Reaching Out: Improving the Continuity of Care of Community Mental Health Services Through a Weekly Climbing Group

This mixed-method study examined the impact of a novel activity group on engagement in care. Thirty-two participants were recruited from National Health Service (NHS) community mental health services in three inner-London boroughs. Participants undertook eight weekly sessions of supervised climbing. There was a significant quantitative improvement in the domain “individual progress” (Z = 2.12, p = 0.03). Qualitative data indicated a wide range of benefits. The study identified both direct and indirect benefits to continuity of care. The study validates the use of a climbing activity group to engage and benefit community mental health service users.