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In-patients formally detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation, England: 1990-1991 to 2000-2001

  • 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 1990-91 to 2000-01.

Key facts

  • The number of formal admissions to hospital under the Act has remained unchanged at 26,700 in 2000-01, but increased from 18,000 in 1990-91
  • 90% of all formal admissions 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 76% between 1990-91 and 2000-01 from 7,100 to 12,500, and the number of women increased to 11,500 from 8,600 over the same period, a 34% increase
  • In 2000-01, 20,500 people were formally detained under the Act after admission to hospital as informal patients compared to 20,800 in 1999-00
  • The rate of detentions in NHS hospitals under the Act (including detentions after admission) in 2000-01 in England remained at 91 per 100,000 population
  • At 31 March 2001, there were 13,800 patients detained in hospital, of which 1,200 were in high security psychiatric hospitals, 10.900 in other NHS facilities and 1,700 in private mental nursing homes.

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