ABSTRACT
Consultation/liaison psychiatry promises to be the saviour of its parent discipline. Liaison psychiatry has grown out of the inclusion of a psychiatric department in an increasing number of general hospitals. Liaison psychiatry has now become an essential part of medical student training in Europe and America. Liaison psychiatry is tied to no one school of thought or theory, but involves the practical application of all psychiatric knowledge, ideas and techniques where they may be helpful to physicians or surgeons in the care and understanding of their patients. A liaison service should ideally comprise full-time and part-time psychiatric input, with trainees led by a consultant, liaison nurses, social workers, psychologists and occupational therapists. The liaison psychiatrist or nurse must expect to collaborate with all categories of health-care worker. Nevertheless, the major part of liaison activity arises in response to a request from a doctor in a different specialty.
