A recent study by Newcastle University has revealed that if the closure of mental illness and learning disability inpatient beds continue then more individuals in prison may need psychiatric treatment.
The study found that the rates of most types of detention increased with the largest spike at 710% in prison transfers as well as civil detentions rising by 241%.
The university decided to look into the topic further following a report which found an association between the closure of mental illness beds and an increase in civil detentions.
Senior Lecturer, Dr Patrick Keown from Newcastle University , co-led the study and expressed his concerns from the findings.
"We found a very strong association between the reduction of inpatient beds and the increase in the number of prisoners requiring transfer to hospital for treatment," he said.
"A reduction of 135 psychiatric beds was associated with one additional transfer from prison to hospital under the Mental Health Act."
Dr Keown also spoke about the rapid increase of the past three decades of prisoners needing transfers to hospitals and the relation it has to apparent decrease in the number of inpatient beds.
"The number of prisoners requiring transfer to psychiatric hospitals increased eight fold in the last 30 years," he said.
"These transfers involve detention under the Mental Health Act and constitute the largest percentage increase of all sections of the Mental Health Act during this period.
"At the same time the number of mental illness and learning disability inpatient beds has fallen by 86%."
Dr Keown also stressed the need for further development when treating those with a mental disorder in order to counteract the problem.
"The treatment of mentally disordered offenders who are in prison needs to be further developed, as does the wider interface between prison and mental health service.
"This includes transfers to hospital, but also following release from prison."
