Reduction of referral to assessment time for an older adults community mental health team.

ABSTRACT: Anecdotal evidence suggested that waiting times within the older adults community mental health team (OA CMHT) had been increasing over time. An assessment and evaluation was indicated to ensure best quality care was provided for patients. A comparison was made between waiting times in January to December 2011 compared with August 2013 to July 2014. In 2011 the mean number of days until initial assessment from the point of referral was 12 days for routine cases, and 3.6 days for urgent cases. The re-audit showed the number of days increased to 15.89 days for routine cases, and 9.81 days for urgent cases. Contributory factors were reviewed, and it was felt that to address this problem, a duty worker role was necessary. The role of the duty worker was divided into triaging and allocating wor

SUBMITTER: Sin Fai Lam CC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4752699 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature