Your supported lodgings

Abstract

Supported lodgings are an important means of achieving the successful rehabilitation and resettlement of the chronically mentally ill into the community (Anstee, 1978, 1985). In a survey of 15 psychiatric hospitals in England and Wales, it was estimated that 9.3% of the long-stay patients (i.e. in-patients from one to five years) under 65 years of age were ideally suited to less supervised accommodation outside the hospital. In Gloucestershire the Supported Lodging Scheme is provided by the Psychiatric Social Services Department. It was started to enable ‘new’ and ‘old’ long-stay patients at Coney Hill and Horton Road hospitals to be settled in the community. Now any psychiatric or mentally handicapped patient can also enter the scheme if appropriate.