PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Mental Illness: Coronavirus (5 June 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to data on deaths of people subject to the Mental Health Act 1983 from the Care Quality Commission on 7 May 2020, what assessment he has of changes in the level of deaths of people subject to that Act (a) where covid-19 was a factor in the death (b) overall since 1 March 2020.

Asked by:
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour)

The Care Quality Commission has reported that there have been 152 deaths of people subject to the Mental Health Act 1983 (from 1 March to 5 June 2020). Around half of these cases (75 deaths) are suspected or confirmed to be related to COVID-19, according to mental health providers. The proportion of deaths associated with COVID-19 is consistent with that reported on 7 May 2020, which the CQC reported mirrored a rise in notifications from other sectors.

The CQC is continuing to monitor the numbers of deaths of patients under the Mental Health Act. It has also written to providers asking them to continue reporting the deaths of patients under the Mental Health Act regardless of whether they are transferred to an acute trust for treatment.

Answered by:
Ms Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
24 June 2020