Rise in number of people being detained

Topics covered: Ridouts professional advice

Due to the increase in the numbers of people with dementia, less support in the community and a change to the definition of a mental disorder, England has seen a rise in the number of people being detained under the Mental Health Act.

Between the years 2005/06 and 2015/16, the number of detentions has risen by 40 per cent.

Dr Paul Lelliot, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Lead for Mental Health at the CQC has called for changes to the law alongside action to address the wider problems. After they undertook a review, CQC found there was no evidence to support the view that professionals had been misusing the Mental Health Act.

The government announced last year that they would be taking out an independent review into the Mental Health Act 1983. They said that one of the main reasons for the review is to examine this rise in rates of detention under the Act. The report is due to be published in Autumn 2018, so we must hold tight until then.

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