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Primary care based psychiatric clinics: observations on a one year cohort of referrals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Stephen J Cooper ,
Andrew Gilliland ,
Sinead McGilloway ,
Michael Doherty  and
Elizabeth Cormac
Stephen J Cooper
Affiliation:
Dept. of Mental Health, The Queen's University of Belfast, Whitla Medical Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL
Andrew Gilliland
Affiliation:
Dept. of General Practice, The Queen's University of Belfast, Dunluce Health Centre, 1 Dunluce Avenue, Belfast BT9 7AW
Sinead McGilloway
Affiliation:
Dept. of Mental Health, The Queen's University of Belfast, Whitla Medical Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL
Michael Doherty
Affiliation:
Dept. of Mental Health, The Queen's University of Belfast, Whitla Medical Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL
Elizabeth Cormac
Affiliation:
Dept. of Mental Health, The Queen's University of Belfast, Whitla Medical Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL
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Abstract

A one year cohort of referrals (n=178) to a primary care based psychiatric clinic in a large Health Centre is described. Fears that such a clinic might detract from treatment provided for psychotic patients seemed unfounded. Waiting time for assessment was short and patients were more likely to attend than at hospital based clinics. Admission rates were considerably reduced. Contact between patients and their general practitioner seems to continue at a high level even during psychiatric intervention but half of the “frequent attender” group cease contact. The pattern of attendance on follow-up suggests that many patients may receive unnecessarily long out-patient care.

The evidence to date suggests that such clinics provide a useful service but other aspects of quality of care require evaluation.

Keywords

Primary CarePsychiatric clinic
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , May 1992 , pp. 13 - 16
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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