One in three people sent home from hospital too early – with no plan for further mental health care

One in three people sent home from hospital too early – with no plan for further mental health care Research by mental health charity Mind reveals serious problems with the planning around discharging people from mental health hospitals. The survey of over 1,000 people[1] who have been in hospital in mental health crisis, found:

• One in three people (38 per cent) felt they were discharged from hospital sooner than they should have been
• One in five (21 per cent) were given no notice at all that they were going home. This even happens when people have been in hospital for a long time - one in three people (33 per cent) in hospital for more than a month were given less than 48 hours’ notice that they were being discharged or no notice at all 
• Two out of five people (37 per cent) said there was no plan for further care and support, contrary to guidelines
• Less than half of people (44 per cent) said managing their mental health or self-care was considered in plans for leaving hospital 
• Only half of people (51 per cent) said their accommodation needs were considered in any plans, and less than a third (29 per cent) said that money and benefits were considered

The days and weeks after leaving hospital after a mental health crisis are critical. People are at high risk of suicide in the first week after leaving hospital and if they are unsupported they risk becoming unwell again and ending up back in hospital.