Psychiatric hospitals 'to close by 2010'

Traditional psychiatric hospitals should be in a position to close within four years, according to a new report from the Health Research Board.

The report says community-based services and psychiatric units in general hospitals will replace the existing hospital system by 2010.

It says the number of people resident in psychiatric units and hospitals has fallen by 83% in the past 23 years.

In 1963, there were 19,801 people in psychiatric care, but this had fallen to 3,389 by this year.

Males account for more than half of all residents, while the highest rates of hospitalisation are in the south, followed by north-east Dublin.

The continuing decline in numbers of long-stay patients is a result of discharge and death, along with the further development of community care.