![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2246015706.jpg\")
\n\t\tA mental health expert breaks down the process for Metro (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tA mental health expert breaks down the process for Metro (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
From 2024 to 2025, there were 52,731 new detentions reported under the Mental Health<\/a> Act.<\/p>\n The legislation is designed to regulate the assessment, treatment and rights of people with a mental health condition in the UK.<\/p>\n But over the years, the Act has come under intense scrutiny, with critics citing a lack of autonomy and freedom for those sectioned under the Act, as well as \u2018shameful racial inequalities\u2019.<\/p>\n With detentions slowly climbing, the mental health charity<\/a>, Mind, called for reform, demanding a bill that \u2018strengthens the rights of people at their most unwell.\u2019<\/p>\n In December 2025, that goal was achieved. While it did not include all the recommendations requested by charities and independent bodies, Mind did say it would \u2018bring in some positive reforms.\u2019<\/p>\n Today, the goal is that the Mental Health Act \u2014 which ultimately allows a patient to be held for an unlimited time \u2014 is only used when absolutely necessary.<\/p>\n For those who are detained, and their family and friends, this can be an incredibly scary experience.<\/p>\n Steve Bown, a former mental health nurse with over 20 years experience of crisis-based care has seen every stage of the process.<\/p>\n Metro spoke with Steve to map out the key stages of detention, in a simple timeline.<\/p>\n While every case is different, and there\u2019s no single, step-by-step experience of being sectioned, Steve, who is now a senior lecturer in mental health, gives a clearer picture of what the process can involve, from initial assessment to treatment on the ward.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWhat is section 2 of the Mental Health Act?\t\t\t<\/p>\n The section that is most commonly discussed in relation to the Act is section 2 \u2013 a legal framework that allows for a person to be compulsorily admitted to hospital for an assessment, and if necessary, medical treatment.<\/p>\n You can be detained for up to 28 days\u00a0under section 2 if you meet the following criteria:<\/p>\n You have a\u00a0mental disorder.<\/p>\n You need to be detained for a short time for assessment and possibly medical treatment.<\/p>\n Detaining you is necessary for your own health or safety, or to protect other people.<\/p>\n Day 1: Crisis team assessment<\/p>\n There are many different ways onto a ward, but going through a crisis team is probably the most common.<\/p>\n \u2018Somebody in a mental health<\/a> crisis will be referred to the team by either the police, the local community, or a family member \u2013 and that crisis is associated with significantly increased risk, either to themselves or others,\u2019 says Steve.<\/p>\n \u2018And these risks can be either deliberate or non-deliberate.\u2019<\/p>\n Examples can include things like suicidal intent, exhibiting violent or severe impulsive behaviour, episodes of psychosis or extreme mania.<\/p>\n Once someone has been referred, a crisis practitioner will visit this person in their home, or in the local community.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018Within that assessment, you get a sense of active suicidality or risk to others, or significant risk of someone destroying their social existence \u2013 this can mean things like developing delusional thoughts that they\u2019re a millionaire, taking out a huge bank loan and buying nothing but scratch cards, or behaving psychotic among neighbours, friends, or family.\u2019<\/p>\n In short, the crisis team are looking for whether or not they can maintain \u2018reasonable standards of behaviour\u2019 or if they need to be detained. In Steve\u2019s experience, crisis practitioners will try their best to create a \u2018hospital approach in the person\u2019s home.\u2019 However, that\u2019s not always possible.<\/p>\n If the expert believes there\u2019s both an immediate severe risk, they\u2019ll then make a referral for a Mental Health Act assessment.<\/p>\n Day 2: Mental Health Act assessment team<\/p>\n A Mental Health Act assessment team will be established, consisting of a mental health professional and two doctors. At least one of those doctors has to be section 12 approved, meaning they can make mental health assessments.<\/p>\n Steve explains: \u2018This will be both a medical and social assessment. This will be to decide: \u201cAre there any less restrictive approaches that we could use to effectively manage the client\u2019s mental health disorder?\u201d.\u2019<\/p>\n For example, if there are other care setting they can go in to, or if there is strong family support, these things will play a role in whether or not detention is necessary.<\/p>\n \t\t Factors that can come into this, Steve notes, are things such as: \u2018The nature of the condition, chance of relapse, and severity of presentation.\u2019<\/p>\n If the team decides the best course is to section the client (and all three must agree), then an application for detention is made. Steve adds that while things may differ regionally, the turn around process for the assessment and application stages is relatively quick \u2013 typically within the course of a day or so.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tHow long can people be detained for?\t\t\t<\/p>\n How long you\u2019re detained will depend on which section you\u2019re sectioned under.<\/p>\n Under section 2, you can be detained for\u00a0up to 28 days\u00a0under section 2.<\/p>\n Normally, this section can\u2019t be extended or renewed. But doctors might assess you again before the end of the 28 days to see if you should be put under\u00a0section 3<\/a>.<\/p>\n Under section 3, you can be detained for\u00a0up to 6 months. After 6 months, a clinician can renew or extend your section 3. <\/p>\n The first extension can last up to 6 months more. The second extension can last up to another 6 months. After this, each further extension can last up to 12 months each time. There\u2019s no limit to how many times your clinician can renew a section 3.<\/p>\n For more information, please visit mental health charity Mind<\/a>. <\/p>\n Day 3: Detention in hospital<\/p>\n When it\u2019s agreed someone will be detained, that client then needs to come to hospital.<\/p>\n Sometimes the police will be involved if there is high risk, but Steve added that he\u2019s seen family members or trusted social workers and carers walk clients into hospital as well.<\/p>\n Once someone arrives, Steve notes that there\u2019s not many administrative hoops left. From the perspective of a nurse, Steve adds: \u2018We\u2019re aware this is such a de-humanising process. So, if you can, you pretty much want to clear the next three hours of your diary. <\/p>\n \u2018In that time it\u2019s a case of \u201clet\u2019s get you onto the ward, let\u2019s get you your own room, your own bit of privacy, a cup of coffee and a sandwich\u201d.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t The admission process will then include a nurse and a medic accepting the client, signing a form to state that the individual is now in the hospital\u2019s care.<\/p>\n Then, Steve continues, once the client is given some time to breathe and potentially calm down, there will be a holistic assessment.<\/p>\n \u2018You\u2019ll want to find out what the presenting complaint is and what that person\u2019s understanding of that is. You\u2019re also going to want to figure out how that plays into someone\u2019s broader psychological and social experience.\u2019<\/p>\n Using the example of someone with suicidal thoughts, Steve says it\u2019ll be during this holistic assessment that a nurse and doctor will try to understand where those thoughts might be coming from \u2013 for example social stresses, loss of job, loss of role, significant psychological stresses etc.<\/p>\n Separately, there will be a \u2018risk assessment,\u2019 this will be more about safety on the ward, how medication may be managed by staff, and how they will approach certain risks either to or from the client.<\/p>\n That risk assessment will then influence how much privacy a client is given, with some needing observations every 15 minutes. <\/p>\n \t\t Once again, due to how damaging this experience is, Steve\u2019s said that there is a strong emphasis on \u2018maintaining social function.\u2019 So, in the past, he\u2019s regularly seen clients take escorted leave off grounds to the local shops within the first 24 hours or so of detention.<\/p>\n Day 4: Treatment<\/p>\n Once someone is as settled as possible, treatment can begin.<\/p>\n Now, Steve emphasises that while medication is important, \u2018the importance of talking therapies should be noted\u2019, such as Cognitive Behavioural Interventions and Dialectical Behaviour Approaches.<\/p>\n Steve also says medics consider not just the symptoms of the illness, but how being mentally unwell can be damaging in terms of a patient\u2019s social life and their own psychology.<\/p>\n Professionals will often use the CHIME model, which stands for Connectedness, Hope & Optimism, Identity, Meaning in Life, and Empowerment.<\/p>\n This framework, Steve emphasises, prepares the client to return to the community.<\/p>\n The identity element of this recovery method, for example, encourages the client to develop and envision a new identity that is not solely defined by their mental health diagnosis, challenges, or past. A number of forums recommend shifting perspective from \u2018I am X\u2019 to \u2018I am a person who lives with X\u2019.<\/p>\n \t\t Each client\u2019s treatment is different, so the following days and weeks in treatment will vary.<\/p>\n However, one important aspect of being detained is the appeal process.<\/p>\n \u2018There are two forms of appeal. One is an appeal to a Mental Health Act tribunal, an independent body. They can discharge someone from the section immediately.<\/p>\n \u2018The individual will be provided with a solicitor, free of charge. And the client\u2019s nurse has to support them in that appeal process.\u2019<\/p>\n The appeal must be made within the first two weeks of detention, with the hearing then scheduled within seven working days.<\/p>\n The second form of appeal is \u2018to the hospital managers,\u2019 which Steve describes as \u2018a little more toothless.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018It tends to be less about a clinical issue and more about the hospital managers doing a general check and balance of whether people need to be detained. However, they tend to be much more deferential to clinical opinion<\/a>.\u2019<\/p>\n Throughout the assessment, detention, and appeal process, Steve emphasises that \u2018the real job of wards is to work from a position of coercion towards a position of collaboration.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018The key issue here is one of building a therapeutic relationship and trust with the client in the initial hours. I suggest to my students the need to \u201cset the tone\u201d of the relationship with the client. One of empathy and compassion as the key factors to be provided.\u2019<\/p>\n Do you have a story to share?<\/p>\n Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2260822362.jpg\")
\n\t\tTrying to provide support and care in the local community is a top priority for mental health professionals (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Rear](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-1832099991.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe goal is to avoid detention if at all possible (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2266280858.jpg\")
\n\t\tOnce someone has been admitted, a medical professional will discuss a treatment plan with them (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Lonely](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-1423167126.jpg\")
\n\t\tSteve recognises that this process, which necessary at times, is incredibly harmful for an individual (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Compassionate](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2201681286.jpg\")
\n\t\tTreatment is, in many ways, the cornerstone of this process (Picture: Getty Images)
\nDay 5: Appeal<\/p>\n
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