Patient satisfaction with psychiatric care

We are enjoined nowadays to be ever more cognisant of the views of patients about the care they receive, in all forms of health service. From the point of view of psychiatry, there is a small but growing literature on this subject and we have three opinions from around the world in this issue. First, Australian colleagues from psychiatric nursing (Brenda Happell and Monica Summers) surveyed patients with mental health problems who attended an accident and emergency department. One important issue, which is reflected in many such departments around the world, is the length of time spent waiting for an assessment. Despite the fact that a triage process was available, which presumably did increase efficiency, the wait was too long for many clients, who left before being seen. (Most had attended after self-harming behaviour.)