Integration of hospital care for the mentally ill: a status report

Analysis of DHSS statistics from the Mental Health Enquiry for 1975 indicates that, contrary to some predictions, district general hospital psychiatric units (DGHU) are assuming a proportionate share of the burden of hospital care for most groups of mentally ill individuals. Comparisons of admissions to mental illness hospitals and DGHUs indicate no major differences in most categories of patient characteristics (age, sex, order of admission and diagnosis); where differences do exist, they appear to be decreasing. Concern that DGHUs might 'cream off' patients with less serious illnesses, with a resultant 'two-tier' system of mental hospital care, would thus appear to be unwarranted.