The Increasing Demand for Clinical Psychological Consultations in the Smaller General Hospital

Abstract

With the increasing knowledge and understanding of psychological disorders as well as the psychological concommitants of physical disease, the need for general hospital clinical psychological services is growing. These primary care centres serve mainly patients from the lower socioeconomic group who are unable to afford private psychological consultation. Many of these patients are also unaware of the psychological nature of their illness. It is certainly necessary for these patients to have access to psychological services (other than that in psychiatric hospitals), and the general hospital could serve this function. The establishment of a part-time clinical psychological service at a local general hospital is discussed together with referral rates and types. It is clear that part-time services are insufficient and that more resident psychological services are necessary.