Mental Health Network issues guide on minimising use of restrictive practices

The Mental Health Network has issued a guide to how practitioners can use the Department of Health’s guidance Positive and Proactive Care: Reducing the Need for Restrictive Interventions, published last April, which promotes the development of therapeutic environments and minimising the use of restrictive practices other than as a last resort.

Working with the Care Quality Commission, the network said its guide highlights the key parts of the DH’s guidance.

These include:

  • restrictive practices should be reduced over two years and be used only in emergencies, with board members informed of a trust’s policy and management plan;
  • an objective of ending prone (face-down) restraint;
  • recovery-based restrictive intervention reduction approaches should be implemented, overseen by an executive director who would also be responsible for reducing restrictive practices;
  • an annual report should be published on the use of restrictive interventions.

The network said trusts’ plans should be person-centred, values-based and informed by skilled assessment of the probable reasons why a person’s behaviour might cause concern.

They should be formulated with service users and if appropriate an advocate, carer or relation.

Mental Health Network chief executive Stephen Dalton said: “The guidance makes some significant steps to clarify definitions of restrictive practice and sets a clearer framework for reporting, but challenges remain.

“By developing this in concert with the CQC we hope that this briefing makes it clear what the expectations are for providers to deliver on this agenda and how progress will be monitored.”

Mark Smulian