Objectives: Initial examination of data held by the Mental Health Commission indicated a number of patients having repeated involuntary readmissions (defined as patients having three or more involuntary episodes in a calendar year). The Commission sought more empirical analysis of the data relating to these patients, to determine if there were any trends or commonality regarding their demographic characteristics, length of episode, and diagnoses.

Methods: From 1 November 2006 the Mental Health Commission has been notified of all involuntary admissions in Ireland under the Mental Health Act (2001). From this national database information on patients who have had three or more involuntary admissions per year was analysed.

Results: In the period studied there has been an overall reduction in the number of voluntary and involuntary admissions to Irish psychiatric hospitals and units. However, the use of involuntary admission remains constant at around 10% of all admissions. Seven percent (n=569) of involuntary admission orders in this four year period relate to two percent (n=121) of all involuntary patients. Patients who have experienced repeated involuntary admissions are predominantly male (59%), often have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, or schizotypal and delusional disorders (57%), or mania (20%), are in the age band 22-64 (80%) and more often live in rural counties.

Conclusions: Potential appears to exist to significantly reduce the number of involuntary admissions by focusing on the care given to patients who are repeatedly re-admitted. More analysis is needed of voluntary and involuntary re-admissions if inpatient facilities are to be effectively configured.