Abstract
Aims and MethodThe UK Government is promoting three types of specialist team in psychiatry: assertive outreach, crisis resolution and early intervention in psychosis. Policy guidance suggests that psychiatrists be recruited to work exclusively within these teams, but little is known about the views of psychiatrists regarding their development. A postal survey was undertaken to seek the views of consultant psychiatrists in the North West.ResultsSeventy per cent of psychiatrists responded to the questionnaire. Equal numbers agreed and disagreed with the development of specialist roles. Few services had been able to recruit to extra consultant sessions within the new teams and only a third of consultants believed the resources so far available to be reasonable. Overall views of the new teams were positive (mean scores 6.36, 6.51 and 6.03 on a 1–10 visual analogue scale for assertive outreach, crisis resolution and early onset psychosis teams). Consultants are particularly likely to believe that the new teams will increase patient satisfaction and provide a welcome change in role for some psychiatrists. A total of 64% of consultants believe that crisis resolution services could reduce hospital admissions, compared with 41% for assertive outreach and 31% for early onset psychosis teams. The concern most often voiced was that new services are being developed at the expense of existing teams.Clinical ImplicationsConsultants perceive benefits associated with the new teams but are concerned about their impact on the rest of the organisation. If resource and recruitment issues can be addressed, consultants could prove to be supportive of these new models of service.
Highlights
A total of 64% of consultants believe that crisis resolution services could reduce hospital admissions, compared with 41% for assertive outreach and 31% for early onset psychosis teams.The concern most often voiced was that new services are being developed at the expense of existing teams
Overall views of the new teams were widely distributed, with mean scores higher than 6 in each case: assertive outreach mean score 6.36, crisis resolution mean score 6.51, early onset psychosis mean score 6.03. Both median and mode scores were highest for assertive outreach (7 and 8, respectively v. 6 and 6 for crisis resolution and 6 and 5 for early onset psychosis teams), but the difference in scores between teams was not statistically significant (Friedman’s test for related samples, P=0.252)
There was a wide range of views among consultants about the new teams and about increasing specialisation
Summary
The UK Government is promoting three types of specialist team in psychiatry: assertive outreach, crisis resolution and early intervention in psychosis. Policy guidance suggests that psychiatrists be recruited to work exclusively within these teams, but little is known about the views of psychiatrists regarding their development. A postal survey was undertaken to seek the views of consultant psychiatrists in the North West
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