PERSONALITY-DISORDER AND POLICE SECTION-136 IN WESTMINSTER - A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF 65 ASSESSMENTS OVER 6 MONTHS

Section 136 of the 1983 Mental Health Act empowers the police to detai n those suspected of being mentally ill in public places. The current study is a retrospective analysis of those occurring within Westminist er, London, over a six-month period. A high rate of referral was found . In those individuals assessed, schizophrenia was the commonest diagn osis, but personality disorder provided the largest number of assessme nts. This was due to the propensity of the latter individuals to prese nt on multiple occasions. Those with personality disorders were signif icantly less likely to be placed under further sections of the Mental Health Act, less likely to be admitted to hospital and more likely to re-present under a further section 136. The inability of the current s ystem to address these individuals' needs is a cause for concern.