Compulsory Psychiatric Admission by the Police; A Study of the Use of Section 136

Abstract

The case notes of 92 police admissions (under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1959) were examined in detail and comparisons were made with formal admissions by medical practitioners to the same unit (208 under section 29 and 56 under section 25) and also with the admissions of previous years. It was found that the police were as efficient at recognizing persons in need of psychiatric care among those called to their attention as were the medical practitioners who were not approved psychiatrists. Attention is drawn to the tendency of some individuals to be repeatedly admitted by the police. Suggestions are made as to their better management.