Citation

Patfield M. Australas. Psychiatry 2000; 8(4): 370-372.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1046/j.1440-1665.2000.00283.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To draw attention to the increasing prominence given to issues of safety and security in psychiatric inpatient units at the expense of therapeutic considerations.

CONCLUSION: Progressive removal of "hazards" in order to prevent self harm, often in response to coronial inquests or law suits, is leading to inpatient units becoming stark and oppressive. We risk returning to a dark era wherein our patients will fear our inpatient facilities, which will have become suicidogenic.

Language: en

Keywords

automutilation; custody; fear; hazard; health care facility; high risk population; hospital admission; human; human relation; law suit; mental disease; observation; patient care; patient monitoring; protection; psychiatric department; safety; short survey; suicide