Factors influencing the Referral of Patients to Psychiatrists by General Practitioners

Abstract

Thispaperisanaccount ofaninquiry intothe process bywhichgeneral practitioners working ina mining valley inSouthWalesrefer patients tothe local mental health services. Theaimofthestudy hasbeentoexamine those factors whichseemto influence suchreferrals. MATERIAL Theinvestigation wascarried outamongadefined population of27,000 occupying avalley about 6miles longandnowhere morethanhalf amilewide. The inhabitants live ineight namedtownships strung out along thevalley floor toformwhatamounts toa continuous narrowribbon ofurban-type housing. Physical features ofthelocal mountain landscape clearly establish theboundaries ofthevalley community, except atits lower endwherethevalley joins another similar valley andwhere, forthepurposes of this study, anarbitrary line ofdemarcation isdrawn. Fromthepoint ofviewofmental health services thevalley population isinthecatchment areaof Morgannwg Hospital, Bridgend (2,300 beds), andis intheadministrative county ofGlamorgan. The hospital is15miles fromthevalley, butmembers of thestaff conduct anout-patient clinic inageneral hospital only9 miles awayandalsoprovide a