The three-county and St Loman's psychiatric case registers 1974 and 1982

Abstract

Psychiatric services in Ireland have, until comparatively recently: been mainly
\ninstitution-based. The need for extension of these services to the community
\nwas emphasised by the report of the Commission of Inquiry on Mental Illness
\n(1966). Even at that time patients with psychiatric problems were being
\ntreated increasingly in community sellings and as a result the large number
\nof hospitalised patients, slightly over 21,000 in 1958, had begun to fall and as
\nthe years passed the services for psychiatric illness provided outside hospital
\nbecame more important. Whereas Information on patient movement in psychiatric
\ninstitutions has been available since the 1840'S lillie reliable data were
\navailable on out-patient and other forms of care. For this reason the Medico-Social
\nResearch Board on its foundation decided 10 compile an accurate
\npicture of what was happening in out-patient services, day centres and
\ncommunity residences in a sample of psychiatric services. The most effective
\nway to bring this about was through the instigation of psychiatric case registers
\nand so the Three County Psychiatric Case Register was inaugurated in
\n1973 by the Medico-Social Research Board. At the same time St. Loman's
\nPsychiatric Case Register was established by the Eastern Health Board.