[Level of Development of Clinical Ethics Consultation in Psychiatry - Results of a Survey Among Psychiatric Acute Clinics and Forensic Psychiatric Hospitals].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to assess the level of development of clinical ethics consultation in psychiatric institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia.

METHODS: Survey among medical directors, directors of nursing and administrative directors of all psychiatric acute clinics and forensic psychiatric hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia.

RESULTS: 113 persons working in psychiatric acute clinics responded (reponse rate: 48 %) and 13 persons working in forensic psychiatric hospitals (response rate 54 %). We received at least one response from 89 % of all psychiatric acute clinics and from 100 % of all forensic psychiatric hospitals. 90 % of the responding psychiatric acute clinics and 29 % of the responding forensic psychiatric hospitals have already implemented clinical ethics consultation.

CONCLUSION: Clinical ethics consultation is more widespread in psychiatric institutions than was hitherto assumed. Future medical ethics research should therefore give greater attention to the methodology and the quality of clinical ethics consultation in psychiatric practice.