Shared care? Some effects of patient access to medical communications

Fitzgerald, K.; Williams, B.; Healy, D.

Abstract

This paper describes the introduction of a model of community mental health services in out-patient settings within which a key feature is a letter-sharing scheme. Copies of letters from psychiatrists to GPs are routinely sent to both patients and CMHT keyworkers. It is hoped that such a practice may empower patients and potentially improve clinical outcome. In a preliminary attempt to identify a range of benefits and problems relating to the practice a qualitative study was undertaken which involved interviews with all relevant stakeholders: psychiatrists, GPs, keyworkers and patients. The data raise a variety of problems which require further quantitative investigation but also point to a number of predicted benefits which may be of use to others considering the introduction of similar schemes.

Citation

Fitzgerald, K., Williams, B., & Healy, D. (1997). Shared care? Some effects of patient access to medical communications. Journal of Mental Health, 6(1), 37-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638239719021

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 1997-01
• Deposit Date: Apr 16, 2018
• Journal: Journal of Mental Health
• Print ISSN: 0963-8237
• Electronic ISSN: 1360-0567
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 37-46
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638239719021
• Keywords: Psychiatry and Mental health; General Medicine
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/838068