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Psychiatry

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The Mental Health Act Review

[Project Status - Completed]

PROJECT SUMMARY

In 2017, the United Kingdom government announced anÌý.ÌýÌýThe aim was to understand the rapid rise in detentions, particularly among people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups, to clarify the interface between the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act (2005), and to review recent developments in human rights. The Mental Health Act Review working group commissionedÌýnine pieces of research which were conducted Ìýby the Mental Health Policy Research Unit in 2017/18. MHPRU Deputy Director, Dr. Brynmor Lloyd-Evans, was a member of the MHA Review working group which helped the Review Chair and Vice Chairs agree and draft the Review’s recommendations.


ENGAGEMENT AND EVENTSÌý

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  • ÌýA summary of findings from the MHPRU work is included as an appendix to the MHA Review report published in 2018

  • ÌýThe Centre for mental Health published a briefing paper summarising the policy implications of the MHPRU MHA projects

  • : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis:ÌýA systematic review of 77 studies. Having been detained before, having a diagnosis of psychosis and economic deprivation were associated with detention and may be useful focuses for intervention.

  • ÌýA systematic review and meta-synthesis of of 56 studies confirmed patients’ experience of fear and distress during detention. Where staff were perceived as striving to form caring and collaborative relationships and when clear information was delivered, the negative impact of involuntary care seemed to be reduced. A lack of research with Black and minority ethnic service users was highlighted.
  • Crisis-planning Interventions For People with Psychotic Illness or Bipolar Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-analysesÌýA systematic review including five studies suggests that joint crisis planning may be an effective model of support which can reduce repeat detentions by up to 25%.
  • :ÌýA systematic review of 41 studies provides clear evidence that compulsory community treatment is ineffective in reducing hospital admissions or length of inpatient stays.
  • :ÌýA review of 949 mental health trials of psychosocial interventions found only 19 which evaluated compulsory admissions as an outcome. Crisis planning was an effective means to reduce detentions and Early Intervention in Psychosis teams showed some promise from available trials. No other types of support have a robust evidence base for reducing detentions.
  • :ÌýAn analysis of anonymised health records from two London Trusts found that rises in the rate of detentions since 2008 reflect more people being detained, not the same people being detained more often. Increased psychiatric morbidity and/or better detection of need for detention in services may contribute to the rise in detentions in England.
  • V:ÌýA comparative study of detention rates and legal systems in 22 high income countries found that rates of detention in England were about average, but rising faster than nearly all other countries over the last decade. No characteristics of countries’ legal arrangements were associated with detentions. Countries with more inpatient beds tended to have higher detention rates.
  • :ÌýAvailable evidence was scoped to examine seventeen proposed explanations for the rising rate of detentions in England since 1983. An explanatory model was developed. Evolving case law about mental capacity, increasing psychiatric morbidity and stretched community services may all have contributed to the rise in detentions in England.
  • :ÌýA systematic review of 23 studies highlighted the impact of detention on carers’ relationship with their detained relative, and their needs for timely and accessible information, supportive and trusting relationships with mental health professionals, and involvement as partners in care.
  • : A review of 24 studies summarising service user'sÌýviews on compulsory admissions and assessment