RESTRAINTS on mental health patients across Cumbria have almost doubled in the last two years, according to new figures.

Cumbria Partnership NHS foundation trust, which operates a number of mental health services including the Ramsey Unit in Barrow's Furness General, Kentmere in Kendal and the Yewdale Ward in Whitehaven's West Cumberland hospital, revealed in 2015-16 they had 257 incidents where physical restraint was necessary- 12 of those involved the police.

That figure rose to 413 incidents of physical restraint in 2016-17, 27 of which needed police intervention.

"Can you still have sex?" - and the other demeaning questions faced by Dalton wheelchair user

Clare Parker, director of quality and nursing for Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation trust said:

"The safety of our patients and our staff is our overriding priority when caring for people who are extremely unwell as part of their illness.

"Physical intervention is only ever used as a last resort in order to protect the individual involved, as well as other patients and our staff.

"Our staff are trained in the appropriate techniques when using restraint and as a trust we are committed to minimising its use."

The trust has also developed a strategy around the reduction of restraint within services, and joined the national project 'Restrain Yourself' which aims to reduce harm to both patients and staff.

Children with mental health issues 'wait up to 18 months for treatment' - report

Nationally, the number of restraints on mental health patients is rising.

Figures obtained from 40 mental health trusts across England revealed 59,808 restraints occurred in 2016-17, equivalent to between six and seven incidents an hour.

This compares with 46,499 times in 2013-14.

The figures, which were released to the Liberal Democrats under the Freedom of Information Act, also showed an increase in injuries to both patients and staff.

But, use of the most extreme restraints, where patients are forced to the ground, fell by nine per cent across 33 trusts with many facilities saying they have improved the way they report usage of restraint, suggesting this could be behind the rise.

Increasing number of sick days taken by NHS staff reveals growing mental health struggle

Physical restraint is classed as "any direct physical contact where the intention is to prevent, restrict, or subdue movement of the body (or part of the body) of another person".

The Department of Health says there must be "a real possibility of harm to the person or to staff, the public or others" for restraint to be used.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "Physical restraint should only be used as a last resort and our guidance to the NHS is clear on this.

"We want patients to be treated and cared for in a safe environment and we are actively working with the regulator, the Care Quality Commission, to ensure the use of restraint is minimised."

Mental health of people in south Cumbria made worse by 'humiliating' benefit assessments

Key findings from the Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, England, 2014:

- One in three adults aged 16-74 (37 per cent) with conditions such as anxiety or depression, surveyed in England, were accessing mental health treatment, in 2014.

This figure has increased from one in four (24 per cent) since the last survey had been carried out in 2007.

- Overall, around one in six adults (17 per cent) surveyed in England met the criteria for a common mental disorder (CMD) in 2014.

- Women were more likely than men to have reported CMD symptoms. One in five women (19 per cent) had reported CMD symptoms, compared with one in eight men (12 per cent).

- Women were also more likely than men to report severe symptoms of CMD - 10 per cent of women surveyed reported severe symptoms compared to 6 per cent of men.