Follow-up study of 6.5 years of admissions to a UK female medium secure forensic psychiatry unit

TY - JOUR

T1 - Follow-up study of 6.5 years of admissions to a UK female medium secure forensic psychiatry unit

AU - Tully, John

AU - Cappai, Alessandra

AU - Lally, John

AU - Fotiadou, Maria

PY - 2019/4/1

Y1 - 2019/4/1

N2 - Aims and method: We aimed to examine clinical and risk outcomes at follow-up, and reoffending and readmission rates, for a sample of 50 admissions to a female medium secure unit (MSU). Demographic, clinical risk assessment (HCR-20 and HoNOS-Secure) and quality of life data were collected using validated measures for all admissions to a female MSU ward in London, UK, between April 2008 and November 2014. Results: All clinical and risk assessment scale scores had improved at follow-up. Quality of life compared favourably to community samples and was good for physical, social and environmental factors and acceptable for psychological health. Twenty-six per cent had at least one readmission, while 17.5% reoffended in the period studied. A longer duration of admission and use of restrictions on discharge was associated with reduced reoffending, but not readmission. Clinical implications: Admission is associated with improvement on clinical risk assessment at follow-up. Longer hospital admissions and use of restrictions on discharge may be necessary to prevent reoffending in this group.

AB - Aims and method: We aimed to examine clinical and risk outcomes at follow-up, and reoffending and readmission rates, for a sample of 50 admissions to a female medium secure unit (MSU). Demographic, clinical risk assessment (HCR-20 and HoNOS-Secure) and quality of life data were collected using validated measures for all admissions to a female MSU ward in London, UK, between April 2008 and November 2014. Results: All clinical and risk assessment scale scores had improved at follow-up. Quality of life compared favourably to community samples and was good for physical, social and environmental factors and acceptable for psychological health. Twenty-six per cent had at least one readmission, while 17.5% reoffended in the period studied. A longer duration of admission and use of restrictions on discharge was associated with reduced reoffending, but not readmission. Clinical implications: Admission is associated with improvement on clinical risk assessment at follow-up. Longer hospital admissions and use of restrictions on discharge may be necessary to prevent reoffending in this group.

KW - medium security

KW - quality of life

KW - readmission

KW - reoffending

KW - Women offenders

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85062848925&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1192/bjb.2018.77

DO - 10.1192/bjb.2018.77

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85062848925

SN - 2056-4694

VL - 43

SP - 54

EP - 57

JO - BJPsych Bulletin

JF - BJPsych Bulletin

IS - 2

ER -