ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the study of two RSUs, namely the Hutton Unit, Middlesbrough and the Norvic Clinic, Norwich. It describes the study of Stockton Hall which is a medium secure private psychiatric hospital. An interesting feature of the admissions was that patients referred from other secure facilities were identified as being in need of care and treatment, whereas those referred from non-secure facilities were mainly admitted as a result of being identified as ‘unmanageable’ in that setting. Prior to the development of the Regional Secure Unit, the only psychiatric provision for the mentally ill was either the psychiatric ward of an National Health Service general hospital, or one of the Special Hospitals. The purpose of the Regional Secure Unit was to reduce the demand for beds currently being made on the Special Hospitals and to assist the prison population by reducing the numbers of seriously mentally ill prisoners.
