads and team-based approach of assertive outreach and early intervention services facilitate the management of continuity of care.[11]

Read more

Summary

Importance of specialisation in psychiatric services

Summary In this issue, Dr Lodge makes a plea for continuity of care in the face of the increased specialisation of mental healthcare over recent years. The increased specialisation of mental healthcare reflects an evolving evidence base that has increased our understanding of mental illness and the treatments and delivery systems that are most effective. Specialisation is the sign of a progressive field. In his editorial in this issue of The Psychiatrist, Dr Lodge makes a plea for continuity of care, making a case that the increased specialisation of mental health services in recent years has led to fragmentation of patient care.[1] Dr Lodge suggests a return to the catchment area-based generalist approach. Some may consider this a perfectly reasonable view, there are difficulties with this nostalgia and I present three main arguments to support my position

Difficulties with the concept of continuity of care
Specialisation as a reason for celebration
Ensuring efficiency in service delivery
Conclusion
Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.