Includes deficiencies in the availability, adequacy or geographic provision of psychiatric inpatient beds, including resulting admission delays and dedicated bed-allocation or patient-flow measures used to manage the shortage.
What is not included
Excludes generic acute hospital or emergency-department bed shortages that are not specifically psychiatric.
Excludes general discharge-planning, discharge-documentation or medication failures unless they are explicitly identified as part of managing psychiatric inpatient bed capacity.
Excludes training, communication or staffing deficiencies that are not dedicated to psychiatric inpatient capacity management.
Excludes the safety of an individual discharge where the underlying recurring concern is not insufficient psychiatric inpatient bed capacity.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Department of Health and Social Care41
NHS England33
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board10
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust7
NHS Devon Integrated Care Board3
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board3
NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board3
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust3
Birmingham City Council2
Care Quality Commission2
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust2
Department for Education2
Devon Partnership NHS Trust2
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership2
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust2
Ministerial department41
Executive non-departmental public body34
NHS trust29
Integrated care board27
Clinical commissioning group2
English metropolitan district council2
Health and social care service regulator2
Health-system partnership2
Police force2
Domiciliary care provider1
Health and care professional regulator1
Healthcare site1
London borough council1
Private limited company1
Professional body1
Reports and published responses 67 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
Birmingham and Solihull
Concerns raised1
Lack of inpatient mental health beds
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Department of Health and Social Care
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
West Midlands Police
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
Department of Health and Social Care
Support faster hospital discharge to reduce bed occupancy and A&E waiting times.
Department of Health and Social Care
Provide funding to support adult social care and NHS discharges, including from mental health inpatient settings.
Department of Health and Social Care
Develop and publish statutory guidance for discharge from mental health inpatient settings.
Department of Health and Social Care
Expand adult community mental health services to support patients in the community and reduce reliance on inpatient treatment.
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Commission additional mental health beds to improve flow through bedded capacity and support step-down and return from out-of-area placements.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
West Midlands Police
Commissioning and operating psychiatric decisions units falls outside the police force’s functions and authority.
Outside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
West Midlands Police
Responsibility for psychiatric decisions unit beds and spaces rests with the named health bodies and Secretary of State for Health.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
The Mental Health Provider Collaborative is responsible for designing and delivering services and leading strategic cases for additional mental health bed capacity.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Manchester North
Concerns raised1
Insufficient availability of beds for informal admissions to older adults mental health wards
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Share the Regulation 28 report and response with Greater Manchester mental health commissioners.
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Undertake a review of older adult inpatient provision.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Mental health commissioners are assigned responsibility for reviewing older adult inpatient provision.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Lack of mental health inpatient bed capacity causing delays in access to mental health beds
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Department of Health and Social Care
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
Department of Health and Social Care
Invest in mental-health estate improvements, including non-medical admission alternatives, step-down beds and supported living services.
Department of Health and Social Care
Replace mental-health dormitory beds with single, en-suite rooms across more than 50 sites by 2024/25.
Department of Health and Social Care
Fund safe and appropriate discharge from mental-health inpatient units.
Department of Health and Social Care
Expand community mental-health services to improve support for people with serious mental illnesses and manage bed pressures.
Department of Health and Social Care
Publish and fund the Mental Health Recovery Action Plan to expand services, reduce waiting times and strengthen the NHS workforce.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Department of Health and Social Care
The root cause analysis did not find that a shortage of beds contributed to Ms Medcalf’s death.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire
Concerns raised1
Lack of mental health inpatient provision for people aged 14-25
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
NHS England
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
NHS England
A single 14–25 inpatient ward is not recommended because developmental differences and safeguarding risks could place vulnerable young people at risk.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Insufficient availability of mental health beds
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Department of Health and Social Care
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
Department of Health and Social Care
Invest an additional £500 million in 2021/22 to support mental-health service recovery, including expanded community, crisis and discharge-support services.
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Invest significantly in community and crisis services to provide a holistic offer and manage demand for mental-health beds.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Department of Health and Social Care
Local NHS commissioners determine mental health bed provision based on local need and the effectiveness of community care.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Insufficient local mental health inpatient bed capacity
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Nadine Dorries MP
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
Nadine Dorries MP
Work with local systems to eliminate inappropriate adult out-of-area mental health placements as soon as reasonably possible, with revised local targets where necessary.
Nadine Dorries MP
Use £87 million to support good-quality discharge from mental health facilities.
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Mobilise the Delayed Transfer of Care programme, including 36 schemes funded to reduce bed blockage and out-of-area placements.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Nadine Dorries MP
COVID-19 capacity pressures prevent eliminating all out-of-area placements by April 2021; systems must set local targets and eliminate them as soon as reasonably possible.
Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Suffolk
Concerns raised2
Insufficient provision to temporarily house patients awaiting informal admission
Insufficient bed capacity for patients seeking informal admission
Linked response
Department of Health and Social Care
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
Department of Health and Social Care
End reliance on adult acute out-of-area placements by April 2021.
Department of Health and Social Care
Provide national and regional improvement support to services reducing out-of-area placements.
Department of Health and Social Care
Provide £50 million of strengthened post-discharge mental health support during the winter COVID-19 pressures.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Department of Health and Social Care
Urgent mental-health admission does not require detention under the Mental Health Act to access a bed quickly.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Leicester City and South Leicestershire
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of local inpatient mental health provision for people with autism
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
NHS England
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
NHS England
Give local service providers greater budgetary control for people receiving or at risk of inpatient care.
Birmingham and Solihull
Concerns raised2
Failure to provide section 140 beds
Chronic shortage of psychiatric beds
This report raised 8 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham City Council
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board
West Midlands Police
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham City Council and NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board and West Midlands Police
Implement local arrangements delegating access management for Section 140 emergency beds.
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham City Council and NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board and West Midlands Police
Develop a crisis pathway to increase capacity in secondary mental health crisis services.
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham City Council and NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board and West Midlands Police
Pool resources to provide a crisis house as an alternative to psychiatric inpatient admission.
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham City Council and NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board and West Midlands Police
Review internal care pathways to maximise capacity in teams meeting patient demand.
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham City Council and NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board and West Midlands Police
Pilot the Red to Green initiative to improve inpatient flow and reduce length of stay.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham City Council and NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board and West Midlands Police
Management of access to emergency Section 140 beds is delegated to BSMHFT and BWCT under local arrangements.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham City Council and NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board and West Midlands Police
Delegated local arrangements provide flexible access to emergency beds and are considered to address Section 140 provision adequately.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Birmingham and Solihull
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of inpatient beds for people assessed and fit for detention
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board
Work with system partners to understand increased crisis-service demand and improve use of existing mental health resources.
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board
Continue monitoring pressures on mental health services and developing initiatives to manage patient flow and improve services.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.