Section 136 Patient Follow Up: Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Twelve month follow up of patients who have been detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act, 1983
IRAS ID
169355
Contact name
Simon Taylor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA, Department of Health, 2008) allows the police to detain in a place of safety, any person found in a public place believed to have a mental health condition resulting in a risk to themselves or others. Once within the place of safety further assessment and care can be explored. A person can be admitted to hospital (either of their own free will or under another section of the MHA) or be discharged, with or without a referral to ongoing care.
The number of patients detained under a Section 136 in England has been on the increase. Yet there is very little evidence to indicate what happens to individuals who are detained after the initial assessment and how their clinical management might impact upon future outcomes. Healthcare services are therefore unable to say whether they are providing the best care possible for this vulnerable population.
The aim of this study is to investigate the proportion of individuals (who had been detained under a section 136 in South Derbyshire), re-presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with a self-harm or mental health related presentation, within the 12 months of their detention; and how this relates to the management and outcome of their section 136 assessment. This will increase understanding around the level of risk and prognosis for this population and will help to inform clinical care.
A previous internal audit conducted by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has recently investigated the quality of documentation and communication for patients detained under a section 136 between 30 September 2012 and 1 October 2013. The present study would be a follow up to this piece of work. Records kept by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, for patients identified within the audit, will be analysed. There will be no direct contact with patients.REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EM/0068
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion