What coming here means to me

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    What coming here means to me: service users and staff experience of The Rivers Crisis House.

  • IRAS ID

    178990

  • Contact name

    Ava Kanyeredzi

  • Contact email

    ava.kanyeredzi@candi.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    NoClor

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 5 months, 31 days

  • Research summary

    Mental health crisis houses have a long history of existence within the UK and internationally and have been established in response to service user demands for alternatives to acute psychiatric inpatient hospital admissions (Johnson et al, 2010; Mind, 2011; Schizophrenia Commission, 2012). The Camden Crisis House model includes a Crisis Team who support people in their homes and acts as gatekeeper for admissions and a structured Day Treatment program, where guests are encouraged to participate in therapeutic groups. The North Camden Crisis House is a six bedded facility that was opened in 2008. An evaluation of this service found an increase in clinical assessments of functioning with high user satisfaction, most guests were single, living alone, unemployed and known to mental health services. There was an under-representation of men, people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds and South Camden residents. The Rivers, a six bedded Crisis House located in South Camden, was opened in December 2013 to meet the above service gaps.

    The proposed study is part of mixed methods service evaluation over four work streams:
    1. Collection of clinical, sociodemographic data and assessments that measure progress, wellbeing, functioning and satisfaction for guests/users of the Camden Crisis Houses and Acute Day Units.
    2. Quantitative comparison of referral and admission processes for 30 consecutive admissions from 1st July 2014, of men who have stayed at The Rivers and on acute inpatient wards.
    3. Qualitative interviews with 20 men from Work stream 2 on experiences of the referral and admission processes for The Rivers and acute inpatient wards.
    4. Qualitative interviews with guests and staff on experiences of staying/working in/attending The Rivers/Jules Thorn Acute Day Unit. This will include perspectives of The Rivers from interlinked staff teams.

    Ethical approval is being sought for Work streams 3 and 4 referred to as Study 1 and Study 2.

  • REC name

    London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    15/LO/1479

  • Date of REC Opinion

    19 Oct 2015

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion