ONE-DAY SURVEY BY THE MENTAL-HEALTH ACT COMMISSION OF ACUTE ADULT PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT WARDS IN ENGLAND AND WALES

Objectives To provide (via the Mental Health Act Commission's ''nation al visit'') empirical evidence on ward occupancy levels, use of the Me ntal Health Act 1983, nurse staffing, and care of female patients on a cute adult psychiatric wards. Design One day survey of a stratified ra ndom sample. Settings 119/250 (47%) acute adult psychiatric inpatient units in England and Wales. Subjects End sample of 263 acute psychiatr ic inpatient wards. Main outcome measures Ward occupancy rates; number of patients detained under the Mental Health Act and proportion ''abs ent without leave''; nurse staffing levels, skill mix, and vacancies; proportion of women with self contained, women-only facilities. Result s Mean ward occupancy was 99% (95% confidence interval 97% to 102%). A ward mean of 30% (28% to 32%) of patients were detained under the Men tal Health Act; of all detained patients, 1% (1% to 2%) were absent wi thout leave. A ward mean of 0.3 (0.29 to 0.31) nurses were on duty per patient at the time of the visit An estimated ward mean of 31% (30% t o 32%) of nurse staffing may have been through casual contracts-higher in inner (48% (43% to 53%)) and outer London (45% (41% to 48%)). On 2 6% (21% to 32%) of wards, there were no nurses interacting with patien ts. A ward mean of 36% (30% to 41%) of female patients had self contai ned, women-only facilities. Conclusions Attention should focus on impr oving the quality of acute inpatient psychiatric care as well as of co mmunity care.