MORE than 150 people were detained under the Mental Health Act in St Helens last year, figures show.
Figures provided by NHS Digital show that at least 180 detentions were carried out across the NHS St Helens CCG area in 2021-22.
With the figures highlighting the number of people in need of urgent mental health treatment, this is a rate of around 99 detentions per 100,000 people across the borough.
The number is a slight increase from 175 detentions in St Helens in 2020-21.
Across England, around 53,340 new detentions were recorded under the Mental Health Act last year; an estimated 6% decrease compared to 2020-21.
Last year, the government published a white paper on reforming the Mental Health Act which looks to raise the threshold for detention, allow patients to have more autonomy over their treatment, and tackle disparities faced by people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Nick Emmerson, vice president of the Law Society of England and Wales, welcomed this decision but said the detention statistics show that reforms must be a priority for the Government.
He said: “The current system means there is a risk that compulsory detention and treatment is used too often and that patients do not have enough involvement in decisions about their care."
A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care said the decrease in detentions is a "testament to the positive steps" it has taken to support people with serious mental health issues.
In St Helens, there is a wide range of local support networks for those struggling with their mental health.
Services such as Mersey Care Crisis Line, St Helens Mind, Change Grow Live, Chrysalis Centre for Change, HIMvisible, No Duff UK, and The Wonderland Centre are all local networks that can offer residents support with their mental health or signpost them to further avenues of help.
Additionally, the council have created an 'OK2Ask' initiative to encourage people to speak about suicidal feelings, while the Cheshire and Merseyside Public Health Collaborative Suicide Prevention Strategy was launched earlier this year.
Councillor Anthony Burns, St Helens Borough Council Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Culture and Heritage said: “There is help and support available locally 24 hours a day and we would urge people to reach out and talk to family, friends or local support groups if they feel low.
"The aim of the council's regional strategy is that through collective action we can hopefully make a difference in tackling mental health issues in the borough."
For further help with mental health:
- To contact the Mersey Care 24 hour Mental Health Crisis Line, contact 0800 051 1508
- Samaritans are available, day or night, 365 days of the year. You can call them for free on 116 123 or visit this link to find your nearest branch.
- To find out more about HIMvisible, visit this link
- CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) can be reached on their online hotline here or on 0800 58 58 58
- You can also Text REACH to 85258 - it's a free, confidential, 24/7 text message support service for anyone struggling to cope.
- Zero Suicide Alliance provide 20 minute free training sessions that could help you potentially save someone's life. More details can be found here.
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