Are most people who are sectioned

[busyweeks78]

Offered the chance to go informal?

There are times I'd asked if I could go informal instead, but it was refused.

when someone is "sectioned" they will have been assessed first, usually by 3 health care professionals. At this assessment one of theings that will be considered is whether it may be appropriate for the perosn to be admitted to hospital informally. There may be many reasons why this is isn't possible. Once admitted under section the person will have a chance to appeal their sectin. this means there will be a hearing by a panel where it will be decided if it remains appropriate and correct for the person to remain detained. At any point whilst in hospital on a section a person can be made infomal by the doctor in charge of their care if this is thought to be appropriate.

Usually you are asked to go and if you refused then you are sectioned. But if it's the other way round it's highly unlikely to be 'demoted' to informal.

Legally, for section 2 and 3 always, before the section is applied, and at appeal. This should also be reviewed periodically.
Home Office sections, no.

I'm only speaking based on a sample size of one here. Initially being detained and sectioned is usually because they're mad, to put it bluntly. They're not going to go to hospital of their own choice because it's part of their illness that they don't recognise they're ill.

When someone's stayed in hospital "voluntarily" after the section has been lifted, there is quite a lot of "Do XYZ or you'll be sectioned" from the doctors and nursing staff. Which rather makes a mockery of the claims it's voluntary.

I've assessed well in to 3 figures under the MHA. Probably 2/3 of those people have been offered a voluntary stay HOWEVER I do find it hard to reconcile.

We wouldn't be offering a bed if we didn't think the person was detainable at that point so voluntary or not they would be going in.

Also some that ended up sectioned did so because we couldn't get a bed for a voluntary patient.

The system is shitty at times.

Is there such a thing as community section -- someone is formally section but under one of the rare clauses, and they end up with care while staying in their own homes?

When I was unwell they said they would like me to stay at the hospital on a voluntary basis, but if I refused I would be sectioned.

*ragges8 there is something called a Community Treatment Order (usually referred to as a CTO) . It can only be used after a person has been in hospital detained under a section 3. It is then applied when a person is discharged from hospital. It basically will have some conditinos in it , often around taking medication and engaging with community mental health team - although the conditins can be altered to suit individuals. The idea is that the person agrees to , or is required to stick to the conditions and if they dont then it is possible that they may be recalled to hospital if their mental health deteriorates. This means people have a better chance of staying well in the community but also that if needed hospital admissin can be brought about more quickly to avoid unneccessary risks for the individual.

sorry - loads of typos...multi tasking!!

I think usually if you have reached the point of assessing under the mental health act and Sectioning, the person wouldn't want or be able to stay informally. You have to demonstrate it is the least restrictive option to be granted a Section, so if they could be informal they would.

Being informal also gives the person the chance to come and go as they please from the ward which often wouldn't be safe.

I was offered "voluntary admission". Psych claimed I would just be in overnight and could go home the next day if I didn't like it. He admitted to my partner that he was mostly suggesting it to avoid having to get another doctor out at 2 am.

Once I was in hospital I was told if I tried to leave I'd be sectioned. Not ideal but at least it means if I'm asked on a form for travel insurance or visas or something if I've ever been sectioned I can say "no" which is sometimes a bonus.

Thanks, I heard about a 91yr old being sectioned but not being in hospital.I didn't understand how that worked.

If someone has capacity to make a decision they they are normally asked if they would agree to a voluntary admission first before considering whether they would meet the bar for a compulsory admission.

If someone doesn't have capacity around the decision then you have to use a section, even if they agree to being admitted.

Is there such a thing as community section -- someone is formally section but under one of the rare clauses, and they end up with care while staying in their own homes?

There are lots of sections that can be applied for community treatment but they are usually applied after a hospital stay, 37/41 for instance

Thank you. I was asking as I wasn’t given the choice but it seems most people are.

A consultant I worked under made a good point about this. Informal admission might not be appropriate even if the person says they will go in voluntarily - if they don’t have capacity to make the decision. There will also be cases where you see if the person agrees to informal admission and if they don’t, then you consider if detention is appropriate.

But, informal admission under duress, ie ‘if you don’t agree to go in you’ll be sectioned’ is not truly an informal admission, and the person may be effectively forced into hospital but without any of the appeal opportunities or legal protections that arise from detention under the MHA.