Staffing requirements for nursing the mentally handicapped — A pilot study

A pilot study was conducted at Norah Fry Hospital in Somerset to estimate the number of nurses required to care for patients in a ward for the mentally handicapped. The patients' disabilities and behaviour problems were taken into account using the Mental Handicap Register. It was concluded that this ward should have 20 staff instead of the present 10.5. The Mental Handicap Register was shown to be a reliable and valid measure of total handicap. The study has now been extended to all the patients of mental handicap hospitals in Somerset.