USE OF ACUTE PSYCHIATRIC BEDS - A POINT PREVALENCE SURVEY IN NORTH AND SOUTH THAMES REGIONS

Background Concerns have been expressed, particularly in inner cities, about the growing pressure on acute psychiatric beds, evidenced by in creased occupancy rates, difficulties in accessing beds, and increasin g use of private beds by health authorities. This study investigated t hese concerns by conducting a census of psychiatric patients occupying acute beds. The proportion of patients who no longer required acute c are and their needs for alternative provision were determined, togethe r with bed occupancy rates. Method A point prevalence survey of acute psychiatric patients in all National Health Service acute psychiatric units and seven private psychiatric units in North and South Thames re gions was conducted on 15 June 1994. Sociodemographic, diagnosis and a dmission characteristics data were collected. Patients who no longer r equired acute care were identified and the alternative service provisi on required for these patients was determined. Bed occupancy rates wer e calculated. Results A total of 3710 psychiatric patients (including those on leave) were ennumerated. More than one in five (23.2 per cent ) were defined as inappropriately located. The main alternative servic es required for inappropriately located patients who could be discharg ed to the community were professional support in patient's home (71.5 per cent), and housing or more appropriate housing (61 per cent). For inappropriately located patients who could not be discharged into the community, the main alternative services required were group home (29. 3 per cent) and in-patient rehabilitation (20.8 per cent). Bed occupan cy rates were high on the day of the survey (95 per cent). Conclusions Best use is not being made of acute psychiatric beds in the Thames re gions. A high proportion of patients occupying beds are those who no l onger require acute care, but for whom alternative services are unavai lable.