Secure care: a briefing note

10 December 2013

Secure mental health services provide accommodation, treatment and support for people with severe mental health problems who pose a risk to the public. Sometimes known as forensic mental health services, secure services work predominantly with people who have been imprisoned or admitted directly to hospital through the 1983 Mental Health Act following a criminal offence.

This briefing note covers the types of secure care, the costs of stays and some recommendations for commissioners and running services.

For a further discussion of secure care, read our Pathways to unlocking secure care report from 2011.