Autopsy services for old age psychiatrists in england and wales: Benefits and problems

We sought to determine the views of old age psychiatrists about the quality, benefits and drawbacks of their autopsy services, so a postal questionnaire was circulated to all individuals identified by the Royal College of Psychiatrists as providing old age psychiatry services in England and Wales. We found that many old age psychiatrists are aware of the potential benefits of autopsies, but many receive a service which is of poor quality. Some have difficulty in organizing hospital autopsies, and many found coroners' autopsies unhelpful, with the brain being ignored or examined only superficially. Poor descriptions of neuropathology are associated with autopsies carried out by general histopathologists, whereas neuropathologists are criticized for delayed reports. Better services might be provided if neuropathologists could be more closely involved, if only in the examination of brains removed by other pathologists.