NHS reveals surge in Mental Health Act detentions

The number of people being detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act increased by almost 20% in 2009/10, it has been revealed.

According to the NHS Information Centre, 42,479 people were detained during the period compared to 32,649 in 2008/09 – a rise of almost a third.

Part of this rise was explained by improved data submission by NHS trusts – nevertheless, the number of detentions rose by 17.5% on a like-for-like basis.

The rise in MHA detentions was the main reason why the number of people spending time in NHS mental health hospitals increased for the first time in five years.

The percentage of patients compulsorily detained in NHS mental health hospitals also rose 7.6 percentage points to 39.4% in 2009/10.

“As the number of those detained in hospital via the criminal justice system also continued to rise, the figures suggest NHS mental health hospitals are increasingly being used to care for patients who are a risk to themselves or others,” the NHS Information Centre reported.

Its Mental Health Bulletin 2009/10 also showed:

• More than 1.25m people were recorded as using NHS specialist mental health services in the year – the highest number since the data collection began in 2003/04 and a 4% increase from 2008/09. Of these people 8.5% spent time in hospital.
• The number of people who were admitted to hospital for care rose by 5.1% – the first increase since 2004/05.
• The average number of days spent in hospital during the year per patient was 68 days for women and 78 days for men
• The number of women detained under the MHA who came into hospital via prison or the courts was 830, an estimated rise of more than 85%. The number of men in this category rose by 48% from 1,982 to 2,935.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: “This report is accompanied by the largest release of information ever about NHS mental health services and will be a source of huge interest to those developing services on the ground.

“It shows more people are being treated by NHS specialist mental health services and that more than 90% of these patients receive care outside of hospital. Interestingly, the number of patients being admitted has risen for the first time in five years and the figures show the composition of patients receiving care in hospital is shifting, with a small but growing proportion coming from a prison or court setting.”

Alex Ruck Keene, a barrister at 39 Essex Street, said: "The figures only show how important it is that appropriate funding is retained for legal representation for those detained, and to ensure that Tribunals can be convened to allow the state to comply with its obligations under Article 5(4) ECHR to those detained under the MHA 1983."

The full bulletin can be downloaded at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/mhbmhmds0910.