Taking mental health services to the people: the effects of referral to traditional psychiatric facilities

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of establishing a locally integrated mental health team in a small New Zealand township (Mosgiel), by comparing it with a similar township (Port Chalmers) without such established services. The rate of referral for out-of-district public and private inpatient and outpatient care was taken as an inverse measure of the strength of community resources to cope with psychiatric problems at the local level. In terms of referrals for inpatient care it was found that increased locally available mental health services did not reduce the number of onward referrals. However, length of hospital stay was significantly less. The total number of referrals to Dunedin for outpatient care also showed no significant change over time. The effect in this instance seems to be qualitative in that the proportion of first time referrals decreased while referrals tended to increase. It was also found that the lack of community mental health teams resulted in more self referrals to private health care. The appropriateness of this development needs further investigation. The presence of such a team is associated with a refinement in general practitioner referring practices.