summary
Consultation-liaison psychiatry and general hospital psychiatry have played a major role in promoting the concept of integrated care. New models for care have been developed and policy assurances about the quality of care have been expressed in the form of guidelines and indicators relating to procedure and performance. General hospital psychiatry is playing an increasingly important role in the training of psychiatrists. Due to the ageing population there is greater awareness of the importance of comorbidity and more support for the concept of integrated care. These changes will promote the further development of general hospital psychiatry.