Determinants of Outcome in a Psychiatric Emergency Clinic

Abstract

The study describes 85 emergency referrals to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital during June 1973 with special reference to the criteria for hospitalisation. The day of the week, source of referral, employment status and diagnosis strongly influenced outcome; thus the likelihood of selection for hospitalisation was found to be significantly increased by unemployment, referral by a General Practitioner during the week and receiving an affective, organic or neurotic illness label. The implications of these findings are discussed. An attempt is also made to evaluate the work of the emergency service in the light of these findings.