| Sumario: | Background: Assertive Outreach has yet to be demonstrated to be effective in the UK. Few studies have explored its implementation in rural settings. Aims: To establish whether the Assertive Outreach Team (AOT) model is effective in reducing hospital bed use and in improving engagement with services and social functioning in a mixed rural and urban area in the UK. Method: A prospective within subject control design, following a cohort of 42 patients during a period of 2 years prior to the implementation of an AOT, and for the first year of its operation. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in bed use among the cohort during the first year of AOT, with secondary findings of improved engagement with services and social functioning. Conclusions: AOT can be effectively implemented in a mainstream NHS setting, in an area with a substantial rural population. Declaration of interest: None.
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