Editors: Dr Tony Ryan, Gareth Davies, Andy Bennett, Dr Helen
Killaspy, Richard Meier
Contributing organisations: Association of Directors of Adult
Social Services; Audit Commission; Department of Health; National
Mental Health Development Unit; NHS Confederation (Mental Health
and Provider Networks); NHS East of England; NHS East Midlands; NHS
London; NHS North Yorkshire and York; NHS West Midlands; Royal
College of Psychiatrists
In sight
and in mind: A toolkit to reduce the use of out of area mental
health services
Designed to support health, social care and
housing commissioners, In
sight and in mind seeks to assist in developing and
commissioning services that are as close to home as possible for
people using mental health services and their families.
The toolkit is intended to contribute to local actions to
improve quality and individual/system outcomes by:
- Limiting the number of people placed
inappropriately
- Reducing the number of people placed at
distance from families and social networks
- Minimising the length of time that people
spend in out of area services
- Maximising and improving care coordination and
monitoring of placements
- Specifying services to actively promote
independence
- Encouraging services to be commissioned on a
needs basis, at appropriate costs and within commissioning
resources.
A summary of research and knowledge in this field is
provided to give best evidence of the current picture and some of
the issues associated with use of placements out of area.
A systematic seven-step framework to reduce the need
for out of area services is also described, and embedded
within the toolkit is a range of tools that have been developed and
used successfully across the country.
Furthermore, a series of case studies are also
described where people have successfully reduced the need for
unplanned use of out of area services. These contain contact
details of key personnel who are prepared to provide further
information about their work, if required.