title: A comparison of the service satisfaction and intervention needs of patients with schizophrenia and their relatives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with psychotic illness are frequently dissatisfied with psychiatric services although it is unclear whether this can be explained as being due to the mental disorder itself, or to the lower quality of care received by this group of patients. We explored this issue by comparing service satisfaction from different user perspectives: patients and key relatives.
  
  
  METHODS
  The satisfaction and needs of 52 patients with schizophrenia and 66 of their relatives were assessed using the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (VSSS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were generally more satisfied with services than relatives, but there was a high degree of consistency between the groups regarding the aspects of the service which they were most, and least, satisfied with.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient satisfaction surveys can be used as reliable indicators of service quality and can highlight specific strengths and shortcomings in mental health service provision. Such surveys can be very useful to help improve the quality of care for patients and their relatives.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tyson Agnes Ayton Ahmed Omar Al Agib Peter Bowie Anne Worrall-Davies Ann Mortimer
keywords: Patient Satisfaction Psychiatric Services Intervention Needs Relatives Satisfaction Schizophrenia