Petition · past parliament · Department of Health and Social Care

Require mental health hospitals contact next of kin before releasing patients

Closed 255 signatures

What the petition asks

Enforce mental health hospitals to contact a patient's next of kin before discharge, or other unescorted release, so they can pick them up from the hospital to ensure safety.
There have been past incidents where mental health patients have taken their own lives shortly after being allowed to leave unescorted. If mental health hospitals were required to contact a patient's next of kin before discharging or otherwise releasing a patient without escort, this could help ensure patient safety and prevent possible suicide attempts.

Timeline

10 Jul 2023 Petition opened for signatures
10 Jan 2024 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 255
Status Closed
Department Department of Health and Social Care
Opened 10 Jul 2023
Closed 10 Jan 2024

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.