News

Six months after the inquiry report into the death of David Bennett recommended guidance on time-limited use of prone restraint, the government has failed to act.

Charity the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health is urging the government to issue guidance limiting the manoeuvre's use to three minutes maximum as "a matter of urgency".

Bennett, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, died in 1998 after being restrained for 25 minutes at the medium secure Norvic Clinic in Norwich.

A spokesperson for the Sainsbury Centre said: "We call on the government to consider an interim three-minute time limit to prevent any further cases until new Nice guidance is published."

The Department of Health was unavailable for comment.