title: Quality of treatment following police detention of mentally disordered offenders.
abstract: There is a growing interest in patients' perspectives in relation to the treatment and management of mentally disordered offenders at all levels of service delivery. This paper reports on a group of mentally ill individuals who were admitted to a place of safety following detention by the police. The principal purpose of the study was to determine the quality of care that the patient experienced under section 136 of the Mental Health Act (1983) from police detention to hospital admission. The major focus concerned the anticipated disparity between the non-professional police interactions and those of the mental health professional. The method employed was a grounded theory analysis of audio-taped interviews utilizing a three-level coding of data. The results indicated a general dissatisfaction with the quality of care and treatment from both police and professionals, but with the former being viewed as acceptable whilst the latter was considered unacceptable. The patients made a series of recommendations for detention in places of safety.
authors.affiliation: Wirral Probation Centre, Europa Boulevard, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 4PE , UK.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger / Q000502:physiology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016495:Police; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*