hscicDetentions under the Mental Health Act rose by 9.8% to 58,4003 in 2014/15 - an increase of 5,220 detainees compared to the previous year, according to the latest figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

This is the third year in a row that the number of detentions has risen, but this year is by far the largest rise. For instance, in 2013/14 there was a 5.5% rise in detentions, and only 3.7% during 2012/13.

The report - Inpatients formally detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983, and patients subject to supervised community treatment, England 2014/15 - looks at detentions under the Mental Health Act 1983, which defines how and when a person can be detained in hospital without consent for assessment and/or treatment.

The report also found that during 2014/15:
• Detentions in NHS hospitals increased by 4,000 (8.2%) from the year before to reach 51,970 and in independent sector hospitals by 1,270 (24.6%) to 6,430
• The instances where section 136 of the Act was used to make a short-term detention to a hospital as a ‘place of safety’ increased by 2,400 (14.1%) to 19,400, compared to the year before.
• 5.7% (103,840) of people in contact with mental health and learning disability services spent time in hospital during 2014/15. This is a decrease compared to 2013/14, when 6% (105,270) spent time in hospital and is a continuation of the trend seen in earlier years.

Carl Money, a responsible statistician from the HSCIC, said: “Together, these reports provide a rich picture, helping us understand how mental health and learning disabilities services are used in England and how the powers under the Mental Health Act are being used.

“With one in 28 people in England in contact with these services at some point over the year, it is clear that access to these services is widespread across England.”

Mental Health Bulletin
HSCIC has also published the Mental Health Bulletin 2014/15 providing a comprehensive picture of people who used adult secondary mental health and learning disability services, including people who spent time in hospital.

The Mental Health Bulletin shows that for every 100 people who spent time in a mental health hospital there were 40.1 detentions and also gives gender and ethnicity breakdowns, showing that:
• Women who spend time in mental health hospitals were more likely to be detained than men. For every 100 female inpatients, there were 41.9 detentions, compared to 38.5 among male inpatients
• People from the Black or Black British ethnic group were more likely than other ethnic groups to be detained, with 56.9 detentions per 100 inpatients.

'Inpatients formally detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983, and patients subject to supervised community treatment, England 2014/15' can be downloaded at: www.hscic.gov.uk/pubs/inpatientdetmha1415