Patients in Mental Health Hospitals and Units, 2009

Statistics include data as at 31 March 2009. The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 28 October 2008.

The key points from the latest release are:

At 31 March 2009:

Patients resident in hospitals and units for people with a mental illness in Wales:

• The number of patients had fallen by 23 per cent to 1,733 since 1999.  Between 1998-99 and 2008-09 the number of hospital beds available fell by 19 per cent.
• 18 per cent of patients were in hospitals with more than 100 patients compared to 39 per cent in 1999.
• 492 patients (28 per cent of patients) were detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation compared to 381 patients (17 per cent) in 1999.
• There were 855 female patients and 878 male patients.
• 60 per cent of female patients were aged 65 or over compared to 42 per cent of male patients.

Patients resident in hospitals and units for people with a learning disability in Wales:

• The number of patients had fallen by 73 per cent since 1999 to 114.  Between 1998-99 and 2008-09 the number of hospital beds available fell by 67 per cent.
• The number of patients who had been resident for 2 years or more was 79, a decrease of 284 or 78 per cent since 1999.
• All patients were recorded as being resident in hospitals with fewer than 100 patients compared to 28 per cent of patients in 1999.
• There were 41 female patients and 73 male patients compared to 178 and 252 respectively in 1999.  There were 23 patients, 20 per cent of the total, detained under the Mental Heath Act 1983 and other legislation.

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 5080
E-mail: stats.healthinfo@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Next update

December 2010 (provisional - to be confirmed on 'Due out Soon' page)