Suspension of detention

One of the ways of making compulsory orders less restrictive on individuals is to suspend their detention for a set period of time.  This means they are able to spend time outside the hospital either for regular weekly outings, or for longer periods, living in the community. Suspension of detention can help a person make progress towards rehabilitation and recovery.  On the other hand, suspension of detention can be seen as restrictive by prolonging a spell of compulsory treatment and by attaching conditions that restrict the individual's freedom and choices while they are out of the hospital.

The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland wants to encourage a balance between minimising the restrictions on individuals and ensuring that they benefit from treatment. The Commission aims to produce practice guidance in Spring 2008 with consultation running from October to December 2007.

The Commission is using this site to gather views from interested practitioners, service-users and carers.  To get the discussion started the Commission have supplied a number of suspension of detention case studies. You are welcome to submit your own cases of where there have been problems with the use of suspension in relation to your own care or the care of someone you know.  We will include these cases on this website, making sure that they do not identify any individual. 

We have created a new forum discussion thread where you can contribute to the development of the guidance by posting your views.