Authors' recommendations: Leeds Partnerships Foundation NHS Trust (LPFT) is undertaking a project to restructure many of its services based around the use of integrated care pathways (ICPs). We have found no systematic reviews of the effectiveness of ICPs specifically in mental health care. Two well-conducted systematic reviews provide evidence that ICPs can improve some outcomes compared with usual care in some hospital settings. Very little of the evidence included in these reviews comes from mental healthcare or UK settings and some of the outcomes assessed (e.g. in-hospital complications) are unlikely to be of relevance for LPFT. Studies that have looked at the implementation of ICPs in mental health settings in the UK NHS have generally reported on the experience of particular services. The findings are of limited value for decision-making because of their lack of methodological rigour and reporting of process outcomes and expert opinion rather than patient outcomes. While there is some evidence suggesting that ICPs can reduce hospital costs, their relevance to LPFT is uncertain as most studies were not conducted in either the UK NHS or mental health settings. Given the uncertainties around the generalisability of the evidence and the best ways to implement ICPs, it will be important to plan carefully for implementation of any change to services and to monitor resource use, costs and clinical outcomes during and after any change.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2011

URL for published report: http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/pdf/Integrated%20care%20pathways%20evidence%20briefing.pdf

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: England

Organisation Name: University of York

Contact Address: University of York, York, Y01 5DD, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1904 321040, Fax: +44 1904 321041,

Contact Name: crd@york.ac.uk

Contact Email: crd@york.ac.uk

Copyright: University of York