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Assessing activity in the psychiatric sector is a contemporary issue, and it is rendered even more complex by the variety of pathologies and the diversity of the existing organisational structures of care. Data collection has been taking place for more than 15 years, but is insufficiently utilised. The Department of Medical Information attempted to analyse a typology of patients’ options of courses to care. This analysis demonstrates that the elements for forecasting the amount and level of care provided are not linked as much to the pathology being treated, as they are to the organisation of the range of services which take care of the management and delivery of the care.