New report- Scotland's use of emergency detention without the consent of mental health officers

A new report by the Mental Welfare Commission - produced for the Scottish Government - examines Scotland's high levels of emergency mental health detention without the consent of specialist social workers.

The report focuses particularly on Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which has the highest levels of non-consent, at 66%.

Emergency detention certificates (EDCs) are used in crisis situations to detain a person who is deemed to need urgent care or treatment for mental ill health. These certificates can be issued by any doctor, and allow someone to be kept in hospital for up to 72 hours.

The Mental Health Act says that there should be consent from a specialist social worker - known as a mental health officer - wherever practicable when these certificates are used.

Despite this, the Commission's annual monitoring report for 2014-15 found a wide range of levels of consent in health boards across the country.

Following publication of that report last year, Shona Robison, as Cabinet Secretary for health, wellbeing and sport, asked the Commission to analyse the reasons for low consent by mental health officers. The report published today is the Commission's response to that request.

Ms Robson also asked the government's chief social worker to investigate issues related to the shortfall in mental health officers in local authorities.

Audit - 1 July 2015 to 31 December 2015

In its new report, the Commission audited all emergency detention certifications issued between July and December 2015 across Scotland.

The Commission sought to explore a number of issues, including the reasons why mental health officers did not consent to EDCs, any differences between out of hours and 'in hours' consents and, for Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the rates of consents in different hospitals.

The report once again showed wide variations in consents depending on health board area. The proportion of EDCs without the consent of a mental health officer across mainland Scotland ranged from 14% in the Borders, to 66% in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Greater Glasgow and Clyde accounted for 50% of all non-consents in Scotland.

The Commission discussed its finding with Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board, who worked within their health and social care partnership to produce an improvement plan, with specific action points, which is attached to the Commission's report.

Colin McKay, chief executive, Mental Welfare Commission, said:

" We were pleased to be asked to undertake this audit, because mental health officers play a valuable role in the decision to detain a person.

" They provide the important safeguard of looking critically at the proposal to detain, and can look at alternative ways of supporting a person without needing to use compulsory admission to hospital. Where someone does need to be admitted, mental health officers can help explain the whole process, with the aim of trying to make the whole experience less traumatic.

" While there was no single reason why consents were sometimes so low, I hope health boards and local authorities across Scotland can learn from our findings. I am particularly pleased that the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health and Social Care Partnership have taken this issue on board, and produced an improvement plan.

" We will continue to monitor this information and produce our next report in the autumn."

Mary Mowat 0131 313 8786