Department of Health

Website of the Department of Health

Please note that this website has a UK government access keys system.

In-patients formally detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation, England: 1991-1992 to 2001-2002

  • Last modified date:
    8 February 2007

This bulletin is an annual publication which summarises information about people detained under the 1983 Mental Health Act in NHS facilities, including high security psychiatric hospitals, and private mental nursing homes. It includes figures for the period 1991-92 to 2001-02.

Key facts

  • The number of detentions under the Act increased marginally to 47,700 in 2001-02 from 47,500 in 2000-01, although formal admissions marginally decreased, for the second year, to 26,300 in 2001-02 from 26,600 in 2000-01, having reached a peak of 26,900 in 1998-99.
  • 89% of all formal admissions in 2001-02 were to NHS hospitals under Part II of the Act.
  • The number of men formally admitted under Part II of the Act (Sections 2, 3 and 4) to NHS facilities increased by 40% between 1991-92 and 2001-02 from 8,500 to 11,900, and the number of women increased to 11,400 from 9,600 over the same period, a 19% increase.
  • The number of Place of Safety Orders involving assessment in hospital increased by 16% from 2,900 in 2000-01 to 3,400 in 2001-02.
  • In 2001-02, 20,500 people were formally detained under the Act after admission to hospital as informal patients compared to 19,900 in 2000-01.
  • The rate of detentions in NHS hospitals under the Act (including detentions after admission) in 2001-02 in England was 92 per 100,000 population.
  • At 31 March 2002, there were 13,500 patients detained in hospital, of which 1,200 were in high security psychiatric hospitals, 10,400 in other NHS facilities and 1,900 in private mental nursing homes.

Additional links

Ordering publications

Contact details for obtaining hard-copy DH publications.

Help viewing PDFs

Help viewing PDFs

Useful tips to ensure you get the most from PDFs and the free Reader program. Topics covered include accessibility, troubleshooting and searching files.

Access keys