The British Journal of Psychiatry 152: 188-195 (1988)
© 1988 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Patterns of care in a district general hospital psychiatric department

RE Lawrence, S Cumella and JA Robertson
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston.

A survey of all admissions of patients under the age of 65 during the first 6 years of a District General Psychiatric Department without mental-hospital support is reported. Three high-uptake groups of in- patients were defined; the long-stay (12 months or more), the medium- stay (6-12 months), and the revolving-door group (more than three admissions in any period of 12 months). Identifying characteristics which distinguish between these groups were examined. During a 7-year period there was no accumulation of long-stay patients, and a striking lack of schizophrenic patients who remained in hospital for more than 6 months or who had more than three admissions in any twelve-month period. This was not accounted for by drift of the high-uptake groups out of contact with the service, but may be related both to the style of service provision and to the socially cohesive nature of the area under study. Local variation should be given due importance when community services are being developed.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Cowan and P. Walker New long-stay patients in a psychiatric admission ward setting Psychiatr. Bull., December 1, 2005; 29(12): 452 - 454. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Patrick and F. Holloway A Two Year Follow Up of New Long-Stay Patients in an Inner City District General Hospital International Journal of Social Psychiatry, September 1, 1990; 36(3): 207 - 215. [Abstract] [PDF]