A brief consultation and advice (BCA) approach to dealing with routine referrals
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18-month period. This is a time-limited, client-centred and solution-focused
approach to dealing with common non-complex referrals. The model proposes that
all families are seen for an initial `consultation' appointment followed by a
maximum of two further appointments. A randomized controlled study compared the
clinical effectiveness of BCA treatment with treatment as usual (TAU) over a
6-month period. The parents of children referred to CAMHS were eligible to
participate if their child was deemed `non-complex'. Ethical approval was
granted by the relevant ethics committee. Families who consented to participate
in the study were randomly allocated to either the BCA or TAU group. Sixty
children enrolled in the study. Both groups showed improvements on a number of
variables at 3 months post treatment, but only those receiving BCA showed
continued improvement at 6 months. Participants in both groups showed high
levels of satisfaction with the treatment received. Participants in the TAU
group expressed dissatisfaction with long waiting times and had a higher drop
out rate than the BCA treatment group. During the time frame studied, the
introduction of the BCA approach did not lead to a decrease in overall mean
waiting time. These results and the usefulness of a BCA model are
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