Trends in guardianship usage following the Mental Health Act 1983

The Mental Health Act 1983 substantially modified Guardianship, a previously little used facility for the compulsory care of mentally ill and mentally handicapped people in the community. This paper describes the results of a survey of information based on the annual returns from Local Authorities to the Department of Health and Social Security, and examines the impact of the new legislation upon the use of Guardianship in psychiatric practice. Although the number of Guardianship Orders in force remains relatively small compared to hospital admissions, recent trends indicate a significant increase in its application to people with a mental illness, and a decline in its use for people with a mental handicap. Despite the overall increase in use, the Regional differences of cases in England remain essentially unchanged and reflect the differing attitudes and policies of Local Authorities towards Guardianship Orders.