The Department of Health today published statistics on inpatients and compulsory admissions in mental health and learning disability hospitals in Northern Ireland for the year ending 31 March 2022.
Key Points
Mental Health
Mental Illness and Learning Disability Census
- On 17 February 2022, 623 patients were being treated as inpatients in mental health hospitals in Northern Ireland. Of these 623 patients, three quarters (75.6%, 471) had been resident in hospital for six months or less, whilst 5 (0.8%) had been resident for more than 10 years (Table 1.2).
- Between 2018 and 2022, the number of patients being treated as inpatients in mental health hospitals decreased by 7 (1.1%), from 630 to 623 (Table 1.1).
- Three fifths (57.0%, 355) of the 623 occupied beds in mental health hospitals on 17 February 2022 were acute beds (Table 1.3).
Compulsory Admissions
- Over the last five years, the number of compulsory admissions to mental health hospitals under the Mental Health (NI) Order 1986 increased by 48 (4.8%), from 1,010 in 2017/18 to 1,058 in 2021/22 (Table 1.4)
- During 2021/22, the highest number of compulsory admissions was recorded in the 18 to 44 years age group (510, 48.2%) (Table 1.5)
Learning Disability
Mental Illness and Learning Disability Census
- Between 2018 and 2022, the number of patients being treated as inpatients in learning disability hospitals decreased by 47 (41.6%), from 113 to 66 (Table 2.1).
- On 17 February 2022, 66 patients were being treated as inpatients in learning disability hospitals in Northern Ireland. Of these 66 patients, almost one in five (18.2%, 12) had been resident in hospital for six months or less, whilst 16 (24.2%) had been resident for more than 10 years (Table 2.2).
- Almost half (45.5%, 30) of the 66 occupied beds in learning disability hospitals were assessment and treatment beds at 17 February 2022 (Table 2.3).
Compulsory Admissions
- Between 2017/18 and 2021/22, the number of compulsory admissions to learning disability hospitals under the Mental Health (NI) Order 1986 decreased by 52 (80.0%), from 65 to 13 (Table 2.4).
- Over half of compulsory admissions to learning disability hospitals in 2021/22 involved patients under eighteen years old (53.8%, 7) (Table 2.5).
The information release is published on the Department website
Notes to editors:
- The information detailed in this publication is collected from the following statistical returns provided by HSC Trusts and Hospitals:
- KH15 & KH15b – Compulsory Admissions under the Mental Health (NI) Order 1986;
- KH16 – Admissions to Mental Health / Learning Disability Hospitals;
- KH17 – Number of Patients Receiving Electro-Convulsive Therapy; and,
- MILD Census – Inpatients resident in Mental Health / Learning Disability Hospitals on 17th February each year.
- Historically this statistical information, including detailed commentary, was published as the ‘Hospital Statistics: Mental Health and Learning Disability’ publication. However, following a National Statistics Consultation in October 2015, it was agreed to discontinue this publication and replace it with a set of downloadable EXCEL data tables (no commentary).
- The downloadable EXCEL tables present information on (i) compulsory admissions under the 1986 Mental Health (NI) Order and (ii) a census of mental illness and learning disability inpatients resident in hospital on 17 February.
- The Office for Statistics Regulation report on the Review of mental health statistics in Northern Ireland made seven recommendations, including, ‘To support user understanding, the Information Analysis Directorate (IAD) in the Department of Health (NI) should seek to provide more insightful commentary for existing mental health publications to explain key statistical messages. We therefore developed a dashboard of statistics on mental health and learning disability inpatients and compulsory admissions and published this with last year’s statistical tables. We are currently at the quality assurance stage of this year’s dashboard and will publish it in the coming weeks. However, we have proceeded to publish the report in its current format in order to minimise any delay in making the statistics public.
- Information on inpatient, day case and consultant-led outpatient activity for the mental health and learning disability specialties, previously detailed in the ‘Hospital Statistics: Mental Health and Learning Disability’ publication, has already been published for 2021/22 in:
Hospital Statistics: Inpatient and Day Case Activity Statistics (2021/22)
Hospital Statistics: Outpatient Activity Statistics (2021/22)
- All information has been validated with Health & Social Care Trusts, and incorporates all returns and amendments received up to 27 August 2022.
- Further information on Mental Health & Learning Disability Statistics is available from:
Hospital Information Branch
Department of Health
Annexe 2, Castle Buildings
Stormont, BT4 3SQ
Email: statistics@health-ni.gov.uk
Internet: www.health-ni.gov.uk/topics/doh-statistics-and-research-mental-health-and-learning-disabilities/mental-health-and-learning-disability-statistics - For media enquiries please contact DoH Press Office by email: pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk
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