Incidents in an adolescent forensic secure inpatient service

Abstract

There has been increased research in recent years on incidents within adolescent inpatient psychiatric units, although findings to date have been somewhat inconsistent. We analysed all reported incidents by 37 consecutively discharged patients from a mixed sex adolescent forensic hospital. Findings include a very high overall rate of incidents. A small number of female patients with emerging emotionally unstable personality disorder accounted for the majority of violent incidents and other incidents. Almost all the patients assaulted someone during their admission. Patients on civil sections of the Mental Health Act had just as many incidents as patients on forensic sections. The vast majority of assaults were on staff. Peak times for incidents were the end of each day when education sessions were timetabled and the beginning of the night shift.