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The Nottingham acute bed study: alternatives to acute psychiatric care
- Authors:
- BEICK A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 170, March 1997, pp.247-252.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Although modern psychiatric services seek alternatives to hospitalisation wherever appropriate, the national trend toward higher bed occupancies on acute psychiatric wards has refocused attention on community-based alternatives and methods of assessing need for acute care. Surveys key decision-makers in a community-oriented district service with a low acute psychiatric bed to population ration, in order to examine alternatives to hospitalisation in a cohort of consecutive admissions over a six-month period. Concludes that in a community-oriented service, key decision-makers could identify further alternatives to acute ward hospitalisation, although relatively few non-residential, community support options were chosen. Although this methodology has limitations, data based upon key worker judgements probably have greater local 'ownership', and the option appraisal process itself may challenge stereotyped patterns of resource use.