The challenge of evaluating mental health services for older people.
BACKGROUND
Despite a consensus on the need to expand and improve mental health care for older people, evidence on models of service development is limited.


OBJECTIVE
Referring to two case studies, this paper considers how evaluation of service innovations can inform policy and practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Evaluation should entail a dual concern with measurement and meaning in judging the value of an intervention.
McCrae
Niall
N
Department of Health Services and Population Research, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. n/.mccrae@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Banerjee
Sube
S
D000368:Aged; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care