[Psychiatric departments in general hospitals--developmental status in Germany]

Departments of Psychiatry in Germany were approached by direct investigations via a questionnaire regarding various parameters of structure and performance during 1993, since only insufficient administrative data on the structure of inpatient care were available. An expert inquiry that had been officially conducted in Germany in 1975 had recommended for 200 beds for inpatient accommodation. The present investigation, however, revealed that the average number of beds was only 80 in almost all hospitals. The majority of the Departments approached were engaged in 100% patient care, so that the discussion regarding two classes of psychiatry in respect of impatient nursing care is now obsolete. There is also no significant difference between the Departments of Psychiatry in hospitals in the pre-reunification West German and East German areas, the only exception being the sizes and hence the capacities of the relevant departments.