Psychiatric units in district general hospitals and traditional mental hospitals: some recent evidence

Using routine data from the Mental Health Enquiry, the work of two district general hospital (DGH) units and a mental hospital was examined. There was a marked difference in the way the two DGH units operated and between the way the mental hospital worked as support hospital or as independent complete in-patient service. The operational policy practised by psychiatrists is more important than the structure of the system. It is important to establish sensitive policies for a wide variety of organizational structures.