Who uses a day hospital and for how long?

Abstract

The dichotomy caused by the National Health Service Act, Section 28, which split the responsibility for the mentally disordered between the Minister of Health and local authorities has remained with us. Along with a separate GP service this dichotomy has caused inconsistencies, confusion and overlap in day care facilities. Although psychiatric day care has now become accepted as an essential element in the comprehensive psychiatric care of the mentally ill, its development has been unplanned and there is a great regional variation (Vaughan, 1983).