Dear Chris

Pause of data collection for statistics on Guardianship under the Mental Health Act

Thank you for your letter formally outlining the intention to pause the data collection for statistics about Guardianship under the Mental Health Act. This will impact the publication of the Guardianship statistics that was scheduled for this autumn. I welcome your openness and proactive engagement with us on this matter.

Your letter confirms plans for official statistics producers in England to hold a public user engagement exercise later this year that will cover a wide range of health and social care statistics. This will help to inform the prioritisation of future statistical resources and I welcome your commitment to include the Guardianship statistics in this exercise.

We note that the statistics have latterly been published at a three-year interval following a public consultation about ceasing the statistics entirely in early 2021. This current pause to data collection and publication, whilst unplanned due to resource constraints, will continue the triennial frequency and the future engagement exercise will provide you an opportunity to explore with stakeholders the frequency of publication that best meets their needs.

My team will continue to engage with you over coming months as NHS England determines the future for these statistics.

I have copied this letter to Mark Svenson, Joint Chief Statistician, NHS England.

Yours sincerely

Ed Humpherson
Director General for Regulation