Questions concerning diagnostic and therapeutic issues (patient-oriented approach) and questions concerning referring persons, emotionally involved in patients' treatment, or concerning patients' situation (consultee and situation-oriented approach) are the two types of requests for consultation to be distinguished. Some rough figures and impressions are given over a three years period concerning 376 patients. Age and sex are studied as parameters and special attention is paid to the 13 different hospital departments (consultees). In the second part a consultation model is put in a central view by further analysis of a hundred consultations. The examination and treatment of the patient and the deliberation with and advizing to the patients' surroundings (e.g. attending physician, general physician, nursing staff) as well make the consultation psychiatry very time consuming. When primary prevention activities in a general hospital — besides the patient oriented approach — should have a real chance, the GHPD must get the opportunity for systematic consultation to fulfil its psychohygienic function and the author emphasizes not only to bide one's time.