Outcome of admission to a medium secure psychiatric unit. I. Short- and long-term outcome.
BACKGROUND
This is the first long-term follow-up of patients discharged from a medium secure unit.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the short- and long-term outcomes of admission for all patients discharged during a 14-year period.


METHODS
A longitudinal cohort study of all 234 patients discharged from the Denis Hill Unit, Bethlem Royal Hospital, between 1980 and 1994, followed for an average 6.6 years.


RESULTS
Although 48% of admissions were from prison, only 8% returned there, with most being transferred to another psychiatric bed. One-fifth of patients spent none of the follow-up time in the community; 75% of patients had at least one readmission; only 24% were convicted of further offences.


CONCLUSIONS
Re-offending rates are comparable with those for patients discharged from high-security hospitals, and much lower than those for released prisoners. The high readmission rates indicate the need for a range of services to maintain former patients in the community.
Maden
A
A
Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London.
Rutter
S
S
McClintock
T
T
Friendship
C
C
Gunn
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010343:Patient Admission; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors