Mental health patients unnecessarily kept in jail cells because of lack of beds

Vulnerable mental health patients in the West were detained in police cells because of a lack of beds, according to a report released today.

The report by the Care Quality Commission - the body that assesses healthcare - found there were significant failings in delivering places of safety by the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership.

The NHS trust - which provides mental health services across Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire - has been told overall it "requires improvement".

Inspectors found patients were regularly waiting more than twelve hours for an assessment and even longer for admission to a suitable ward.

Dr Paul Lelliott, the Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals said:

After its last inspection in December 2015 the CQC served a Warning Notice because of concerns about mental health care in Bristol.

It found people needing urgent community-based mental health services were waiting several months for assessment.

As well as finding areas where problems persist, the latest inspection in May found major improvements - particularly in community mental health services in Bristol.

The inspection found staff were committed to improvement and on one ward staff and patients had worked together to raise enough money to buy musical instruments and bikes to help patient recovery.

It also found the trust was committed to participation in research and viewed it as a core activity. It had developed good collaborations with three universities of Bristol, West of England and Bath.