Since opening in 1863 Broadmoor Hospital, in Crowthorne, Berkshire, 30 miles west of London, has admitted or readmitted over 2000 women. This is a tiny proportion of the women who have been incarcerated in prison over this time, but the level of public interest and ethical issues involved in their care, far outweighs the number of cases. Their stories and reasons for admission are of great interest and complexity.

At first infanticide was the usual offence resulting in admission, but with increasing knowledge of the causes and consequences of mental illness, and new legislation to deal with it, reasons for admission became much more varied. Arson became the commonest reason for admission in recent years. Also, over the last 40 years, those admitted are younger and stay for a shorter time.

The treatment of the disturbed and often tragic women patients in Broadmoor has also changed. Primitive surgery and blunderbuss drug regimes have evolved into multidisciplinary practices and widely varied therapies.

Political pressure groups campaigning against the admission of mentally ill women to high security hospitals have succeeded in changing government policy. Three high security units in England will be reduced to one, accommodating only the most dangerous women. The rapidly growing range of public and private medium security units will treat all other women detained under the Mental Health Act.

This is a time of change in the treatment of mentally abnormal women offenders in England. It presents an opportunity for those of us who care about these women to share knowledge and experience with professionals from other countries.