Hope, happiness and home treatment: a study into patient satisfaction with being treated at home.

Aims and method This study investigates patient satisfaction and levels of hope after receiving treatment from a home treatment team. It studies whether distributing questionnaires during the last visit increases the response rate, and explores whether patient satisfaction and levels of hope are associated with particular elements of the care received. Results Patients who answered the questionnaire tended to be satisfied. When forms were distributed during the last visit, the response rate increased to at least 64%. People with negative views were more likely to return the form by post. Patient satisfaction and levels of hope were associated with most elements of received care, and the resolution of problems was predictive of both satisfaction and increased hope in logistic regression. Clinical implications The distribution of service evaluation questionnaires during the last visit increased the response rate considerably. This study suggests that in order to improve services, it is important to focus on whether patients think their problems have been resolved.

Crisis resolution teams in the UK and elsewhere.

BACKGROUND: Crisis resolution and home treatment teams (CRTs) and home treatment teams have been established nationwide in the UK to reduce admissions to psychiatric hospitals. However, the evidence for CRTs was limited at the time of their introduction. AIMS: Review of the literature accumulated since the national rollout of CRTs in 2000. METHOD: Systematic narrative literature review utilising British Nursing Index, Cinahl, Embase, Medline and PsyINFO. RESULTS: The search revealed one randomised controlled trial and a number of naturalistic studies. The balance of evidence suggests that CRTs can reduce hospital beds and costs with similar symptomatic outcome and service user satisfaction, but there is no evidence that CRTs are the only way to do so. There is no conclusive evidence that CRTs cause an increase in serious and untoward incidents (SUIs) or compulsory admissions. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, there is no compelling evidence for the widespread implementation of CRTs. In the future, the incidence of compulsory admissions and SUIs needs to be studied at a national level, CRTs have to be compared with other methods to reduce hospital admissions and studies need to specify sample and treatment characteristics with greater detail.