Highest number of detentions for mental ill health in Scotland, fewest safeguards in a decade

New figures published by the Mental Welfare Commission show that numbers of detentions of people in Scotland for compulsory mental health care and treatment rose in 2023-24, while safeguards fell.

There were 7,109 detentions in the year, a rise of 5.6% on the previous year. 

There are different types of detention, including emergency, short term and compulsory treatment orders. 

The expectation is that every emergency detention under the Mental Health Act should be decided by a doctor with the consent of a mental health officer (a specialist social worker) except if obtaining the mental health officer consent is not practicable. Yet each year the Commission records fewer emergency detentions with that mental health officer consent – in 2023-24 we saw the lowest rate we have seen over the past ten years, with only 35.8% involving a mental health officer.

Dr Arun Chopra, medical director, Mental Welfare Commission, said:

“Once again we are concerned about the way emergency detentions are taking place. Today’s report shows that whilst the expectation is that a mental health officer should be involved in these detentions in nearly two thirds of cases there was no mental health officer consent.

“For young people aged under 25, mental health officer consent was present in only 32% of cases, the lowest of any age group. This is particularly troubling given that they are perhaps the most vulnerable of a vulnerable group of people.”

The new report also shows how the links between deprivation and mental ill health are continuing, with a disproportionate number of detentions affecting people living in more deprived areas. Over 35% of emergency detentions related to people from the 20% most deprived areas of Scotland. In comparison, 10% of emergency detentions occur in the 20% most affluent areas.

The full report and abbreviated easyread version are available on the below links: