Using action research to facilitate organisational change in mental health service delivery.

OBJECTIVE

To report how well a particular mental health service was responding to National and State mental health policies by emphasising community-based clinical care for patients.

METHOD

The method involved analysis and action in response to information obtained from a consecutive sample of 100 people admitted to a psychiatric hospital ward from a geographical catchment area.

RESULTS

It was found that community mental health staff were working without adequate support and were not able to effectively implement early intervention and relapse prevention strategies. Concern about these findings led to organisational change using action research methodology and some of these changes are discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

Such methodology was a useful tool to identify and achieve organisational change in psychiatric services.