Concerns over hospitalisation of mental health patients

Peter Merchant, head of Health Advice at Eversheds explains: “The Act introduces a new power with the expectation that if patients default in their community care plan, there will be an expectation on their treating clinicians to recall them back to hospital. There may be an understandable reluctance on the part of clinicians to use this power as it may well undermine the therapeutic relationship that has been built up with patients and in the long term could affect and undermine the effectiveness of treatment.

“Over and above issues about the therapeutic relationship are resource issues. With the shifting of balance between inpatient and community treatment over the years, which has led to more patients being treated in the community, many mental health units have reduced the number of inpatient beds.”

Many Mental Health Trusts are already reporting bed occupancy rates in excess of 100% and it is unclear whether the government is proposing more money to support the introduction of this new provision.