Abstract
Aims and methodTo assess the extent to which psychiatric history, with specific regard to compulsory psychiatric admission, is questioned in visa, insurance and permit applications. Application forms for the top UK destinations for immigration, work and travel visas, six types of insurance, and driving, sporting and vocational permits were analysed.ResultsPsychiatric history is questioned in some applications across all visa types. Hospital admission, but not compulsory psychiatric admission, is questioned in some immigration visas. Psychiatric history is not questioned in mortgage protection, car or pet insurance but it is questioned in some travel, life and health insurance applications, as is hospital admission. The majority of permit applications questioned psychiatric history and one vocational permit considered compulsory psychiatric admission.Clinical implicationsThe majority of visa, insurance and permit application forms enquire about past medical and psychiatric history. Information concerning detention under the Mental Health Act is very rarely questioned, indicating that a direct link between detention and access restriction is not evident.
Highlights
Psychiatric history is not questioned in mortgage protection, car or pet insurance but it is questioned in some travel, life and health insurance applications, as is hospital admission
This study aims to establish the extent to which licensing authorities, visa-issuing bodies and insurers gather data about an applicant’s mental health and the impact that information may subsequently have on an individual who has been detained under the Mental Health Act
There exists a dearth of peer-reviewed literature on the relationship between the Mental Health Act and visa or insurance applications, yet there exists much anecdotal evidence
Summary
A summary of the key results is given in Tables 1 and 2. The remaining four immigration applications (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA) all requested a full medical examination as well as a complete life medical history, and questioned psychiatric history. These four countries requested information regarding the applicant’s history of prescribed medication, whether hospital, medical or special care may be required in the foreseeable future and requested details of particular psychiatric disorders such as depression. South Africa and the USA required information from the applicant’s complete medical life history, with all three questioning psychiatric history. Four policies did give an option to increase the policy to include coverage of some psychiatric care (if overseen by a consultant)
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