Usually, when patients are treated in hospital, they have agreed or volunteered to be there. However, there are cases when a person can be detained, also known as ‘sectioned’, under the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA), and treated without their consent.
The MHA is the main piece of legislation that covers the assessment, treatment, and rights of people with a mental health disorder. Those detained under the MHA require urgent treatment for a mental health disorder and are at risk of harm to themselves or others.
In October 2020, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published a report, ‘Assessment of mental health services in acute trusts’. Their key findings pertinent to acute trusts were:
This paper outlines:
The MHA is the main piece of legislation that covers the assessment, treatment, and rights of people with a mental health disorder. Those detained under the MHA require urgent treatment for a mental health disorder and are at risk of harm to themselves or others.
In October 2020, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published a report, ‘Assessment of mental health services in acute trusts’. Their key findings pertinent to acute trusts were:
- Trust Boards did not always see mental health care as part of the overall provision of care, with a lack of oversight
- Staff were often unclear about the MHA and the legal process for detaining someone in hospital.
- Staff felt unsupported and unprepared to meet the mental health needs of their patients, and that training varied.
This paper outlines:
- A summary of the MHA and role of SLAs in the provision of mental health services to those patients detained at an acute trust
- Key themes that have arisen in our reviews of acute trusts partnering with mental health trusts
- The main factors Audit and/or Quality Committees should consider, and good practice observed at other organisations.