[Description of a group of psychiatric patients difficult to place]

There are long-term patients in psychiatric hospitals, who are often referred to as new long-stay patients: the heavy users consumers of psychiatric services and difficult-to-place patients.

Social characteristics, diagnosis, need for care, function, and admission patterns were compared in a group of heavy user patients (N = 39) and a group of difficult-to-place patients (N = 14).

The difficult-to-place patients were more often men, more often had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, had a lower socio-economic status, and lower GAF scores. The difficult-to-place patients rated the same amount of need for care as did the heavy users, but were assessed by the staff to have a greater need for care. The results support the view that the difficult-to-place patients comprise a distinct group. Services for the difficult-to-place patients must combine highly differentiated care with few demands and greater tolerance with respect to problem behaviour.