Acutely unwell prisoners left in ‘limbo’ due to lack of mental health beds

People needing acute mental health treatment are being left in prison for extended periods, HSJ can reveal.

Figures HSJ obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that 3,111 patients were transferred from prisons to mental health facilities between 2018-19 and 2020-21. A total of 481 (15%) of the transfer took more than 14 days from the date the mental health casework section received an application for transfer to the date the transfer took place.

Across these three years, 167 transfers (5%) took more than 28 days. The longest wait for transfer was 161 days, which happened in 2018-19. However, the average number of days taken to transfer a patient has remained consistent at between 10 and 11 days.

Until the summer, NHS England’s guidance recommended a 14-day time limit for transfers of patients from prisons to mental health facilities.

In June 2021, NHSE published new guidance which recommended a 28-day time limit between a person first being referred for inpatient assessment and being admitted to a mental health facility. The timeline, which consists of two sequential 14-day periods, says medical reports should be “completed to be sent to the [MHCS]” between days 15 and 25, while the MCHS should approve and issue a warrant and admission should take place before day 28.

Sophie Corlett, of mental health charity Mind, said: “Nobody who has been assessed as needing specialist inpatient care should be left for extended periods of time in prison, as it’s a completely inappropriate setting for anyone in crisis… When people are a risk to themselves, it’s crucial there are enough staff and beds available to make sure they are cared for in a safe and therapeutic environment.”

Bethan Roberts, British Medical Association forensic and secure environments committee interim chair, said: “A prisoner who is mentally unwell and cannot be adequately cared for in a prison should… be transferred to a forensic mental health unit as soon as possible."

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Source: HSJ, 1 December 2021