Mental Health Act detention

Providers have notified the CQC that 264 people died while detained under the Mental Health Act between April 2022 and March 2023. This is a fall on the previous year (270 deaths).

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Mental Health Act review

The IAPDC welcomed the substantive review of the Mental Health Act (1983), performed by Sir Simon Wessley. It contributed evidence to the second part of the review in August 2018.

Evidence to Sir Simon Wessley (August 2018)

Family Listening Day

The IAPDC commissioned INQUEST to deliver a family listening event to hear from families who have had experience of the investigation and inquest process after their family member died whilst detained under the Mental Health Act . The aim of the event was to share details of the post death experience, investigative and inquest process, and support provided by Trusts.

Read the report: Family Listening Day (September 2011)

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)

The purpose of the IAPDC is to bring about a continuing and sustained reduction in the number and rate of deaths in all forms of state custody in England and Wales. This covers deaths, which occur in prisons, in or following police custody, immigration detention, the deaths of residents of approved premises and the deaths of those detained under the Mental Health Act in hospital. The principles and lessons learned as part of this work will also apply to the deaths of those detained under the Mental Capacity Act in hospital.

Visit our deprivation of liberty safeguards page