Policy Watch – the rights of those with mental health problems in acute care

Abstract

Purpose

The Policy Watch series reflects on recent forthcoming developments in mental health policy across the UK. The purpose of this paper is to consider the use of the Mental Health Act to detain people in police custody and the use of physical restraint, and in particular face down restraint, in mental health settings in England.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews findings of recent reports into policing and mental health and a Mind report on the use of restraint in mental health settings.

Findings

The paper suggests that people with mental health problems are being held in police custody more often than they should be, and that this is partly due to the unavailability of good care at an earlier stage for people approaching crisis. It also suggests that people are being physically restrained in inpatient settings too often in some areas although face down restraint has been phased out altogether elsewhere. These practices threaten human rights.

Originality/value

The paper discusses recent evidence from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and others, the Indepedent Commission on Mental Health and Policing and from Mind.

Citation

Corlett, S. (2013), "Policy Watch – the rights of those with mental health problems in acute care", Mental Health and Social Inclusion, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 168-171. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-07-2013-0028