Safety and security arrangements in high security psychiatric hospitals

The government is consulting on proposed changes to the High Security Psychiatric Service (Arrangements for Safety and Security) Directions.

We are keen to hear from those who will be affected by the changes:

• patients and their families and carers
• staff working in the 3 high security psychiatric hospitals in England

We want to ensure that the changes will have a positive impact for all.

This review of the directions aims to:

• promote and protect the rights of patients
• protect the safety of patients, staff and visitors, recognising the important role of the directions in maintaining high standards of security
• ensure the directions remain fit for purpose given advances in technology and best practice since they were introduced in 2000
• give the hospitals more flexibility to determine how they put the principles set out in the directions into practice through the implementation of local safety and security policies
• ensure that safety and security policies are consistent across the 3 hospitals