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Restraints and medication being used on Camden and Islington mental health patients (1 September 2014)

Date: 01/09/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Restraints and medication being used on Camden and Islington mental health patients

A report by Care Quality Commission (CQC) into Camden and Islington Foundation Trust has found that two-thirds of mental health patients in the care of the trust are subjected to face-down restraints – a procedure banned by the NHS.

Local publisher the Islington Tribune reports that in the CQC document – which was published on Friday (29/08/14) – the trust was found to be in breach of seven NHS regulations.

Face-down restraints involve the patient being held down with their face to the floor so they are unable to see what is happening. The restraining technique not only causes distress to a mental health patient, who may try and struggle to break free; but pressure on their chest cavity and even spine may result in injury. Suffocation is also possible if restraining techniques are not used correctly.

Other restraining methods for mental health patients can involve using tranquillisers – mental health staff can feel at risk of assault from the patients they care for if patients become distressed and suffer an episode of panic or violent behaviour.

However, some restraining techniques can potentially endanger the life of a mental health patient.

The CQC report into Camden and Islington Foundation Trust found that, in the six months between October 2013 and April 2014, some form of restraint had been used on mental health patients in the trust’s care on 172 occasions.

The CQC found that one-third of these incidences of restraints being used occurred at the trust’s acute care mental health inpatient unit at Highgate in north London.

In more than three-quarters (77%) of the cases, medication accompanied restraints.

A cluster of patient deaths was also flagged up in association with the Camden Crisis Pathway for patients who have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act – or who experience a crisis in their mental health which requires hospitalisation in an acute care unit.

Acute care mental health patients may have a higher risk of self-harming or suicide and may require rapid psychological assessment or admittance to a mental health unit. In some cases, acute care patients may be treated at home with additional support by telephone to help prevent patients reaching a crisis – this is becoming more common to help prevent patients becoming institutionalised on mental health wards.

However, deputy medical director of Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, Sylvia Tang, said the deaths were being investigated and were being taken “very seriously”.

An independent investigation into a cluster of deaths last year concluded there was no “overarching systemic issues” regarding the care provided by the trust.

However, the CQC’s recent report highlighted issues with consistency of care:

“People were sometimes moved between wards for non-clinical reasons – which had an impact on the consistency and quality of care they received,” the report said.

The CQC team also found that a culture of illegal drug-taking was also evident among some patients at the Highgate Mental Health Centre, with police now searching the premises with sniffer dogs on a monthly basis.

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors are the UK’s leading provider of Legal Aid mental health services and can advise mental health patients on issues such as access to care, treatment reviews and detention under the Mental Health Act.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors are available at short-notice for visits to mental health hospitals and police stations nationwide – and in some cases may be able to advise the Nearest Relative or carer of a mental health patient.

For expert legal help with mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors’ Helpline on 0203 114 1124.

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