Short post, big problem

CQC have just launched their report Monitoring The Mental Health Act 2012/13.
I'll be writing about this in more detail soon, but here are some headlines to consider:

• 10 % of care plans don't include the least restrictive option
• 27% of care plans show no involvement of the patient
• 29% of care plans do not include a discharge plan
• 20% of visits showed evidence of  de facto detention

Many of the failings identified have remained the same for 2 years.

There is still highly disproportionate detention rates for the following groups:

Black African (2.2 times higher),
Black Caribbean (4.2 times higher),
Other Black (6.6 times higher)
and Other groups (2.1 times higher).

There was also a finding of the widespread usage of blanket rules that have no basis in law. The staff enforcing them were often unable to say why the rule existed. So, illegal and illogical then?

The section on access to healthcare whilst in hospital is shocking and distressing. Some would have thought that a hospital was the very place to get healthcare. Apparently not.

The report states note that access to IMHA has increased - 92% of ward managers say the ward has direct access to IMHA services but given that 18% of people aren't told of their right to an IMHA it's difficult to see how this translates into meaningful access. Also last year's report stated that the lack of consistent ward presence meant that many people had no meaningful access to an IMHA. Use of compulsory powers of the act have risen in the past year, funding for IMHA hasn't. Not sure how access to IMHA has significantly raised in this environment.

There's also a case study about IMHA that I find really unusual. I'll almost certainly be writing more about that, but if you're curious, please read pages 10 and 11. I'd like to hear your comments.