The daily living programme. Preliminary comparison of community versus hospital-based treatment for the seriously mentally ill facing emergency admission.

Patients with a serious mental illness requiring admission were randomised to home care or standard hospital care. Over the initial 18 months, 60 patients entered each group and were studied for a mean of 10 months. Home care reduced hospital use by 80%, with patients being admitted for a mean of 14 days, compared with 72 days for the standard group, but this bed-saving made no difference in direct treatment costs. Home care offers individualised treatment, and many patients require continuing support with the emphasis on areas such as finances and housing.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes