Service Utilisation by Former Long-Stay Psychiatric Patients in Northern Ireland

The shift from hospital to community care for people with mental health problems places continuing demands on community-based services. However, compara tively little is known about the patterns of service use among those previously resident in psychiatric hospitals. In this study, a total of 145 former long-stay psychiatric patients in Northern Ireland (NI) - most with a diagnosis of schizo phrenia and aged under 60 - were followed up one year after discharge to identify the type and frequency of service use during the previous six months. Although a wide range of services was used, GPs, CPNs and social workers respectively were central to client care outside hospital. However, access to, and use of, services- influenced, in part, by the unique integrated health and social services structure in NI - varied widely across types and sectors of accommodation. The findings have implications both for the successful management of community placement for former long-stay patients and for the planning and implementation of services for future more dependent cohorts.