[Patients' opinions on services provided in psychiatric and neurological wards--a comparison].

AIM To compare patients' opinions about services in psychiatric and neurological wards in the years 2005 and 2007. METHOD In 2005, 272 responders from psychiatric wards and 245 neurological ones and in 2007, 370 and 233 responders respectively answered the In-Patient's Opinion Questionnaire anonymously. RESULTS Both groups regarded staff politeness, kindness, patience and friendliness as the most positive element of hospitalisation. Responders from psychiatry most often complain about in-patient specifics; from neurology about the stay conditions. Comparison of patients' opinions from psychiatry in 2005 and 2007 year indicates stability of positive opinions in majority of areas; the second study shows the essential growth of positive opinions in neurological wards. In both groups, satisfaction regarding information accessibility, form of contact with staff (less satisfying in neurological wards) and emotional support is still too low. Persons' percentage confirming emotional support from staff is higher in psychiatric wards than neurological ones in both studies. CONCLUSIONS Staff friendliness plays a very important role during the hospitalisation. Both groups indicate dimensions requiring improvement: access to information, form of contact with staff, emotional support. The resultsindicate a contrast between the system of support on psychiatric wards and lack of this on the neurological ones. The neurological wards can use psychiatric ward positive experience regarding patients' emotional support received from nurses and the building staff patients relationship based on ideas of the therapeutic community. The changes in medical care between 2005 and 2007 had no effect on the quality of services in both kinds of wards. Progress of quality in psychiatric and neurological wards requires structural changes in medical care.