Patient's View of Admission to a London Teaching Hospital

This paper gives the results of a medical and social survey of a small group of patients admitted into the beds of one medical " firm " of King's College Hospital. It was designed to provide some facts about the effects of admission on patients, from their point of view. We intended to use the results to assess the efficacy of the service we provide at present, and to form some basis for future plans about medical treatment, design of wards, and other hospital amenities. A report issued by the Ministry of Health (1963) stated that little was known objectively about patients' reactions to treatment, and quoted only three such studies in this country (McGhee, 1961 ; Barnes, 1961 ; Haywood, Jefford, MacGregor, Stevenson, and Wooding Jones, 1961). Although empowered to do so, the subcommittee who prepared the repnrt made no inquiries themselves. This was criticized in the British Medical Yournal (1963). In view of this Ministry of Health report and of the increasing interest in the results of medical care in the widest sense, we have prepared for publication some of the results of our survey which seemed to us to be of general interest.