Format/length:	n1
HES item:	MENTCAT
National Codes:	See MENTAL CATEGORY
Default Codes:	8 - Not applicable (i.e. not detained)
	9 - Not known: a validation error

Notes:
See Mental Health Act Table for details of how MENTAL CATEGORIES relates to Parts and Sections of the Act.

This data element is effective for PATIENTS detained prior to 3rd November 2008 when the relevant section of the Mental Health Act 2007 comes into force, which abolishes the Mental Health Act 1983 MENTAL CATEGORIES.  For PATIENTS detained from 3rd November 2008, the MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2007 MENTAL CATEGORY data element should be used.

MENTAL CATEGORY may continue to be used for historical purposes for any PATIENT last detained prior to 3rd November 2008 when the relevant section of the Mental Health Act 2007 comes into force.  In these circumstances MENTAL CATEGORY will flow in the CDS V6 TYPE 170 - ADMITTED PATIENT CARE - DETAINED AND/OR LONG TERM PSYCHIATRIC CENSUS CDS, and the Mental Health Minimum Data Set.

MENTAL CATEGORY will be replaced with MENTAL CATEGORY CODE, which should be used for all new and developing data sets and for XML messages.

 

This data element is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	MENTAL CATEGORIES