A survey of voting in elderly psychiatric and medical in-patients

Andrew Stanners,David Hargreaves,Wendy Burn,Suzanne Kite

doi:10.1192/pb.17.1.19

Andrew Stanners, David Hargreaves + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1192/pb.17.1.19

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Abstract

The UK has recently held a general election in which the future of the National Health Service has been a major issue. The elderly constitute a growing proportion of the electorate and are frequent users of the Health Service, yet some may have been unable to vote because they are in-patients. Elderly in-patients can vote by post or proxy or by being taken to their polling station by relatives or party representatives, but for many these arrangements may be inadequate.

Highlights

Getting psychiatric patients to the polls is a gruelling task for administrators, clinicians, and the patients themselves
During the debate fears were expressed that psychiatric patients might be unduly influenced in their voting by hospi tal staff, and that large numbers of patients voting in one constituency might have a distorting effect on the result
It is disappointing that only 25 (3%) of the patients resident at the two hospitals cast their vote in the general election of 1992

Summary

Gelling psychiatric patients to the polls

Getting psychiatric patients to the polls is a gruelling task for administrators, clinicians, and the patients themselves. Patients are required to complete the declaration without assistance (unless they are physically disabled), and the form requires attestation by a member of the hospital staff. It is disappointing that only 25 (3%) of the patients resident at the two hospitals cast their vote in the general election of 1992. Parliament has made pro vision, albeit with procedural complexities, for psy chiatric patients to vote. If such patients are to vote in any significant number, administration and clinical staff must allocate resources and bring enthusiasm to the task. Other citizens exercise their own judgement in deciding whether or not to vote. How much should those responsible for the care of psychiatric patients do to ensure that their patients vote?

The study

Findings

Conclusion