Factors associated with the use of community treatment orders

Abstract

Comments on an article by David Curtis et al. (see record 2014-10795-008). Curtis highlights one of the limitations of the OCTET study, in that patients selected for randomisation may not have been suitable for community treatment order (CTO) placement in the first place. In his conclusions he suggests there may be a small subgroup of patients for whom CTOs are enormously beneficial. Perhaps clinicians need more clarity of the characteristics of the 'revolving door' patient better to assess suitability for supervised community treatment. There remains the outstanding question of who belongs to the elusive group of patients for which CTOs are effective, if indeed this group exists. This study provides insight into the demographic and historical factors that are influencing clinicians' decisions to implement CTOs. There is no proof so far that CTOs are effective in their aims. Perhaps we need to look again at who the truly 'revolving door' patients are and take this objective evidence into consideration at the point of deciding whether to initiate supervised community treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)