Are Occupational Therapy Interventions for Service Users with Mental Health Problems Cost-Effective?

The current financial climate in health and social care is challenging: occupational therapists who work in mental health services need urgently to demonstrate clinical effectiveness and value for money in comparison to other interventions. In doing so they will help to ensure that service users in the United Kingdom can continue to benefit from occupational therapy interventions. In this opinion piece, a basic introduction to types of evaluation, costs and consequences is provided, as well as a description of research studies into the provision of occupational therapy for service users with mental health problems that include economic evaluations. Finally, methods to produce this vital information are suggested for practitioners, managers and researchers.