'Long-stay medium secure' patients in Special Hospital

A sample of patients with schizophrenia detained in a high-security hospital, but thought no longer to require conditions of maximum security, was compared with patients in a high-dependency rehabilitation unit and a district rehabilitation service, by using several of the instruments from the TAPS studies (Team for Assessment of Psychiatric Services) and the REHAB scale. The high-dependency rehabilitation patients were found to be significantly more disabled than the maximum-security patients on a variety of parameters. Implications for service provision are discussed.