New figures show that 49 under 18s in Wales were detained under sections 135 and 136 of the Mental Health Act in the three months to July, a 63% increase from the previous quarter.
11 of these were under 16 years-old and 38 were 16-17, while overall detentions have increased by 12% to 517 compared to the first three months of the year.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative and Shadow Mental Health Minister James Evans MS said:
“It’s sad to see that over 500 people have been sectioned in just the last three months, and it's heart-breaking that a substantial number of these are under 18.
“Mental health has been high on the political agenda for a number of years now, and we should be seeing fewer people at these crisis points.
“I think we need to hear an explanation from the Labour Government on why this is happening and what factors are driving it, so we can identify the best solutions.”
In the quarter ending June 2022:
- There were 21 Section 135 and 496 Section 136 detentions in Wales.
- The highest proportion of all detentions were male, 90.5% of all detentions were 18 years of age or over, and 96.3% of people detained were in the white.
- 66.3% of people detained were taken to a health based place of safety as their first place of safety with a police vehicle being the most likely method of transport there.
- Following assessment, 45.8% of people detained were discharged with a community based mental health plan of care.
- 11 under 16s and 38 16–17-year-olds were detained under s135 and 136 of the Act – a 63% increase on the previous quarter, when 10 under 16s and 20 16–17-year-olds were detained.
- Overall detentions increased by 12% to 517 comparing the previous quarter.
- Eight were conveyed to a police station as their first place of safety compared with 0 in the quarter ending March 2022.
- While 66% were conveyed to a health-based place of safety, 32% were conveyed to A&E. This is compared with 72% and 28% (drop of 6 percentage points and rise of 4 percentage points, respectively) in Q1 2022 and 74% and 23% (drop of 8 percentage points and rise of 9 percentage points, respectively) in Q2 2021.
- In Hywel Dda, nearly half (43%/21 out of 49) were dropped off in A&E: Betsi Cadwaladr UHB: 34%, Powys THB: 10%, Hywel Dda UHB: 43%, Swansea Bay UHB: 35%, Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB: 29%, Aneurin Bevan UHB: 30%, and Cardiff & Vale UHB: 26%.
- On assessment outcomes, 23% (117) were detained under the Act and admitted to hospital.
