OBJECTIVE: To investigate progress in joint working within community mental health teams for older people (CMHTsOP) against a range of national standards, and to consider team characteristics that may hinder or facilitate integrated practice. METHODS: A postal questionnaire was sent to the managers of all CMHTsOP in England. A total of 376 teams responded representing a response rate of 87.7%. Hypothesis testing and regression analysis, using a composite score based on nine indicators of integration, were conducted to address the study's aims. RESULTS: Whilst the study suggests that progress was being made against a number of key standards of joint working, the study finds that most teams could not access local authority service user records, nor were health staff within most teams able to commission social care services. After controlling for other characteristics, teams with the lowest levels of integration tended to work across multiple local authorities; were managed by a nurse; had high referral rates and were located in formally integrated Care Trusts. CONCLUSIONS: Improved integration could develop by NHS Trusts and local authorities encouraging more information sharing, and further delegating powers to arrange social care services to CMHTOP members. The paper highlights team and locality features that appear to cause obstacles to joint working, but there is a clear gap in the evidence relating team structures and characteristics to the quality of patient care.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate progress in joint working within community mental health teams for older people (CMHTsOP) against a range of national standards, and to consider team characteristics that may hinder or facilitate integrated practice. METHODS: A postal questionnaire was sent to the managers of all CMHTsOP in England. A total of 376 teams responded representing a response rate of 87.7%. Hypothesis testing and regression analysis, using a composite score based on nine indicators of integration, were conducted to address the study's aims. RESULTS: Whilst the study suggests that progress was being made against a number of key standards of joint working, the study finds that most teams could not access local authority service user records, nor were health staff within most teams able to commission social care services. After controlling for other characteristics, teams with the lowest levels of integration tended to work across multiple local authorities; were managed by a nurse; had high referral rates and were located in formally integrated Care Trusts. CONCLUSIONS: Improved integration could develop by NHS Trusts and local authorities encouraging more information sharing, and further delegating powers to arrange social care services to CMHTOP members. The paper highlights team and locality features that appear to cause obstacles to joint working, but there is a clear gap in the evidence relating team structures and characteristics to the quality of patient care.
Authors: Sarah van Duijn; Nick Zonneveld; Alfonso Lara Montero; Mirella Minkman; Henk Nies Journal: Int J Integr Care Date: 2018-04-19 Impact factor: 5.120
Authors: Jolanda Stobbe; André I Wierdsma; Rob M Kok; Hans Kroon; Bert-Jan Roosenschoon; Marja Depla; Cornelis L Mulder Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2014-02-15 Impact factor: 3.630
Authors: Mark Wilberforce; Sue Tucker; Christian Brand; Michele Abendstern; Rowan Jasper; David Challis Journal: Int J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2016-02-02 Impact factor: 3.485