§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessments have been made of the effectiveness of assertive outreach teams on the take up of aftercare services by mental health service users discharged from hospital. [97661]
§ Jacqui SmithAlthough the Department has not undertaken a direct assessment of this, studies have reported that those receiving assertive community treatments were more likely to remain in contact with services than people receiving standard community care. People allocated to assertive outreach teams were less likely to be admitted to hospital than those receiving standard community care and spent less time in hospital, results show a 35 per cent. decrease in hospital admissions, hence reducing the use of in-patient beds.
Studies have also shown that in terms of clinical and social outcome, significant and robust differences between assertive community treatment and standard community care were found on accommodation status, employment and patient satisfaction. More users were maintained in treatment longer than in routine case management, users experienced fewer admissions involving the police and there were fewer involuntary admissions.