Mental health patients held ‘unlawfully’ in A&Es across the country, experts warn

Mental health patients held ‘unlawfully’ in A&Es across the country, experts warn Mental health patients are being held “unlawfully” in A&Es across the country as long waits for care and beds force staff into “fudging” the law, The Independent has been told.

The University Hospital of North Midland Trust has been sanctioned by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for holding mental health patients without any legal authority.

However, experts have said the problem is widespread and occurs across every emergency department in the country with some patients waiting “days” and even “weeks” in A&E.