A psychiatric emergency clinic: a study of attendances over six months.
Two thousand three hundred and ninety consecutive visits to a walk-in psychiatric emergency service were studied to examine issues relevant to service provision. Only a third of patients were from the catchment area. Psychotic patients and those admitted or kept overnight (guests) were more frequent after hours and among non-medical referrals, especially family and police referrals; but suicidal patients often came from other hospitals. At index visit a third of patients were offered follow-up, but attendance was poor. Factors influencing attendance were examined. Keeping overnight avoided unnecessary admissions. There was little evidence that patients abused the service. The findings suggest that a psychiatric emergency service should be available to all referrals 24 hours a day.
D000328:Adult; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D014171:Transients and Migrants