That there are wide regional differences in the demand for psychiatric beds is common knowledge, and is frequently commented upon. There is no generally accepted interpretation, and it is difficult to draw conclusions from a comparison between different areas when the crucial treatment facilities—in-patient and out-patient services, admission policies, after-care in the community—are far from uniform. It has been argued that much of the variability in admission rates is independent of mental disorder incidence and reflects other forces at work, such as the organization of the services available to the mentally ill.