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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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The referral journey
— an exploration of why people with a dementia are referred to mental health services for older people with particular reference to how GPs perceive and utilise these services | | Author(s) | Caroline M Williams, Sarah Barker |
| Journal title | PSIGE Newsletter, no 67, December 1998 |
| Publisher | Psychologists' Special Interest Group in Elderly People - PSIGE, British Psychological Society, December 1998 |
| Pages | pp 9-12 |
| Keywords | Dementia ; Referrals ; Psychiatric treatment ; Psychiatrists ; Attitude. |
| Annotation | The study explored the idea that people with dementia are like `travellers' on a journey, and that the pathway that leads to referral to specialist mental health services may be termed the `referral journey'. The various stages of the journey - detection of symptoms, the decision to seek medical help, and any subsequent referral - were examined using models derived from health psychology literature, which are briefly described. All referrals made to the Mental Health Services for Older People (MHSOP) involving people with dementia were monitored over one year, their clinical and demographic characteristics recorded, and information about the various stages of the `journey' obtained from relatives/carers and GPs. Considerable variation was found in the detection, diagnosis, treatment and management of dementia by GPs. There was also considerable variation in the way GPs perceive and use the MHSOP. The service for people with dementia appears to be reactive, mainly responding to management difficulties or requests of help from carers, rather than being proactive and providing an opportunity for early diagnostic assessment, information and support. Further debate on how services should be organised is recommended. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-990224001 A |
| Classmark | EA: L5R: LP: QT9: DP |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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