Background: The treatment of depression in Australian aged psychiatry units has been found to be effective in terms of symptom improvement and readmission rates. There is little information, however, about how such hospitalization is viewed by the patients themselves. While users' views are increasingly seen as important for the evaluation of mental health services and for improving outcomes, the views of older patients are less likely to be sought. In this study, former patients were asked about their experience of admission, which aspects were helpful and which were not. Negative experiences have been described in an earlier paper. This paper focuses on what study participants considered to be the positive aspects of their time in hospital.

Methods: Fifty former patients from three Melbourne hospitals were interviewed in their own homes using a semi-structured, open-ended questionnaire.

Results: Forty-six percent expressed an overall favorable view of their hospital stay; 34% had some reservations; and 20% had a poor overall view. Favorable views did not necessarily preclude distressing incidents or complaints but were associated with the ward environment, experienced as a safe haven; the re-evaluation of negative experiences; and, in most but not all cases, recovery.

Conclusions: Retrospective accounts are useful for understanding the ways in which hospital experience is processed. Remembering the experience as positive is, in itself, a good therapeutic outcome. In addition, it may influence readiness to seek future treatment, help prevent relapse, and, indirectly, be helpful to others with similar problems.

Excessive alcohol consumption causes major problems in the UK but is responsive to brief intervention. Excessive drinkers represent 20% of patients on practice lists and present twice as often as others. The potential of health professionals to reduce alcohol related problems contrasts sharply with current practice. Health professionals’ report fears about negative reactions and losing rapport with patients. This study explored patients’ attitudes to and experiences of alcohol and brief intervention in primary health care so that health professionals can provide a service which is more acceptable to patients. The study used a qualitative approach to data collection and analysis. Six focus groups, stratified by age and sex, were conducted with 31 patients from practices in northeast England. A combination of random and purposive sampling was used to recruit patients with a range of perspectives on issues emerging from ongoing data-analysis until data saturation occurred. Many patients had recently altered their lifestyle to improve their health, however, only one reported reducing alcohol consumption. Over half the patients had been advised about their lifestyle but this was not always deemed to be appropriate. Patients responded positively to advice when in an appropriate context and by a health professional with whom they had developed a relationship and rapport. Overall the general practitioner was deemed the preferred health professional to discuss alcohol issues. Brief alcohol intervention is a legitimate role of the general practitioner when carried out in an appropriate context. A National Alcohol Strategy should focus on strengthening the public health campaign in order to support general practitioners in brief alcohol intervention.