New report released on people held under the Mental Health Act
People detained for inpatient assessment and treatment under the Mental Health Act seem to be more unwell on admission than in the past, according to a report out today from the Care Quality Commission.
People detained for inpatient assessment and treatment under the Mental Health Act seem to be more unwell on admission than in the past, according to a report out today from the Care Quality Commission.
As well as assessing services, the CQC has a remit to monitor how Mental Health Act powers are used in practice by trusts and health professionals and publish annual findings. Its 2023-24 report was based interviewed over 4,500 people who were sectioned under the Act across 870 wards.
"In 2023/24, many services told us that detained patients seemed to be more unwell on admission than in the past. This can lead to a prolonged recovery time, which is not only a significant toll on the individual person, but also makes it more difficult for services to admit new patients. The increase in demand for inpatient beds also heightens the risk that patients will be discharged too soon, without the appropriate support in place, and then need to be readmitted. As a result, they may find themselves being bounced from service to service without ever receiving the level of care that they need."
Other key findings in the report:
Other key findings in the report:
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Black people are detained at 3.5 times the rate of White people.
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People from the most deprived areas are attending A&E services for their mental health at 3.5 times the rate of people from the least deprived areas.
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A lack of suitable community resources continues to lead to inappropriate hospitalisation of people with a learning disability and autistic people.
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In nearly half of cases where a child or young person was detained, they had to be re-admitted within a year duck to lack of appropriate primary and community care.
The regulator is calling for better funding, improved community support, and a specialised and sustainable workforce to ensure that people receive the care they need.
