Shocking cost of mental health assesment

People are shocked, simply shocked, over the the staggering amount of extra income psychiatrists are making as part of the routine work they do for the work of committing someone involuntarily to a mental institution. As reported in the Norwich Evening News

Doctors are paid an additional fee of £175.97 for every assessment they carry out under the Mental Health Act, new figures have revealed.

Around £200,000 is paid out each year by the Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Foundation Trust in addition to doctors' salaries when they carry out an assessment to determine whether an individual should be “sectioned”, meaning to compulsorily detain them.

The figures revealed to the Evening News through a request under the Freedom of Information Act, show from April 2005 to March 2006 £198,682 was paid out to doctors, £208,910 the following year and from April last year already £170,514 has been paid.

A person is sectioned if they are perceived to be a threat to themselves or other people. Two approved doctors, or a doctor and social worker has to be present. One of the doctors is usually a psychiatrist and the other - or social worker - is someone who knows the patient.

Sandra Flanagan, deputy chief executive from mental health charity MIND, said the figure “seems a lot of money” and could pay for an assertive outreach team of six people working with 20 patients.

She added: “I'm quite shocked by the figures.

“There should be some review of how much doctors are getting paid. They can demand any amount because of their professional status. That money could be much used to help people - £200,000 a year could run an intense assertive outreach team regularly supporting about 20 people. That would give people home visits and pay for social inclusion projects.

“It should be taken that a doctor should only be paid for their expenses.”

The trust argue that the approved doctors are “not paid twice” and the assessments take place outside their normal working hours, but they are in addition to their salary.

Dr Hadrian Ball, medical director at Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Assessments under the Mental Health Act can only be carried out by specially trained and experienced doctors, who have expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Such doctors are 'approved' by the Secretary of State under the terms of Section 12 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

“Doctors are paid the assessment fee only when the work involved falls outside of their normal contractual duties. The cost per assessment has been determined through national negotiations, between the British Medical Association and the NHS.”

But Dr Ian Gibson, Labour MP for Norwich North, said more needs to be looked into these fees - and other fees in addition to doctors' salaries.

He added: “This needs to be taken up within the department of health at a time when we are trying to find money.

“Doctors get a lot of extra money - that isn't really known about. If they get to a patient before they've died by get a fee known as ash cash - there are all sorts of extras.”