London's liaison psychiatry services: survey of service provision. (April 2015) - Naidu, Smitha
Abstract : Aims and method: To describe the liaison psychiatry services of all 30 general hospitals in Greater London and to determine whether services met national recommendations. The results were compared with a similar survey conducted 8 years previously to determine whether there had been significant service development. Results: We identified wide variations in service provision across London. Fifteen hospitals (50%) had 24-hour services and one had no service. There had been a significant increase in services that assessed older adults. Increases in the size of teams and consultant psychiatry staff were not significant. Clinical implications: Despite an increasing emphasis on the effectiveness of liaison psychiatry services, no London hospital had staffing levels consistent with national recommendations. Recent evidence for the cost-effectiveness of liaison psychiatry and an emphasis on parity between physical and mental health in National Health Service policy may provide further impetus for growth.