Family visit (FV) as part of a routine fixture at a psychiatric ward in a general hospital

Background: Covers two years experience of family visits (FV) as a routine fixture at a psychiatric ward in a General Hospital. Patients and methods: in the course of one year 98 visits took place involving a total of 481 con tacts between therapists, patients, and relatives, 269 patients participate d up to 10 times in FV. A total of 566 family members participated, the bul k of them partners, mothers and children. Each RI contact is restricted to 20 minutes, but can be repeated as often as desired. An ever recurrent them e is the question family members ask as to the causes of the patients condi tion and how they can expedite the healing process and ensure compliance. T he 269 FV patients do not differ markedly from the other patients concernin g age, sex, diagnosis and treatment time. Conclusion: FV are experienced by patients and relatives as positiv and enriching. For psychiatric workers a n ideal way to learn the psychotherapeutic rudiments.