The impact of day hospital closure on social networks, clinical status, and service use: a naturalistic experiment.
OBJECTIVE
Little research is conducted on service closures. We examined the social, clinical and service use impact of the closure of a partial hospitalisation service (day hospital) on its users.


METHODS
Patients attending the closing day hospital were studied at closure and one year after, and compared to patients at an unchanged day hospital.


RESULTS
The closure did not increase use of inpatient beds, primary care or emergency room. Overall clinical improvements were similar for both groups as were costs. Social networks of the discharged patients decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Closures of services need to be as carefully evaluated as new developments.
Goddard
Kim
K
South West London and St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Burns
Tom
T
Catty
Jocelyn
J
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006271:Health Facility Closure; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires