Mental health review tribunals. A follow-up of reviewed patients.
BACKGROUND
Mental health legislation allows for treatment needs to override civil liberty. Mental health review tribunals act as a counterbalance. This study examines the long-term outcome of patients reviewed by a tribunal, and in particular whether the tribunal, in its concern for civil liberty, might be discharging patients prematurely.


METHODS
All non-offender patients from a defined catchment area reviewed by the tribunal between the inception of the 1983 Mental Health Act and 31 December 1991 were followed-up until 31 May 1993.


RESULTS
Those discharged by the tribunal did not differ significantly from those refused discharge in subsequent survival period in the community, in readmission rate or in final outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Within the limitations of a non-experimental study, the main hypothesis was not supported. An intensive study of family and personal life in the three months after discharge would cast useful additional light on the soundness of tribunal decisions.
Myers
D H
DH
Shelton Hospital, Shrewsbury.
D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003657:Decision Making; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D015588:Observer Variation; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D012309:Risk-Taking