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Service innovations

Sherbrook partial hospitalisation unit

Hesketh Centre, 51-55 Albert Road, Southport, PR9 OLT

Peter Walmsley, Lecturer in Mental Health

Edge Hill College of Higher Education, St Helens Road, Ormskirk

AIMS AND METHOD

Nationally, a variety of community care projects are being developed to replace institution-based care. We describe an innovative system of providing mental health care in Southport, combining an extended day service with short-term hospital admission - the partial hospitalisation philosophy.

RESULTS

During the first year of operation 438 assessments took place with 27% of patients being admitted to a crisis bed and a further 25% supported via attendance at the unit. Twelve per cent needed in-patient admission and 10% were deemed not to require any involvement of the mental health service.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

The use of short-stay admission coupled with extended day care and crisis line support can provide a viable alternative to admission to the acute ward.

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