Liaison psychiatry, a term that is sometimes used interchangeably with consultation-liaison psychiatry, refers to the interface between psychiatry and general hospital patients and specialists. It involves psychiatrists’ intervention in the care of medically ill patients who present with psychiatric symptoms whilst in a general hospital setting. It may also involve assessment of patients who have pre-existing psychiatric illness or those who develop psychiatric symptoms because of their medical or surgical illness (e.g. coping with bad news).