Recurring concern
Unreliable Section 117 mental health aftercare arrangements
Pin
Get email alerts
Request correctionFirst reported 25 Feb 2022•Latest report 21 Nov 2025
What this concern includes
Includes failures of the Section 117 Mental Health Act aftercare process, including eligibility and entitlement decisions, interpretation of criteria, national or local guidance, policies and procedures, aftercare-plan content and depth, professional understanding, planning and coordination of aftercare.
Not included
- Excludes general mental-health discharge or community-care failures that do not explicitly concern Section 117 aftercare.
- Excludes failures limited to the delivery or quality of an aftercare service after an adequate Section 117 decision and plan have been established, unless the assertion also identifies a failure of the Section 117 aftercare arrangement itself.
- Excludes generic training, communication or care-coordination deficiencies unless they are directly tied to Section 117 aftercare eligibility, planning or provision.
- Excludes other statutory aftercare, housing, placement or social-care entitlement processes without an explicit Section 117 connection.
- Reports
- 6
- Individual concerns
- 7
- Date range
- 2022–2025
- Stated actions
- 9
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports 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.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
-
Concerns raised2
Lack of guidance defining the component elements and required depth of s.117 plans
Absence of formal documented s.117 discharge plans agreed by all responsible care and treatment providers
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
-
Action
Use a standardized Rio form covering all relevant s.117 meeting areas and remind acute-care staff to complete it.
Stated by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
-
Position
Existing national guidance sufficiently addresses the required content and planning of Section 117 aftercare plans.
Stated by NHS England
-
Position
The Trust is better placed to respond to concerns about the absence of a requested Section 117 plan.
Stated by NHS England
-
Concerns raised1
Insufficient knowledge among healthcare and social workers about provision of s117 Mental Health Act 1983 aftercare
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
Action
Issue national guidance explaining section 117 aftercare obligations and when they apply.
Stated by NHS England -
Action
Publish statutory guidance clarifying joint discharge planning and section 117 aftercare funding responsibilities.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
-
Position
The concerns about aftercare and discharge arrangements relate to locally commissioned services rather than NHS England specialised services.
Stated by NHS England
-
Position
Local authorities and integrated care boards are jointly responsible for arranging section 117 aftercare and ensuring providers know the relevant guidance.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
-
Concerns raised1
Rigidity and lack of flexibility in criteria for aftercare outside section 117
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Lack of understanding of section 117 Mental Health Act rights and entitlements
This report raised 12 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
-
Action
Maintain the pan-Essex Section 117 protocol setting out multi-agency care planning processes, including accommodation responsibilities.
Stated by Essex County Council -
Action
Develop and publish internal Section 117 guidance covering duties, processes and the Section 117 Panel.
Stated by Essex County Council -
Action
Deliver Section 117, Section 85, mental health and autism awareness training and awareness-raising for Children and Families staff.
Stated by Essex County Council
-
Action
Complete the draft Section 117 practice guidance and produce a Thinking Practice Tool to support Section 117 planning.
Stated by Essex County Council
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Position
The acknowledged shortcomings were not causation or contributory factors in Molly’s death.
Stated by Essex County Council
-
Concerns raised1
Lack of adequate governance procedures for section 117 discharges
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
Action
Ratify the Section 117 Aftercare Policy governing service responsibilities for people subject to Section 117.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Disseminate the ratified Section 117 Aftercare Policy to staff through divisional leads, the intranet, weekly briefings and the Patient Safety Newsletter.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to involve patients’ carers as equal partners in the development and review of Section 117 after-care plans
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Data last updated 7 September 2026