Psychiatric Bulletin (2005) 29: 174-176. doi: 10.1192/pb.29.5.174
© 2005 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Psychiatric Bulletin (2005) 29: 174-176
© 2005 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

A study of family contact with clients and staff of community mental health teams

Yael Krupnik, Psychology Assistant

Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust, Department of Psychology, Hunter Street Health Centre, 8 Hunter Street, London WC1N1BN

Steve Pilling, Director of Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness

University College London and Clinical Psychologist, Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust

Helen Killaspy, Senior Lecturer in Rehabilitation Psychiatry

Royal Free and University College London Medical School, and Honorary Consultant in Rehabilitation Psychiatry, Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust

Joy Dalton, Associate Medical Director (Islington)

Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust

Declaration of interest

S.P. is in receipt of funding from the Department of Health, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the Alcohol Education Research Council.

AIMS AND METHOD

Despite good evidence for their effectiveness in the treatment of schizophrenia, family interventions are difficult to implement. Prior to a local trust-wide programme to encourage their use, we carried out a case note review of family contact with clients and staff of community mental health teams (CMHTs). A 10% sample of CMHT clients was included.

RESULTS

The majority (81%) of clients had been in contact with family or carers in the preceding year. In 88% of case files the carers were relatives. In 37% of cases care coordinators were in recent contact with carers, primarily by telephone. Evidence of any family intervention was recorded in 5% of case files and carers’assessments in 7%.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

The majority of CMHT clients have some form of contact with their families, and care coordinators make informal links with these families. This contact could be reframed to encourage more formal family interventions.