We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Set cookie preferences

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Publication - Statistics

Mental Health Inpatient Census 2024 - Parts 1 and 2

Published
27 May 2025
Directorate
Population Health Directorate
Topic
Health and social care

Results of the eighth Mental Health and Learning Disability Inpatient Census and Outwith NHS Scotland Placements Census, 2024.

Part of

Supporting documents

3. All patients treated in NHS Scotland facilities

This section provides an overview of the demographic data for all patients occupying mental health, addiction, and learning disability beds, in NHS Scotland during the 2024 Census. More detailed information on specific groups, including adults (18+), children and young people (<18), and forensic patients, will be presented in later sections.

  • 60% of patients in the 2024 Census were male.
  • The majority of patients (73%) identify as White Scottish.
  • Most patients (77%) in the 2024 Census had no dependents.

The age distribution of patients shows the largest groups of patients are aged 40-64 (36%) or 65+ years (35%). The average (mean) age of patients in the 2024 Census was 54 years.

Figure 4: Inpatients by age and sex.

Psychiatric, addiction or learning disability inpatients, NHS Scotland, March/April Census 2024

Figure 4: There were 568 male and 498 female patients aged over 65, 683 male and 421 female patients between aged 40 and 64, 564 male and 266 female patients aged between 18 and 39 and 11 male and 29 female patients aged under 18 occupying an inpatient bed at the 2024 Census.

The most common reason for admission was Mental Health Admission for Therapeutic/Clinical crisis (36% of patients), followed by Mental Health Admission (no additional detail) (34% of patients), and Mental Health Admission for Other type of psychiatric admission (11% of patients).

The majority of patients (73%) identified as “White Scottish”. “White Other British” patients made up 8% of the Census, “White” patients accounted for 7% and “Asian / Asian Scottish / Asian British” patients accounted for 2%.

55% of patients had never been married or registered in a civil partnership. Most patients (77%) had no dependents, 9% had a Working Age Adult (aged 16-64) dependent, and 5% had at least one Child aged 0-18 dependent.

In the 2024 Census, 33% of patients were retired. The proportion of patients who were unemployed was 53%. Additionally, 4% of patients were not allowed to work, and 3% were employed.

Back to top