Attitudes of Medical and Nursing Staff Towards Self-Poisoning Patients in a London Hospital

60 staff members of a London hospital were asked to comlete questionnaires which were designed to elicit information on their attitudes toward the overdose patient & his care. A majority distinquished the OP from other patients & were irritated by such admissions (generally at night when a minimum of staff were available) to general wards not prepared for the special care this type of patient required. Most did not feel they had adequate psychiatric training to deal with attempted suicides.(NBB)