This paper presents the results of the latest in a series of surveys of an inner-city public psychiatric inpatient service. Severe pressures on the service had led to the purchase of inpatient beds in the private hospital sector and intensive care facilities in a large psychiatric hospital. On a census day the nominal occupancy for the inpatient unit was 117%. Implications of the survey, trends over time and possible solutions to the difficulties of the inpatient unit are discussed.
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