Rise in the use of section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in England and Wales: A viewpoint on Loughran (2018)

Cresswell, Mark

doi:10.1177/0025802419896916

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…This would involve consistent health commissioning arrangements that work throughout the criminal justice pathway (Forrester et al., 2016); together with more standardised forms of collaboration between the police and healthcare professionals across the UK (Public Health England, 2018). Improvements have been made in England and Wales in recent years through the development of liaison and diversion services, although further research is needed to understand their effectiveness (Cresswell, 2020; Disley et al., 2016; Forrester & Hopkin, 2019; Kane, Evans, Mitsch & Jilani, 2020). Part of improving healthcare within police custody also includes an integrated health promotion service, and understanding how this might work most efficiently (Rekrut‐Lapa & Lapa, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence of mental illness and unmet needs of police custody detainees

Samele

McKinnon

Brown

et al. 2021

Criminal Behav Ment Health

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Background Internationally, there is evidence of high rates of mental disorders amongst police custody detainees but this literature is limited, and there has been little research into the unmet needs of police detainees in the UK, or elsewhere. Such research could support better focussed interventions for improving health and recidivism outcomes. Aim To examine psychiatric and developmental morbidity amongst police detainees, and ascertain differences in need between morbidity categories. Method We used a cross‐sectional study design and interviewed a 40% sample of people entering police custody in one South London police station over a 2‐week period. A series of standardised measures was administered to screen for the presence of mental illness, general health and social care needs. Results A cohort of 134 people was generated, of whom nearly one‐third (39, 29%) had current mental illness (major depression and/or psychosis); more had a lifetime diagnosis (54, 40%). Just under a fifth met the threshold for post‐traumatic stress disorder (11, 8%). Clinically relevant alcohol or daily cannabis use affected about one quarter of the sample. Twenty‐one percent (or 28) screened positive for personality disorder, 11% (or 15) for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and 4% (6) for intellectual disability. Nearly one‐fifth (24, 18%) were at risk for suicide. Those with psychosis, and those deemed at risk for suicide, had the highest levels of unmet need and, indeed, overall need. The most frequent unmet need was for accommodation. Conclusion Our findings not only confirm high rates of mental health problems amongst police detainees but also demonstrate their high risk of suicide and high levels of unmet need, especially as regards accommodation. This underscores the need to provide mental health services in police stations, to help identify and resolve these issues at this early stage in the criminal justice system. Extending accommodation capacity to help some arrestees may help to save lives and interrupt cycling through the criminal justice system.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence of mental illness and unmet needs of police custody detainees

Samele

McKinnon

Brown

et al. 2021

Criminal Behav Ment Health

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“…The 2017 amendments to the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA) reduced the time that a patient could spend in detention in a place of safety under section 136 of the Act from 72 h to 24 h. 1 There remains an option to extend the assessment period for a further 12 h, but only in limited circumstances where the patient's condition is such that it would not be practicable for the assessment to be completed before the expiry of the initial period. 1 , 2 The fictitious scenario described above is becoming common in some areas of England and Wales owing to an increased use of section 136 by the police, 3 coupled with an ongoing reduction in psychiatric beds. 4 Ideally, following a section 136 MHA assessment, the patient should be admitted informally, or detained under one of the civil sections of the MHA or the section 136 should be rescinded.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In the liminal spaces of mental health law – what to do when section 136 expires?

Hassanally

Laing²,

Kishore³

2022

BJPsych Bull

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Summary The pressure on mental health services has not gone unremarked and is of widespread concern in England and Wales. This can have implications when a bed is being sought for a patient who has undergone a Mental Health Act assessment and is deemed to meet the criteria for being formally admitted to hospital. Once the 24 h period for assessment under section 136 of the Act has lapsed, the ongoing detention of the patient can lead to a legal grey area. Through a fictional example this paper examines the relevant case law and statute that may be used to continue the detention and explores the ethical problems that this may cause.

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“…Nine percent of adults in England reported having taken illicit drugs in 2018 [1], although the prevalence of drug use has fallen since 2011, according to the Crime Survey [2]. Drug use in 2019 was proportioned at 12% cannabis use, 4.7% cocaine, 1% amphetamines and 3.3% MDMA.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Drug use in 2019 was proportioned at 12% cannabis use, 4.7% cocaine, 1% amphetamines and 3.3% MDMA. Opioids remain the greatest cause of health and social harm resulting from illicit drug use, with 371 reported deaths in 2017 being related to cocaine and 63 related to ecstasy [1]. Drug-related hospital attendances resulted in 7358 hospital admissions and alcohol related admissions were 37,000 in 2018 across England; 2503 drug-related deaths were recorded [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Amputated Tongue—The Consequences of a Human Bite

Hardwick

Cameron

Puryer

2020

Reports

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Drug-related hospital admissions are common, and up to 25% of patients presenting to emergency departments with injuries test positive for alcohol and drug use. This case reports on a 55-year-old male who attended the emergency department (ED) at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK. He presented after sustaining significant soft tissue trauma to his tongue, following recreational drug use of an unknown substance. His injuries included the amputation and loss of the anterior third of his tongue, having suffered a bite from another individual. This unusual case describes the patient’s injuries and subsequent management, both in the emergency department and during follow-up. This case will be of benefit to clinicians from many disciplines including dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, ENT surgeons and speech and language therapists.

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Rise in the use of section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in England and Wales: A viewpoint on Loughran (2018)

Cited by 5 publications

References 17 publications

The prevalence of mental illness and unmet needs of police custody detainees

The prevalence of mental illness and unmet needs of police custody detainees

In the liminal spaces of mental health law – what to do when section 136 expires?

An Amputated Tongue—The Consequences of a Human Bite

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