Short Research Article: Opening a new CAMHS day hospital – does it affect inpatient admissions and does it help at all?

Background

Day hospitals in child and adolescent mental health services are held to be helpful entities in the psychiatric care of young people. However, limited research has been done to look into how day hospitals and similar settings affect referrals, inpatient stays and in which cohort of patients do they show the most impact. This study's primary aims were to examine the impact of a new Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) day hospital on referrals and admissions to the associated CAMHS in-patient unit. A secondary aim of this study was to examine the demographics and clinical outcomes of the young people attending the day hospital.

Methods

Information was gathered using retrospective reviews of clinical files and databases.

Results

There was a reduction in admissions and in the total bed days from the study area following the opening of the day hospital. There was an improvement in clinical outcomes for young people attending the day hospital.

Conclusion

Day hospital in child and adolescent mental health services can prove to be a useful modality to provide support to young people with a moderate to severe mental illness leading to reduced inpatient admissions and improving lengths of inpatient stay. It also improves clinical outcomes for cohorts of young people where inpatient stay is not warranted but higher levels of support is needed.