Background: Therapeutic communities (TCs) could reduce the health care use of people with personality disorder
(Davies S, Campling P and Ryan K, Psychiatrist 23:79–83, 1999; Barr W, Kirkcaldy A, Horne A, Hodge S, Hellin K and
Göpfert M, J Ment Health 19:412–421, 2010) and in turn reduce the financial and environmental costs of services.
Our hypothesis is that 3 years following entry to a TC service, patients have reduced subsequent health care use
and associated reductions in financial costs and carbon footprint.
Methods: A retrospective 4-year cohort study examined changes in health care use following entry to the
Oxfordshire TC service. Comparative analysis was undertaken on a treated (n = 40) and a control group (referred but
who declined treatment; n = 45). Financial costs and carbon footprint of health care use were calculated using
national tariffs and standard carbon conversion factors. Mean changes in these outcomes were compared over 1, 2
and 3 years and adjusted for costs and carbon footprints in the year prior to joining the TC service.
Results: Compared to baseline, the group receiving TC care had greater reductions in financial costs and carbon
footprint associated with A&E attendances (p = 0.04) and crisis mental health appointments (p = 0.04) than the
control group. There were significantly greater reductions in carbon footprint for all secondary health care use, both
physical and mental health care, after 3 years (p = 0.04) in the TC group.
Conclusions: TC services may have the potential to reduce the financial cost and carbon footprint of health car