Greenhalgh N M, Wylie K, Rix K J, Tamlyn D
St James's University Hospital, Leeds.
Med Sci Law. 1996 Jan;36(1):52-8. doi: 10.1177/002580249603600110.
A three-month pilot mental health assessment and diversion scheme was carried out at one of the busiest magistrates' courts outside London. In terms of demographic characteristics the sample of prisoners seen in this study was similar to those seen in diversion schemes in London and Manchester. Although 77 per cent of prisoners were found to be suffering from a psychiatric disorder, almost half were suffering from alcohol or drug dependence or misuse and the number with psychotic illnesses was small compared with the London sample. These differences may be partly due to the earlier diversion of acutely mentally ill prisoners from police custody into the health care system in Leeds. The low rate of psychiatric admission from the pilot scheme largely reflected these differences although in the cases of four patients admission was recommended by the assessing psychiatrist but not effected because of the lack of regional secure beds. Other problems identified by those involved in the scheme were the need for the provision of bail hostels specializing in the care of those with psychiatric difficulties and the need for the involvement of community psychiatric nurses within the assessment and diversion scheme.
在伦敦以外最繁忙的治安法庭之一开展了一项为期三个月的心理健康评估与分流计划。就人口统计学特征而言，本研究中所观察的囚犯样本与伦敦和曼彻斯特分流计划中的样本相似。尽管发现77%的囚犯患有精神疾病，但几乎一半的人患有酒精或药物依赖或滥用问题，与伦敦样本相比，患有精神疾病的人数较少。这些差异可能部分归因于利兹地区将急性精神病囚犯从警方拘留中更早地分流到医疗保健系统。试点计划中精神病住院率较低很大程度上反映了这些差异，不过有四名患者的情况是，评估精神科医生建议住院，但由于缺乏区域安全床位而未能实现。参与该计划的人员指出的其他问题包括需要提供专门照顾有精神困难者的保释旅馆，以及社区精神科护士需要参与评估和分流计划。
