Has the Mental Health Act 2001 altered the clinical profile of involuntary admissions?

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 179-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Murray ◽  
Brian Hallahan ◽  
Colm McDonald
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Clinical Profile ◽  
The West ◽  
Minimal Impact ◽  
Admission Rates ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
Clinical Records

AbstractObjectives: To assess whether transition from the Mental Treatment Act (MTA), 1945 to the Mental Health Act (MHA), 2001 has had any impact on the clinical profile of patients in the West Galway Mental Health Services who are admitted on an involuntary basis.Methods: Data were collected from clinical records in relation to all those individuals residing in the West Galway Mental Health Services who were admitted involuntarily in the 12 months prior to and subsequent to the introduction of the MHA 2001.Results: A total of 175 individuals were included in this study (n = 91 - MTA 1945; and n = 84 - MHA 2001). No significant differences were found between the two groups in relation to demographic data, rates of involuntary detention or duration of involuntary detention. The applicant was less likely to be a family member under the MHA 2001 (54%) than the MTA 1945 (85%).Conclusions: Transition from the MTA 1945 to the MHA 2001 has had minimal impact on the admission rates, clinical profile or duration of detention of patients admitted involuntarily in the West Galway Mental Health Services.

Perceived Service Need After Hurricane Sandy in a Representative Sample of Survivors: The Roles of Community-Level Damage and Individual-Level Stressors

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 428-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Sampson ◽  
Sarah R. Lowe ◽  
Oliver Gruebner ◽  
Gregory H. Cohen ◽  
Sandro Galea
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Building Damage ◽  
Community Level ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Service Need

AbstractObjectiveWe aimed to explore how individually experienced disaster-related stressors and collectively experienced community-level damage influenced perceived need for mental health services in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study we analyzed 418 adults who lived in the most affected areas of New York City at the time of the storm. Participants indicated whether they perceived a need for mental health services since the storm and reported on their exposure to disaster-related stressors (eg, displacement, property damage). We located participants in communities (n=293 census tracts) and gathered community-level demographic data through the US Census and data on the number of damaged buildings in each community from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Modeling Task Force.ResultsA total of 7.9% of participants reported mental health service need since the hurricane. Through multilevel binomial logistic regression analysis, we found a cross-level interaction (P=0.04) between individual-level exposure to disaster-related stressors and community-level building damage. Individual-level stressors were significantly predictive of individual service needs in communities with building damage (adjusted odds ratio: 2.56; 95% confidence interval: 1.58-4.16) and not in communities without damage.ConclusionIndividuals who experienced individual stressors and who lived in more damaged communities were more likely to report need for services than were other persons after Hurricane Sandy. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:428–435)

scholarly journals Why Do Approved Mental Health Professionals Think Detentions under the Mental Health Act Are Rising and What Do They Think Should Be Done about It?

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 616-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Bonnet ◽  
Nicola Moran
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Risk ◽  
Social Risk Factors ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The number of people detained under the 1983 Mental Health Act has risen significantly in recent years and has recently been the subject of an independent review. Most existing research into the rise in detentions has tended to prioritise the perspectives of psychiatrists and failed to consider the views of Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs), usually social workers, who ultimately determine whether detention is appropriate. This mixed-methods study focused on AMHPs’ views on the reasons behind the rise in detentions and potential solutions. It included a national online survey of AMHPs (n = 160) and semi-structured interviews with six AMHPs within a Community Mental Health Team in England. AMHPs reported that demand for mental health services vastly exceeded supply and, due to inadequate resources, more people were being detained in hospital. AMHPs argued that greater investment in preventative mental health services and ‘low intensity’ support would help to mitigate the impact of social risk factors on mental health; and greater investment in crisis services, including non-medical alternatives to hospital, was required. Such investment at either end of the spectrum was expected to be more effective than changes to the law and lead to better outcomes for mental health service users.

A structured process for reviewing the operation of the Mental Health Act 2001 in an Irish mental health service

2013 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-134
Author(s):  
M. Mulligan ◽  
T. Maher ◽  
J. V. Lucey
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Clinical Governance ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
Monitoring Tools ◽  
Monitoring Process ◽  
Governance Committee ◽  
Key Events

This paper provides a description of a structured template which allows review of the operation of the Mental Health Act 2001 at St Patrick's Mental Health Services (incorporating St Patrick's University Hospital, St Edmundsbury Hospital and Willow Grove Adolescent Unit). These structured processes were implemented to ensure rigorous monitoring of all clinical governance activities associated with adherence to the Mental Health Act (MHA) 2001. The paper describes in detail the information contained in the St Patrick's Mental Health Services dashboard for 2012. The dashboard displays the key performance indicators that are monitored and the paper describes how these were reviewed by the Hospital's Clinical Governance Committee on a weekly basis for the three approved centres. The dashboard has also been used by the Clinical Governance Committee to provide ongoing education and engagement with staff in order to improve the operation of the MHA 2001. The use of this structured monitoring process has allowed the hospital to measure adherence to the MHA 2001 and also to measure activities that impact directly on the care and treatment of patients detained under the Act. The use of structured monitoring tools (i.e. the dashboard) to review the operation of the MHA 2001 allows for coherent observation of key events and issues which can cause concern in terms of the operation of the Act.

scholarly journals The prevalence of constant supportive observations in high, medium and low secure services

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Lambert ◽  
Simon Chu ◽  
Chris Duffy ◽  
Victoria Hartley ◽  
Alison Baker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Forensic Mental Health ◽  
Adverse Incident ◽  
Clinical Records ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Incident Rates ◽  
Health Trust

Aims and methodWe explored the prevalence and use of constant supportive observations (CSO) in high, medium and low secure in-patient services in a single National Health Service (NHS) mental health trust. From clinical records, we extracted data on the length of time of CSO, the reason for the initiation of CSO and associated adverse incidents for all individuals who were placed on CSO between July 2013 and June 2014.ResultsA small number of individuals accounted for a disproportionately large proportion of CSO hours in each setting. Adverse incident rates were higher on CSO than when not on CSO. There was considerable variation between different settings in terms of CSO use and the reasons for commencing CSO.Clinical implicationsThe study describes the prevalence and nature of CSO in secure forensic mental health services and the associated organisational costs. The marked variation in CSO use between settings suggests that mental health services continue to face challenges in balancing risk management with minimising restrictive interventions.Declaration of interestA.B. and J.L.I. are both directly employed by the NHS trust in which the study was conducted.

scholarly journals Alternatives to standard acute in-patient care in England: readmissions, service use and cost after discharge

2010 ◽  
Vol 197 (S53) ◽  
pp. s20-s25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Byford ◽  
Jessica Sharac ◽  
Brynmor Lloyd-Evans ◽  
Helen Gilburt ◽  
David P. J. Osborn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Community Mental Health Services ◽  
Index Admission ◽  
Lengths Of Stay ◽  
Clinical Records ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundResidential alternatives to standard psychiatric admissions are associated with shorter lengths of stay, but little is known about the impact on readmissions.AimsTo explore readmissions, use of community mental health services and costs after discharge from alternative and standard services.MethodData on use of hospital and community mental health services were collected from clinical records for participants in six alternative and six standard services for 12 months from the date of index admission.ResultsAfter discharge, the mean number and length of readmissions, use of community mental health services and costs did not differ significantly between standard and alternative services. Cost of index admission and total 12-month cost per participant were significantly higher for standard services.ConclusionsShorter lengths of stay in residential alternatives are not associated with greater frequency or length of readmissions or greater use of community mental health services after discharge.

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