Achieving continuity of care: facilitators and barriers in community mental health teams.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The integration of mental health and social services for people diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI) has been a key aspect of attempts to reform mental health services in the UK and aims to minimise user and carer distress and confusion arising from service discontinuities. Community mental health teams (CMHTs) are a key component of UK policy for integrated service delivery, but implementing this policy has raised considerable organisational challenges. The aim of this study was to identify and explore facilitators and barriers perceived to influence continuity of care by health and social care professionals working in and closely associated with CMHTs.

Methods

This study employed a survey design utilising in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a proport

SUBMITTER: Belling R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3073925 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature