A community-based mental handicap out-patient clinic: a 5-year retrospective study

A 5-year retrospective study of mentally handicapped patients referred to the only community-based mental handicap out-patient clinic in a county with an approximate population of 360,000 is presented. The clinic has been functioning for about 10 years and has been consultant-based. Areas for study include: referral rate; source of referral; degree of handicap; superimposed mental illness, behaviour disorder and epilepsy; and the proportion of patients needing admission to the unit for further assessment/treatment. Some implications are discussed.