To examine the extent to which Lennox Castle Hospital was an example of what Goffman called a "total institution", I will first have to explore Goffman's definition of this, along with the four factors he identified as characteristics of a “total institution”, I will then go on to discuss how these four factors fit into Lennox Castle Hospital and determine whether or not it fits into Goffman's model of a “total institution”. To discuss how Goffman's four factors fit into Lennox Castle Hospital I will first look at his definition. In 1961 Goffman stated that a “total institution” “is a place of residence and work in which large numbers of similarly situated individuals, cut off from the larger society for an appreciable period of time, together conduct a closed cycle of activity and formally administered". life." (Jones and Fowles, 2008, p.103) Simply put this means that a "total institution" is a place where large numbers of people live and work, cut off from the outside world, where they exist strict rules and procedures that will determine all elements of their lives. However Goffman also noted that a "total institution" could never be completely cut off from society as it would need access to the outside world not only to import its personnel, residents and supplies, but also to export its residents at the end of their stay and the products of the work programs such as carpets, tailors, shoemakers and tinsmiths. For the institution to function successfully, visitors must be allowed access , such as policemen, workers and inspectors. Common examples of these are: Prisons, convents and boarding schools This obvious contradiction led Goffman to identify four important factors in deciding whether or not a place is a "Total... half of the paper. The Open University.The Open University (2008) K101 An Introduction to Health and Social Care, DVD, Video 7.1, 'Lennox Castle Hospital Drive Around Film 1996', Milton Keynes, The Open UniversityThe Open University (2008) K101 An Introduction to Health and Social Care Social Care, DVD, video 7.3, 'Margret Scally interviewed in 1996', Milton Keynes, The Open UniversityThe Open University (2008) K101 An Introduction to Health and Social Care, DVD, Resources, 'Part 1 of the chronology of Lennox Hospital" Milton Keynes, The Open UniversityThe Open University (2008) K101 An Introduction to Health and Social Care, DVD, Video 7.5, 'A life's work – The early days at Lennox castle', Milton Keynes, The Open UniversityThe Open University ( 2008) K101 An Introduction to Health and Social Care, DVD, Video 7.4, 'James Lappin Interviewed in 1996', Milton Keynes, The Open University