HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS British Journal of Psychiatry Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter View responses Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Google Scholar Articles by Sakhuja, D. Articles by Bisson, J. I. PubMed Articles by Sakhuja, D. Articles by Bisson, J. I.

Liaison psychiatry services in Wales

Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust, Newport

Jonathan I. Bisson

Cardiff University, Monmouth House, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, email: bissonji{at}cf.ac.uk

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

To determine the nature of current liaison psychiatry services in Wales, a structured telephone interview was conducted with representatives of all 11 National Health Service trusts.

RESULTS

Three trusts (27%) had no dedicated liaison psychiatry service and only one of the eight (13%) with a service had a full-time consultant liaison psychiatrist. Only two services (25%) had a full-time junior doctor and three (37%) were not multidisciplinary, comprising nursing staff alone. No team had a clinical psychologist and only two (25%) provided a psychological treatment service.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Liaison psychiatry services across Wales are fragmented, under-resourced and unlikely to meet patients’ needs. They fall well short of the recommendations of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Psychiatrists.

eLetters: