The context of inpatient mental health care in England

Abstract

This chapter reviews the practice of inpatient care in relation to the provision of overall psychiatric care in England. The structure of mental health care in the UK National Health Service (NHS) is outlined and in particular the various subspecialties of inpatient care. Recent trends in the provision of inpatient psychiatric care in the UK are considered in comparison to those in Europe and North America. There follows a review of the role of public sector care under the NHS and a debate about the effectiveness of inpatient care and whether it should be a separate psychiatric subspecialty. Finally, local service developments are discussed as a type of case study to illustrate how services are currently undergoing rapid changes.