Low numbers of hospital-based psychiatric beds create problems for people with severe mental illness (SMI), when they face extended emergency department (ED) waits, higher thresholds for admission to an acute bed, and short revolving-door stays with high rates of rehospitalisation. Limited access to inpatient treatment has been associated with higher suicide risk, premature mortality, homelessness, violent crime and incarceration. Ultimately, people with SMI can be transinstitutionalised to the criminal justice system. In the USA, for example, prisons have replaced mental hospitals as the largest institutions housing people with SMI. There is no international consensus on the safe minimum numbers of acute, forensic and rehabilitation beds needed to reduce these risks. As a consequence, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries have wide variations in the mix of hospital beds with an average of 71 beds per 100 000 population. Policymakers face difficult choices with few studies to guide decisions on supplying beds. The UK Royal College of Psychiatrists offered a policy framework, which was adapted for Australia. The government of the State of South Australia increased the supplies of crisis, acute and forensic beds to meet a mandatory target to safely reduce mental health boarding in the EDs.

中文翻译：

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政府应何时增加精神病床的供应？

医院的精神科病床数量少，给重度精神疾病（SMI）的人带来问题，当他们面对急诊科（ED）的等待时间延长，进入急诊床的门槛较高以及高轮转率的短期门诊时，会给他们带来麻烦。再次住院。获得住院治疗的机会有限与自杀风险增加，过早死亡，无家可归，暴力犯罪和监禁有关。最终，具有SMI的人可以被转入刑事司法系统。例如，在美国，监狱取代了精神病医院，成为容纳SMI患者的最大机构。对于减少这些风险所需的最小安全急诊床，法医床和康复床，国际上尚未达成共识。作为结果，经济合作与发展组织（OECD）国家的病床组合差异很大，每10万人中平均有71张病床。政策制定者面临艰难的选择，很少进行研究以指导有关床位供应的决策。英国皇家精神病医生学院提供了一个适用于澳大利亚的政策框架。南澳大利亚州政府增加了急诊病床，急诊床和法医床的供应，以达到安全减少急诊室精神卫生寄宿的强制性目标。