Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Neil O'Brien (Conservative) on Thursday, 3 September 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 8 September 2026 (named day). A holding answer was provided on Wednesday, 9 September 2026. A substantive answer was provided by Alison McGovern (Labour) on Friday, 18 September 2026 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Compulsorily Detained Psychiatric Patients

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients detained under Part III of the Mental Health Act 1983 are held in (a) low, (b) medium and (c) high secure hospitals as of the latest date for which figures are available.

Answer

NHS England publishes annual Mental Health Act Statistics, including the total number of people detained under the Mental Health Act on 31 March each year. The latest data is available at the link below, and new data for the year ending 31 March 2026 will be published on 15 October:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-act-statistics-annual-figures/2024-25-annual-figures

Table 8a in the Mental Health Act Statistics, Annual Figures, 2024-25, available at the following link, provides information on discharges from hospital under court and prison disposal provisions, excluding Community Treatment Orders, broken down by section:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-act-statistics-annual-figures/2024-25-annual-figures

Figures are provided for both the number of discharges, and the length of detention. Data on patients detained under Part III of the Mental Health Act 1983 is not broken down by hospital security level.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
26968
Session
2026-27
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Compulsorily detained psychiatric patients
Legislation
Mental Health Act 1983
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk