Detained Mental Health Patient's Special Pilot Study

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Its about time we heard what the patient experience is of how well the system of UK Mental Health appeal tribunals do their job when patients are detained on a "section" . Deprivation of Liberty safeguards are essential for people who have been detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 powers . So here's a March 2011 pilot study by the Care Quality Commission who together with the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council have put together some extra safeguards by really listening to what patient's are saying .

From the report :

"The AJTC is entitled by law to observe tribunal hearings but has no direct access to patients; CQC, while having access to patients, has no statutory right to attend hearings. It therefore made sense for both bodies to work together in order to obtain first-hand information from patients themselves about their experiences of the tribunal system."

And generally reported :

"A ground-breaking report is published yesterday 30th March 2011 on the experiences of patients who appealed to a tribunal against their detention under the Mental Health Act. First-hand information has been obtained for the first time from patients of their personal experiences of appearing before the First-tier Tribunal (Mental Health), formerly the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

The report finds that patients’ experiences of tribunals were diverse, ranging from positive to strongly negative and that delays are a substantial factor in many patients’ negative experiences of the tribunal process.

To view "Patients’ experiences of the First-tier Tribunal" report, click here "