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Delayed discharges from a psychiatric intensive care unit – are we detaining patients unlawfully?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2007

R Onyon ,
S Khan  and
M George
R Onyon*
Affiliation:
Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
S Khan
Affiliation:
Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
M George
Affiliation:
Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
*
Correspondence to: Dr Richard Onyon, Specialist Registrar, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2QZ, UK. Tel: 0121 678 2007; E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background: The principle that patients should be cared for under conditions of no greater security than is justified is well established and applies to patients cared for on psychiatric intensive care units.

Aims: This audit aimed to establish: (1) the characteristics of patients admitted to a PICU, (2) whether patients experienced delays in discharge to care in lower levels of security and (3) the characteristics of patients who experienced a delayed discharge.

Method: An audit survey of the case notes of patients discharged from an inner city PICU in 2005 to establish compliance with the standards described.

Results: Of 109 patients discharged from the PICU, 88 were included in the survey. 51.1% of patients experienced a delay in discharge from the PICU. The characteristics of the patients discharged from the PICU are described, and compared with those experiencing a delay in discharge.

Conclusions: Patients often experience a delay in discharge to clinically appropriate levels of security from a typical PICU. The source of referral of patients and diagnosis are associated with a delay in discharge. The findings warrant wider study.

Keywords

PICUdelayed dischargespatient characteristics
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Psychiatric Intensive Care , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , December 2006 , pp. 59 - 64
Copyright
Copyright © NAPICU 2007

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