Inpatient census 2017: parts one and two

Executive summary

This report presents an overview of the results of the third ‘Mental Health & Learning Disability Inpatient Bed Census’ and the ‘Mental Health, Addiction and Learning Disability Patients: Out of NHS Scotland Placements Census’, carried out by the Scottish Government and NHS Boards as at midnight, 30 March 2017.

The report enhances the Scottish Government’s and NHS Scotland’s understanding of mental health, addiction and learning disability services, and about the patients who use these services. This analytical evidence will inform policy development and service planning, both nationally and locally.

Number of patients occupying a psychiatric, addiction or learning disability inpatient bed in an NHS Scotland facility, by Census date

Some key points from this report include:

• There were 3,572 patients occupying a psychiatric, addiction or learning disability inpatient bed in an NHS Scotland facility in the March 2017 Census. This compares to 3,633 in March 2016.
• Of the 3,572 patients, 59% were Male, 41% were female.
• The patients in the Census were mostly from older age groups, 23% were aged 18-39, 35% were aged 40-64 and 40% aged 65+.
• There were 34 patients aged under 18 occupying the 54 available CAMHS beds in the March Census. In addition, 2 patients under 18 were staying in other wards.
• Patients were most likely to be in an Acute Ward (38% of all patients).
• As at the 2017 Census, there were 4,205 psychiatric, addiction or learning disability inpatient beds available in NHS Scotland, compared to 4,254 in March 2016. The overall occupancy rate in Scotland was 85% (same as March 2016).
• There were 38 patients “boarding” from another hospital. This is a hospital out with their local catchment area. Of these, 8 patients were boarding from a different health board.
• There were 484 patients primarily managed by Forensic Services at March 2017. This compares with 458 in March 2016. Forensic psychiatry is a specialized branch of clinical psychiatry which relates to mentally disordered offenders and others with similar problems.
• Of the 3,535 patients aged 18+ at the Census, 335 patients (9%) had a diagnosis for either a Learning Disability or Autism . 257 patients had a diagnosis for a Learning Disability, 152 patients had a diagnosis for Autism (74 patients had a diagnosis for both).
• Of the 3,572 patients occupying a psychiatric, addiction or learning disability inpatient bed at the March 2017 Census, 924 received Hospital Based Complex Clinical Care ( HBCCC). This is 26% of all patients . HBCCC by definition does not include Delayed Discharge patients.
• There were 282 patients who were Delayed Discharges at the Census date, 8% of all patient for which this information was known (data was incomplete for 95 patients). Of the 282 patients, 66 (23%) had a learning disability.
• Over half (58%) of patients aged 18+ had at least one long term physical health co-morbidity.
• 1,934 adult patients were either Overweight or Obese (excluding patients in Eating Disorder wards). This is 58% for whom BMI was known.
• 89% of adult patients admitted in the last year had a general physical exam within a day of admission and 82% of those admitted over a year ago had an annual physical exam.
• There were an additional 109 patients who were funded by NHS Scotland, but treated “outwith” NHS Scotland, either in a private facility or NHS facility elsewhere in the UK. This compares with 137 patients at the March 2016 Census. Of the 109 patients, 51 (47%) were in receipt of HBCCC.