Assessment and management of vulnerable patients

Staff working on mental health wards are well accustomed to assessing and managing vulnerable patients. With the current organization of mental health care in the UK, where only 5.7% of patients in contact with mental health services received inpatient care in a year, only the most unwell and/or complex patients are seen on mental health wards. These patients may well have numerous vulnerabilities, which require assessment and management as part of the holistic treatment of the patient during their admission and for discharge planning. This chapter discusses who these particularly vulnerable patients are, examines what sort of vulnerabilities patients might experience, and suggests possible management strategies.