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Referrals to a liaison psychiatry outpatient clinic

This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of consecutive referrals to a liaison psychiatry outpatient clinic, based within a National Health Service (NHS) general hospital. All outpatient referrals to the service between January 2005 and January 2008 were subjected to retrospective completion of a proforma for post hoc data collection. Data relating to characteristics of the referral, patients, diagnosis, and nature and extent of contact were extracted for scrutiny. The majority (60.2%) of referrals to the service came from physicians based within the general hospital. Where conveyed, depression (26.7%) was the most commonly cited reason for referral. Diagnoses of both mood (affective) disorders (32.9%) and neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (54.7%) were common. Cognitive behaviour therapy (56.1%) was the most commonly used intervention followed by pharmacological therapy (25.4%). In conclusion, the study provides a description of the nature of the work encountered in a liaison psychiatry setting and demonstrates the extent of services provided for medical specialties within the general hospital.