Quarterly statistics
Summary
These provisional statistics were collected by the Commission for the periods 1 October to 31 December 2008. More detailed information and tables can be accessed by using the menu on the left.
Emergency and short-term detention
The Code of Practice, which supports good practice under the Act, makes it clear that the preferred route for a person into compulsory treatment is through the use of a short-term detention certificate. This route provides better safeguards for the patient than an emergency admission.
For Scotland as a whole, 64% of all emergency detention certificates (EDCs) granted in the quarter had the consent of a mental health officer (MHO). 69% were granted out of hours (Table 80). Overall, 36% of EDCs in Scotland did not have MHO consent, a slight increase from 33% last quarter
The law says that MHO consent for emergency detention should be sought where practicable. Table 79 shows variations between NHS board areas. Lanarkshire and Greater Glasgow and Clyde show a relatively high proportion of EDCs granted out of hours without MHO consent at 46% and 34%. These Health Boards are followed closely by Ayrshire and Arran and Dumfries and Galloway at rates of 31% and 29% respectively. (this is leaving aside figures for Island Health Boards where sample size is very small)
The total number of detention episodes, initiated through emergency and short-term detentions has not changed significantly between Quarter 3 (Jul-Sep) and Quarter 4 (Oct-Dec) of 2008. (Table 58)
Over the last four quarters reported there have been only slight variations in the proportions of informal inpatients made subject to emergency detention compared with those admitted directly from the community (Table 59a). There has been a slight decrease in numbers of individuals prior to emergency detention coming from the status of an informal patient, 276 last quarter to 241 this quarter. There has been a slight decrease in those coming directly from community to emergency status, 201 this quarter compared to 211 last quarter.
There has been no change in the total number of detention episodes, initiated through emergency and short-term detentions, between the Oct-Dec 08 quarter and the last quarter (Table 58)
Community-based compulsory treatment orders (CCTOs)
There has been a slight increase in the number of new community-based CTOs in the latest quarter. Variations of existing hospital-based orders to community-based orders have seen a sharp increase this quarter from 49 to 71 (Table 2). The number of people subject to community CTOs, who are temporarily recalled to hospital, shows little variation. The same is true for people on community based compulsion orders (Table 3).
Young People
Following a dip in numbers reported in the last quarter of 2007, the number of admissions of young people to non-specialist facilities reported has remained constant for each quarter of 2008 (Figure 2). There has been a slight increase in the under 16 figures in this quarter and there has been a slight decrease in admissions within the 16-17 group.
The total for the October to December 2008 is 41. These admissions took place across all NHS areas (excluding island authorities).
In the fourth quarter of 2008, 85% of all under-18 psychiatric admissions to non-specialist facilities occurred in adult psychiatric wards. (Table 62).
Advance Statement over-rides
The number of notifications of advance statements being over-ridden continues to be low and this quarter remains the same as in the previous quarter. We follow up all reported over-rides of patient wishes recorded in advance statements.
The Commission has recognised that it is a priority to monitor this aspect of the Act, but, as advance statements have been little used, the number of over-rides tells us little about patient wishes being upheld.
Point prevalence information
We are continuously striving to improve the way we record and capture statistical information. In the previous quarter (Q3 08), we re-ran point prevalence statistics for the previous three quarters. There were some differences between the old and new sets of figures and therefore figures published in this report did not match point prevalence statistics published previously.
All CTO figures published last quarter (Q3 2008) were preliminary as we had low confidence in their accuracy. In this quarter (Q4 2008), we have not reported on CTOs at all. We feel that figures may not be reliable owing to delays in submission of returns to the commission and in future may decide to run point prevalence figures one quarter behind to allow for any delay
Further analysis of how these figures are reported may enable us to provide meaningful analysis of trends in the prevalence of compulsory treatment orders.
Adults with Incapacity Act
The total number of welfare guardianship applications notified to the Commission in the third quarter of 2008 was 341.During the same period, 281 applications were granted.For Scotland as a whole, there are now substantially more private welfare guardianships granted, than where the local authority is the applicant (Table 70).
281 welfare guardianship interlocutors were received during the quarter (Figure 4) compared with 267 last quarter.The proportion of relative or carer applicants in interlocutors received during the most recent quarter is slightly higher at 62% than in the previous quarter when it was 60% (Table 71). 49% of all orders included both welfare and financial powers (Table 73).Women account for 58% of all interlocutors received in the quarter.In this quarter, 67% of women subject to welfare guardianship were over 65 years old (Table 74).
The proportion of orders granted for an indefinite duration continues to be very high at 68%, a slight decrease from last quarter where the figure was 70%.
In 99% of orders granted, the power to determine care and accommodation (or where adult should reside) was included.The percentage of orders granted which include the power to give consent to medical treatments, research or supervise medication at 82% (Table 76) remains largely unchanged from the previous 2 quarters of 2008.
Criminal Proceedings
No community-based compulsion orders were granted in this quarter. The numbers of orders granted under criminal proceedings are very small by quarter. More detailed information is presented in our annual reports
Ethnic Monitoring
The proportion of returns of ethnic minority monitoring forms is not yet sufficient for reporting purposes. We continue to be concerned that we are not able to report on this. We will be looking at other options for monitoring ethnicity in relation to the use of mental health legislation this year.
Note: we cannot be absolutely certain that the quarterly figures notified to the Commission, and consequently reported by our IT system, are correct at date of publication. We will be working with the range of agencies responsible for supplying us with information to verify our statistics over the year.Please see our Annual Reports for finalised figures.
