Development of out-patient services in Psychiatric departments: A study of the activities of an after-care clinic

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The authors studied 214 patients who attended the aftercare clinics of the University of Helsinki Psychiatric Clinic. They found that the indiscriminating referral of nearly all discharged patients resulted in an accumulation of patients receiving long-term outpatient treatment, so that the numbers of new patients who could be accepted fell rapidly. There seemed to be two main kinds of patients, both needing careful selection while still in hospital but each needing rather different type of treatment. Both groups needed continuity of care and attention to interpersonal relationships within the family. Rehabilitation and social work services were insufficient.