BPS responds to Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman report on the safety of mental health patients leaving inpatient services

The report, published today, highlights a range of issues in transferring people with poor mental health out of inpatient and emergency care.

These include families not being updated or informed about a patient's discharge from hospital care, poor record keeping, a lack of communication and joint working between the multiple teams caring for a patient and failings in assessing requests to leave hospital.

All of these can lead to poorer outcomes for patients, including an increased risk of suicide.

Responding to the report, President-Elect of the BPS, Dr Roman Raczka said:

"This is a very important and sobering report which shines a light on the huge challenges facing mental health patients after leaving hospital. It is unacceptable that some of the most vulnerable people are discharged from care without the necessary support around them.

"Often the lack of adequate psychological and other therapeutic interventions available mean that people are discharged when the severity of their symptoms decrease and not when they have sufficiently recovered. There is also often inadequate follow up care available following discharge to support further recovery in the community.

"At the crux of this issue is the fact we have mental health services under huge strain, without adequate funding and that are struggling to retain and recruit staff. Only with serious investment in services and the workforce – both in hospitals and community-based services - will we see a system that can provide people with the support and care they need and enable them to thrive.

"We wish to see the government make funding for mental health services, both hospital and community-based, a priority to ensure we have the workforce in place to provide the care and support which people need and deserve."

Related reading 

DCP responds to figures on readmission to mental health facilities

Psychological services within the Acute Adult Mental Health Care Pathway