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Table 1 Work style of modified ACT team compared to standard care

From: The rise of assertive community interventions in South Africa: a randomized control trial assessing the impact of a modified assertive intervention on readmission rates; a three year follow-up

Modified ACT team

Community mental health team

Overall patient load

80-100 patients

± 600 patients excluding assessments of new patients

Individual caseload

Maximum 35

250

Workstyle

Key workers act as care coordinator but caseloads are shared

Individual caseloads

Site of most visits

>50% contacts are home visits

Office based

Engagement

Assertive; focus on engagement, immediate response to non-compliance

Non-assertive, no follow-up of missed appointments/reports of non-compliance

Working hours

Office hours

Office hours

24 hour cover

Patients referred to hospital-based after-hours service coordinated by ACT when in crisis.

After-hours service of catchment area.

Frequency of contacts

Individualized according to patient need at least fortnightly

Depends on caseloads, varies between monthly to three monthly.

Disciplines available

Full-time psychiatrist, social worker, Psychiatric nurse, access to psychologist, occupational therapist, dual diagnosis service.

Full-time psychiatric nurse, access to social worker and psychiatrist, varied access to occupational therapist and psychologist.