Rachel Garrett
27 Jun 2023 · Coroner Penelope Schofield · West Sussex
A similar concern from this report was raised again 1 time later. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. lack of authority to detain patients who abscond from acute hospitals
“Patients who attend a Hospital Accident and Emergency Department with mental health difficulties are in most hospitals seen by a Mental Health Liaison team (made up of Consultant [name redacted] and Mental Health nurses) These staff are not employed by the Acute Hospital Trust but are employed by a local Mental Health Trust (in this particular case it was the Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust).”
2. risk of patient absconding and harm
“Due to this technical issue around the employment status of the Mental Health Team, those suffering with a deteriorating mental health in an acute setting are at risk in these circumstances.”
Linked reports
Identical hazardConfidence 0.92 · high
This report
“cannot invoke the Doctors or Nurses holding powers under Section 5(2) Mental Health Act (Section 5(4) for nurses).”
Later report
“It is now not possible to hold someone under s.3 at the hospital”