Integrated hospital and community psychiatric services and use of inpatient beds.
The impact of introducing a divisional psychiatric service based in the community in Nottingham in 1981 on adult psychiatric admissions (patients aged 15-65) was examined with data from the Nottingham case register. During 1980-5 the number of psychiatric admissions fell significantly (4.5% a year) compared with the national figures (0.46% a year). Admissions were reduced most for the diagnoses of affective psychosis and neurotic and personality disorders. The average duration of admission fell by 3.6% a year, and use of inpatient beds fell by 37.5%. Integrating hospital and community psychiatric services by creating sectors is a viable and economically feasible way of improving psychiatric services.
Tyrer
P
P
St Charles's Hospital, London.
Turner
R
R
Johnson
A L
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001509:Bed Occupancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004739:England; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors