Waiting times at a high-security hospital – a survey of the process from referral to admission at Ashworth Hospital

Abstract

Long waiting times are a major concern in many NHS settings and this is also the case in forensic services. Forensic psychiatric admissions tend to be lengthy, and progress through the system is slow. Yet, little research has been conducted exploring waiting times for admission to high-security care and factors contributing to delays in such admissions. Here we describe the progress of referrals to Ashworth Hospital over a two-year period, 2005 and 2006. Medical reports took an average of 41.3 days from referral. The average waiting time from referral to admission was 127.4 days, but 60% of cases were admitted within 22 weeks. Factors associated with delays in the process from referral to admission included diagnosis and place of referral. Those with personality disorders and those referred from prison encountered particular delays. Lateness of assessment reports had a knock-on effect on subsequent progression. Bed capacity had no significant effect on waiting times for admission.

Keywords:

• waiting list
• waiting time
• capacity
• high security
• resources
• service provision

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Michael Morris, Information and Performance Management, Mersey Care NHS Trust, and to Tracy Evans, Referrals Manager and Admissions Panel Co-ordinator, Ashworth Hospital, for their assistance in identifying referrals and their progress to admission.