Mental health project hailed as hospital admissions fall

PROJECTS to care for mental health patients in the community have been hailed after psychiatric admissions to hospital dropped sharply.

In the past five years the number of people sent to hospital with psychiatric problems in the Lothians has fallen by nearly 1500.

And in a further boost for health chiefs, the number of re-admissions has dropped, showing that health workers are increasingly getting it right on treating patients once their hospital stay is over.

The figures showed there were 3387 admission on mental health grounds last year, compared to 4539 five years ago.

That is due to a gradual year-on-year decline and, NHS Lothian bosses said, shows mental health care is moving in the right direction.

Tim Montgomery, NHS Lothian's director of operations at the Royal Edinburgh psychiatric hospital, said: "In recent years there has been a significant decrease in the number of people who have been admitted to hospital for psychiatric treatment.

"This reflects the success of our drive to enable more people to remain in their home with the support they need.

"This is being done through our Intensive Home Treatment Teams, which provide tailored and specialist care for patients who previously would have been admitted to hospital.

"While NHS Lothian is continuing to focus more resources on community-based care there are circumstances where it is preferable for people to receive inpatient care."

The number of re-admissions has fallen by more than 500 a year since 2005.

Experts regard re-admissions as an accurate gauge of mental health services' performance.

Public health minister Shona Robison said: "We are making progress towards our aim of changing the emphasis on mental healthcare services from hospital-based to community-based care.

"Nevertheless, inpatient treatment comprises a significant proportion of the mental health services provided in Scotland."

The drop in admissions will form an important part of NHS Lothian's upcoming mental health strategies.

A study has just been completed on Morningside's Royal Edinburgh and health chiefs are still deciding what to do with it. Previous options had included splitting the services, moving some to the Royal Infirmary site and others to the Western General.

But sources recently revealed a rebuild on the present location is the most likely outcome.