| The move away from stand-alone psychiatric hospitals has caused many psychiatric services to focus on community services in their local area, using local general hospitals for acute psychiatric admissions.
Services available from multidisciplinary community mental health teams include: |
Crisis assessment and treatment
24-hour availability; ready to see a patient at home or
elsewhere; able to provide intensive, short-term consultations
and specialist assessment. This early intervention can give effective treatment and support in many circumstances that previously required hospitalisation.
Consultation and continuing care
Assessment and ongoing
management on an outpatient basis.
Intensive assertive case management
Seven-day availability; ready to see a
patient at home or elsewhere; able to provide individual
management plans, long-term intensive rehabilitation, specialist
monitoring, treatment and review. This is the most effective assistance for helping patients with serious chronic psychiatric illness stay in the community.
Community care units
24-hour availability; provide secure,
supported longterm residential accommodation and intensive
rehabilitation in the patient's local community.
General hospital psychiatric units
Acute psychiatric treatment and asylum when needed, usually on short-term basis.
Homeless services
Able to see patients in hostels, residential hotels and other temporary, unsupported accommodation environments; provide assertive care management with individual management plans, long-term specialist
monitoring, treatment and review.
