Number of beds cut while involuntary admissions soar
By Liz Lockhart
New research into the number of mental health beds provided compared to the number of involuntary admissions in England has recently reported its finding.
The objective of the study was to examine the rise in the rate of involuntary admissions for mental illness in England that has occurred as community alternatives to hospital admissions have been introduced.
The researchers examined publicly available data on the provision of beds for people with mental illness in the National Health Service from Hospital Activity Statistics and Involuntary admission rates from the NHS Information Centre. The data covered the period of 1988 – 2008.
The results showed that the rate of involuntary admissions per annum in the NHS increased by more than 60%, whereas the provision of mental illness beds decreased by more than 60% over the same period.
The conclusion of the research is that the annual reduction in the provision of mental illness beds was associated with the rate of involuntary admissions over the short to medium term, with the closure of two mental illness beds leading to one additional involuntary admission in the subsequent year. The study provides a method for predicting rates of involuntary admissions and what may happen in the future if bed closures continue.
The one question that springs to mind is – with the reduction in bed numbers and the increase in involuntary admissions – where have they been putting all of the additional patients?
Reference:
The study was conducted by Patric Keown, consultant psychiatrist and honorary senior lecturer of Transwell Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, Scott Weich, professor of psychiatry at the Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Kamaldeep S Bhul, professor of cultural psychiatry and epidemiology at the Health Sciences Research Institute, Warwick Medical School, Coventry and Jan Scott, professor of psychological medicine, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London.
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