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A Psychiatric Emergency Clinic: A Study of Attendances Over Six Months

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Meng Hooi Lim
Meng Hooi Lim*
Affiliation:
The Middlesex Hospital, London W1N 8AA, and The Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals, London SE5 8AF
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Summary

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.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 143 , Issue 5 , November 1983 , pp. 460 - 466
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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