title: Referrals to a liaison psychiatry outpatient clinic.
abstract: This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of consecutive referrals to a liaison psychiatry outpatient clinic, based within a National Health Service (NHS) general hospital. All outpatient referrals to the service between January 2005 and January 2008 were subjected to retrospective completion of a proforma for post hoc data collection. Data relating to characteristics of the referral, patients, diagnosis, and nature and extent of contact were extracted for scrutiny. The majority (60.2%) of referrals to the service came from physicians based within the general hospital. Where conveyed, depression (26.7%) was the most commonly cited reason for referral. Diagnoses of both mood (affective) disorders (32.9%) and neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (54.7%) were common. Cognitive behaviour therapy (56.1%) was the most commonly used intervention followed by pharmacological therapy (25.4%). In conclusion, the study provides a description of the nature of the work encountered in a liaison psychiatry setting and demonstrates the extent of services provided for medical specialties within the general hospital.
authors.affiliation: Glasgow Liaison Psychiatry Service, Western Infirmary, Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G11 6NT, UK. johnsharp@nhs.net
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Innes
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013222:State Medicine; D055815:Young Adult