Mental health compulsion warning

Tuesday, 20 September 2005 12:00 AM

The government has hugely underestimated the number of people who would undergo compulsory community-treatment should the new mental health bill become law, a report claims.

According to the King's Fund study, released today, over the next ten to 15 years the number of people with mental health problems placed under community-treatment orders may reach several thousands.

The Department of Health estimated just 1,400 people would fall under this category, since it did not take into account the year-on-year increases that are likely to occur, the report claims.

Chief executive of mental health charity Mind, Richard Brook, said the organisation feared that far too many people would be "swept up into compulsory treatment in the community" under the government's proposals.

"The report shows that this is likely to be the reality," Mr Brook said, estimating that 13,00 people could be included under the proposed legislation.

Cliff Prior, chief executive of mental health campaign group Rethink, added: "The government should think again before pressing on with its plans for a new mental health bill."

Shadow health minister Tim Loughton claims that current shortages of trained staff indicate the system will be unable to cope with these numbers, branding the mental health service as the "poor relation of the NHS".

The bill, which proposes to make treatment compulsory for mental health patients who are perceived to pose a threat to the public, has already met with high levels of controversy, receiving over 2,000 objections at its first draft.

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