GP Perspectives on the Home Based Crisis Team. City North Sectors, Cork. Muller Neff, D., O’Brien S.M. ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES: The introduction of crisis resolution and home treatment teams has been associated with a reduction in hospital admissions. The home based crisis team attached to the Mercy University Hospital is an example of such a team, and provides a service to both city North sectors. METHOD: We sent a brief questionnaire to all GPs within our catchment area (n=50).This focused on 3 main areas including knowledge of the team, general satisfaction with the team and finally general feedback from GPs. RESULTS: The response rate was 50% within the specified time period CONCLUSION: The overall satisfaction with the HBCT was 88%. A limitation to this study was the response rate. Background. The aim of the Home Based Crisis Team (HBCT) is to provide a home-based crisis assessment and multi-disciplinary treatment and intervention service for individuals presenting with acute psychiatric illness in Cork City North sector. The HBCT provide 5-day week, Mon-Thurs 9-5 Fri 9-4pm service. The Team consists of : 1 consultant, 1 registrar, 3 community mental health nurses, 1 social worker, 1 part time occupational therapist, 1 psychologist-in- training. The HBCT aim to treat individuals in the community, for approximately 3 weeks. We are targeting adults with severe mental illness, who require urgent assessment. Inclusion Criteria 1. Those in acute psychosocial crisis 2. Those with acute psychiatric conditions in need of urgent psychiatric attention 3. And those with long term, severe psychiatric problems who experience either of the first two problems. Exclusion Criteria 1. risk of violence in home &/ or to staff 2. primary diagnosis of organic brain damage and dementia 3. medical illness which may require medical assessment 4. primary diagnosis of active substance misuse 5. Severe personality disorder Method. Questionnaires were sent to all GPs within our sector(n=50). This questionnaire addressed three general areas including 1.General knowledge of the working of the HBCT. 2. Satisfaction with the team. 3. General feedback from GPs including feedback they may have received from their patients previously involved with the HBCT RESULTS: The response rate was 50% within the specified time period. Of the returned questionnaires, 88% of GPs correctly identified catchment area covered and working hours of the team. Ninety two% of participating GPs were satisfied with the team in the management of patients. Measures included provision of suitable alternative to admission,prompt time from referral to assessment, and satisfaction with feedback and correspondence from the team. Two questionnaires were returned with this section incomplete. 100% of GPs identified they would refer again to the HBCT. Forty eight% of GPs had received feedback from patients all of whom identified that the HBCT provided a realistic alternative to admission and reduced stigma of admission to an acute psychiatric unit. Figure 1. Knowledge Of Catchment Area covered by HBCT. Discussion. The perspectives from returned questionnaires were largely positive and indeed GPs generally identified the HBCT as an accessible team which provided a suitable alternative to admission in acutely unwell patients and thus greatly improved overall management of these individuals. A major limitation to our survey was the low response rate. Home treatment teams provide intensive support for people in mental health crises in their own home and stays involved until the crisis is resolved. It is designed to provide prompt and effective home treatment in order to prevent hospital admission and provide support to informal carers. The HBCT accepts referrals from GPs and the sector teams. We endeavoured in this study to survey GPs perspectives and knowledge of the team, in particular GP satisfaction with the team in providing an alternative to admission for patients in acute crises. We would hope that increasing knowledge and utilisation of the team would decrease acute referrals to the inpatient unit for the two Cork City North sectors. These sectors have high rates of acute referrals to the inpatient unit within and outside working hours. Figure 2. GP satisfaction with HBCT Figure 3: Feedback from GP’s re HBCT Care. Figure1. Catchment Area of Home Based Crisis Team