News

England abandons care in the community for the mentally ill

John Warden, parliamentary correspondent, BMJ

The abandonment of care in the community for people with mental illness as it has operated in England for more than 20 years was signalled in parliament this week by the health secretary, Frank Dobson.

A new mental health strategy will entail the close supervision of patients with mental illness either in hospital or local secure units and clinics. Several hundred million pounds of extra funding will be required, as well as fundamental changes to the Mental Health Act. An early measure will be the setting up of a national network of "assertive outreach teams" as part of a drive to provide humane round the clock support in the community for the most seriously ill patients. The new teams--health led but working closely with social services--will be in constant contact with patients and ready to respond in a crisis.

A departmental review team is to report by next summer on the changes in the law that will be required to detain people under the new strategy, which will emphasise support rather than security. Funding will be found to open several hundred psychiatric beds in acute hospitals in buildings set aside for the purpose. The law on detaining patients who have untreatable psychiatric disorders is also being reviewed after a recent murder conviction exposed a loophole. In addition, a national service framework for mental health will set national standards for treatment.

Mr Dobson acknowledged that care in the community had failed. Too many vulnerable patients were being left to cope on their own, creating a danger to themselves and the public.
CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?