Community mental health care: clients' perceptions of services and an evaluation of a voluntary agency support scheme

A questionnaire assessment of mental health and of perceptions of formal care was conducted with a sample of clients before they received a voluntary agency mental health intervention in addition to normal community psychiatric and social services. The assessment was repeated three months later. A matched control group who received only the normal services were also assessed twice over a period of three months. Both groups improved significantly on the mental health measure over the three months and there was little difference between the treatment and control group. Clients in the voluntary agency group were less satisfied with community psychiatric services and may have chosen the voluntary agency as an alternative source of help. Women in both groups showed less improvement in measured mental health than men. Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPNs) were seen more frequently than social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists. Contacts with CPNs and social workers were rate most favourably.