Resource requirements in forensic psychiatry

Abstract

Last week I saw Michael in an “unfurnished room’ at my local prison. He was becoming dehydrated, and the cell walls were decorated with a mixture of his blood and faeces. Despite his florid psychosis, he recognized me from a previous admission, and he pleaded with me to get him out. Instead, I encouraged the prison medical staff to administer intra-muscular neuroleptics under common law. There was no available bed in the specialist resource that he required.