TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2007//
TI  - Long-term outcomes after discharge from medium secure care: a cause for concern
JO  - British journal of psychiatry
A1  - Davies, Stephenie
A1  - Clarke, M.
A1  - Hollin, Clive R.
A1  - Duggan, Conor
SP  - 70
EP  - 74
VL  - 191
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: There are few long-term follow-up studies of patients discharged from medium secure units in the UK, even though these units were introduced over 20 years ago. AIMS: To describe mortality, rates of reconviction at different time periods; violent behaviour (not leading to conviction), readmission and employment, after discharge from a medium secure unit. METHOD: Of 595 first admissions over a 20-year period, 550 discharged cases were followed-up. Multiple data sources were used. RESULTS: Fifty-seven (10%) patients had died, of whom 18 (32%) died by suicide, and the risk of death was six times greater than in the general population. Almost half (49%) of those discharged were reconvicted and almost two-fifths (38%) of patients were readmitted to secure care. CONCLUSIONS: Community psychiatric services need to be aware that those discharged from medium secure care are a highly vulnerable group requiring careful follow-up if excess mortality, high levels of psychiatric morbidity and further offending are to be prevented.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0007-1250
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.106.029215
ID  - ref1
ER  -