The impact of increasing general hospital admissions on Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

The objective of this study was to identify changes in patients referred to CLP at a typical inner urban teaching hospital over two decades in the context of increased hospital admissions.

Multivariate analyses were conducted on data collected for all referrals to CLP at Royal Melbourne Hospital between 1998 and 2017. Analyses were conducted with reason for referral, current psychiatric contact, psychiatric diagnosis, discharge destination and follow up as dependent variables, and the year and annual hospital admissions as independent variables.

Annual hospital admissions grew at a rate (4.6%), greater than the annual increase in beds (2.0%). Psychosis, suicide attempt, past psychiatric history and behaviour became more common reasons for referral, whilst depression and somatisation became less common. Transfers to and from mental health inpatient units increased.

An increasing proportion of patients seen by CLP have 'acute' problems. Patients with somatisation and depression are seen less frequently. These findings indicate that CLP services need to provide timely assessment and work closely with other elements of the local mental health service in order to optimise patient flow and ensure continuity of care. Local strategies may be required to ensure an adequate breadth of experience for trainees.