Service Users' Perspective of Reasons for Detention Under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983

Section 136 of the Mental Health Act (MHA) 1983 allows the police to detain someone in a public place if there are reasons to believe that they may be suffering from a mental disorder and to be in need of care or control. For a significant number of psychiatric patients, detention under section 136 and accessing psychiatric services via the police remains an important, and sometimes the only pathway to care. Approximately 17400 people were detained under section 136 of the MHA 1983 during the year 2005-2006 (Independent Police Complaints Commission, 2008).

Despite the large number of patients accessing mental health services via the police, there is no research available to identify the service users' perspective of what led them to come into contact with police and to identify the reasons for care not being accessed by conventional routes. Royal College Psychiatrists (RCP, 2008) and Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC, 2008) found that there was lack of research into the service users' perspective and recommended research into this area.

The investigators have devised this research project to help themselves and the wider research and clinical community understand the service users' perspective of how they came to be detained by the police, whether the community services had failed and explore their views to understand what can be done to improve the service provisions.

Fieldhead hospital, Wakefield provides acute inpatient care for psychiatric patients. Those who are detained under section 136 of the MHA in Wakefield area are taken to a place of safety and following assessment they may be admitted formally or informally to Fieldhead hospital for assessment and treatment. Those who are detained under section 136 of MHA and subsequently admitted as inpatients to Fieldhead hospital will be included in this study.