Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
RDC00251
Study information
Scientific title
Acronym
Study hypothesis
There are numerous compelling reasons to shift as much mental health care provision into community settings, including general practice surgeries. However, the impact of such a policy remains inadequately evaluated. Previous research has focused on experimental studies of particular interventions in selected patient groups. By contrast, this study is pragmatic, aiming to examine the overall effect of a new service provision on the practices involved as well as on their patients. The clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness will be assessed by providing a clinical psychologist and a community psychiatric nurse, each for two weekly sessions, to work within five general (Experimental) practices. The attached mental health workers will assess and treat patients, and will also participate with the general practitioners in regular practice meetings to discuss patients. Each practice will be matched for practice characteristics and patient population with another (Control) practice, without attached mental health workers. Patients recognized by the Experimental practices as requiring an intervention for a mental health problem will be compared in management and outcome at follow up with several other patient groups, including a matched patient group from the Control practices, and the patient group in the Experimental group with unrecognised mental health problems. The indirect benefits of introducing the mental health workers on general practitioners' recognition and management of mental health problems will also be examined. The cost-effectiveness will be assessed of providing the sessional clinical psychology and community psychiatric nursing attachments.
Ethics approval
Not provided at time of registration
Study design
Randomised controlled trial
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
GP practices
Trial type
Treatment
Patient information sheet
Condition
Mental and behavioural disorders: schizophrenia and other psychoses, depression, anxiety, neuroses
Intervention
1. Provision of a clinical psychologist and a community psychiatric nurse, each for two weekly sessions, to work within five (Experimental) general practices
2. (Control) practices with standard care
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Not Applicable
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
Increase in GP recognition of mental health symptoms, and reduction in inpatient and outpatient admissions.
Secondary outcome measures
Not provided at time of registration
Overall trial start date
31/01/1996
Overall trial end date
31/12/1998
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
Not provided at time of registration
Participant type
Patient
Age group
Not Specified
Gender
Not Specified
Target number of participants
Not provided at time of registration
Participant exclusion criteria
Not provided at time of registration
Recruitment start date
31/01/1996
Recruitment end date
31/12/1998
Locations
Countries of recruitment
United Kingdom
Trial participating centre
Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School
London
W6 8RP
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
Organisation
NHS R&D Regional Programme Register - Department of Health (UK)
Sponsor details
The Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NL
United Kingdom
+44 (0)20 7307 2622
dhmail@doh.gsi.org.uk
Sponsor type
Government
Website
Funders
Funder type
Government
Funder name
NHS Executive London (UK)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not provided at time of registration
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list