Single-handed consultant practice in psychiatry

two different forms of accommodation: (a) family care, and (b) hostel-like—bothare greatly needed in many districts. A supported lodgings scheme can release patients for other needs, or to overcome crowding in the wards. A con sultant with special responsibility for rehabilitation is particularly helped by such a scheme and it should be an essential part of a rehabilitation department in any traditional psychiatric hospital or district general hospital. In Gloucestershire the Department of Health and Social Security pay £50-£65 per week to the landladies and land lords. All patients are in receipt of invalidity benefit or noncontributory invalidity benefit, so variable amounts are pay able and every case is assessed by this section of the Depart ment of Health and Social Security. This amount does not fully cover the cost of the supported lodgings, so the remainder of the lodgings fee, plus the patient's money, comes from supplementary benefit, if the patient's personal