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National Audit Office (2008) CRHT: The Service User and Carer Experience
'Visiting times that are adhered to:
2.33 Expected visits that are made on time allow service users and carers to factor other activities into their day around the visit, and know they will not have to cancel or rearrange prior engagements because of unpredictable visits by the team. If the visit is in response to a phone call, service users appreciate prompt visits because it affirms their belief in the service, provides them with physical help when needed and does not build anticipation unfairly.
'They just popped in and saw if things were OK […]Everything they've said they'll do, they've done. They've been fantastic.'
Samantha (carer)
Source: NAO carer focus group
2.34 On the other hand, not knowing what time the team will arrive, or suffering short-notice cancellations (sometimes without any warning) were mentioned by service users and carers as examples of poor service provision that left them with bad impressions of CRHT. Some local survey respondents also mentioned that waiting for late or cancelled team visits could exacerbate existing anxiety associated with their illness.
'Last time she was under the acute service, they didn't come when they said they would, and they didn't ring when they said they would on several occasions […] On one occasion when she was in a real crisis, she rang the duty system three times, before anyone actually came back to her to talk to her. But they told her no one would come because they were too busy.'
Donna (carer)
Source: NAO carer focus group
Knowing which members of staff will visit
2.35 This factor has two dimensions. Firstly, it relates to knowing the name of the staff member intending to visit. Being aware beforehand of who will be visiting (and not just when) can help make the intervention more personal from the outset, and also reduce anxiety on the part of service users who may already be feeling vulnerable owing to their illness. The second dimension relates to continuity, and the benefits of knowing the individual staff member from previous visits. The issue of staff continuity and its practical challenges are explored in more detail below' (p.16-17)