District psychiatric services – equal services for everyone?
Summary of Report of the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision 3/2010
In 2008 and 2009, countrywide supervision was carried out in 56 district psychiatric centres (DPSs). Supervision was carried out by regional supervision teams, assisted by two professional auditors, a psychologist and a psychiatrist. In this report, the findings from supervision of 28 DPSs in 2008 and 28 DPSs in 2009 are summarized. The assessments and recommendations of the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision are presented.
In three out of four of the DPSs, deficiencies were identified in one or more of the areas that were examined: organization, management and leadership of the DPSs, access to necessary health care, access to and use of specialists, and the quality of the treatment provided. The leadership of the DPSs and the health trusts do not monitor and assess services adequately to ensure that services meet acceptable standards.
In more than half of the DPSs, referrals were not assessed and given priority in accordance with the legislation. About half of the DPSs did not ensure that assessment, treatment and follow-up of patients was adequate. The result can be that patients do not have their needs for health care assessed, and that patients with serious mental disorders are not identified, and that they do not receive treatment of adequate quality within the deadline that has been set.