Length of stay in medium secure units
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An investigation of the factors that predict Length of Stay in Medium and Low Secure Services
IRAS ID
227121
Contact name
Peter Stevens
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 17 days
Research summary
A number of studies have looked at factors influencing Length of Stay (LoS) over the last 25 years or so; however these studies have focused predominantly on adult psychiatric services, despite secure mental health services recently accounting for almost one fifth of public spending on adult mental health care in England (Centre for Mental Health, 2011). Considering the high cost, low volume nature of these services, it is imperative that further research is conducted to understand which, if any, factors influence length of stay. Identification of these variables will positively assist in the commissioning and provision of forensic secure services in the future.
Recent investigations (Shah et al, 2011; Wilkes, 2012) identified considerable diversity in those factors that can reliably predict prolonged admission to forensic inpatient services. However, some key determinants were highlighted as having good predictive validity and these will be further explored in this research. Craissati et al. (in press) examined the relationship of LoS with routinely collected variables in male and female patients admitted to two medium and low secure units for 5 years or less. Their preliminary findings suggested that a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia, high “H” (historical factors) score on the HCR-20, serious violent offence or arson, and being admitted under Mental Health Act Section 37/41 were all associated with increased LoS. This project will comprise of follow-up research of the same services (Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Trust), plus equivalent services in South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust. The aim is twofold: to determine whether these factors have remained consistent over time; to determine whether the same factors are associated with LoS across services.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/EE/0017
Date of REC Opinion
26 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion