title: Splitting in-patient and out-patient responsibility does not improve patient care.
abstract: Over the past 15 years there has been a move away from consultants having responsibility for the care of patients both in the community and when in hospital towards a functional split in responsibility. In this article Tom Burns and Martin Baggaley debate the merits or otherwise of the split, identifying leadership, expertise and continuity of care as key issues; both recognise that this move is not evidence based.
authors.affiliation: For: Tom Burns, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Email: tom.burns@psych.ox.ac.uk.|Against: Martin Baggaley, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Trust HQ, Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE58AZ, UK. Email: martin.baggaley@slam.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: For: Tom Burns, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Email: tom.burns@psych.ox.ac.uk.|Against: Martin Baggaley, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Trust HQ, Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE58AZ, UK. Email: martin.baggaley@slam.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baggaley
mesh_terms: D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D010045:Outpatients; D005791:Patient Care / Q000592:standards*; D006113:United Kingdom