Eliminating inappropriate out of area placements in mental health

Eliminating inappropriate out of area placements in mental health The government’s deadline to eliminate inappropriate out of area placements for adult acute patients by the end of March 2021 has now been missed by a full year. Sometimes hundreds of miles away from home, patients are unable to access their usual support networks while at their most vulnerable, often finding their care seriously disrupted with long term implications for their recovery. The NHS spent £102 million on inappropriate out of area placements in the twelve months up to and including March 2022 – the equivalent to the cost of the annual salary of over 900 consultant psychiatrists. This briefing sets out the urgent action the NHS should take to ensure all patients get the care they need from properly staffed, specialist services in their local area. Royal College of Psychiatrists