Randomised controlled trial of acute mental health care by a crisis resolution team: the north Islington crisis study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of a crisis resolution team.


METHODS
Randomised controlled trial.


METHODS
260 residents of the inner London Borough of Islington who were experiencing crises severe enough for hospital admission to be considered.


METHODS
Acute care including a 24 hour crisis resolution team (experimental group), compared with standard care from inpatient services and community mental health teams (control group).


METHODS
Hospital admission and patients' satisfaction.


RESULTS
Patients in the experimental group were less likely to be admitted to hospital in the eight weeks after the crisis (odds ratio 0.19, 95% confidence interval 0.11 to 0.32), though compulsory admission was not significantly reduced. A difference of 1.6 points in the mean score on the client satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ-8) was not quite significant (P = 0.07), although it became so after adjustment for baseline characteristics (P = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Crisis resolution teams can reduce hospital admissions in mental health crises. They may also increase satisfaction in patients, but this was an equivocal finding.
Johnson
Sonia
S
Department of Mental Health Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical Schools, University College London, London W1W 7EY. s.johnson@ucl.ac.uk
Nolan
Fiona
F
Pilling
Stephen
S
Sandor
Andrew
A
Hoult
John
J
McKenzie
Nigel
N
White
Ian R
IR
Thompson
Marie
M
Bebbington
Paul
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003419:Crisis Intervention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011379:Prognosis