<p>
	German research carried out over a 14-year period has cast doubts over the practice.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	An extensive new study has shown that there could be a significant misunderstanding in the treatment of mental health patients.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The 14-year project, which looked at the prevalence of suicide among residents of mental health facilities in Germany, found a lower rate among those on wards with open-door policies, than those on wards with locked-door policies.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Allowing residents to come and go was more likely to create a better therapeutic atmosphere and facilitate better outcomes, the study said.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Irish mental health facilities</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	While the results only apply to Germany, they have a bearing on how things are done in the Irish system.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Mental health inpatient facilities in this country have become increasingly open over the past decades, but locked wards are still used in some cases for patients that are categorised as &lsquo;difficult to manage&rsquo;.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	In the study, the authors warn that further research with different groups of patients is required to understand how universally applicable the results are &ndash; but that it is possible that the study &ldquo;could challenge medical practice in many countries&rdquo;.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	What exactly did it find?</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The research looked at 145,000 patients between 1998 and 2012.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Three measures were looked at as part of the study: suicides, suicide attempts and patients absconding.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The different mental health conditions of those included in the study were taken into account as a variable.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	It was found that patients being treated on open wards were less likely to attempt suicide than those being treated on a locked ward, although there was no difference in the rate of patients completing suicide.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Patients were also no more likely to abscond from open wards than from locked ones.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Speaking about the findings, one of the authors Dr Christian Huber said:</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;These findings suggest that locked-door policies may not help to improve the safety of patients in psychiatric hospitals, and are not generally successful in preventing people from absconding.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;In fact, a locked-door policy probably imposes a more oppressive atmosphere, which could reduce the effectiveness of treatments, resulting in longer stays in hospital. The practice may even lend motivation for patients to abscond.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	(Published by TheJournal.ie on the 29th July 2016)</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.thejournal.ie/mental-health-facility-patients-wards-2900490-Jul2016/">http://www.thejournal.ie/mental-health-facility-patients-wards-2900490-Jul2016/</a></p>
