The compliance rate of 53.7 per cent represents a steep drop from the previous three years, when compliance levels hovered between 73 per cent and 77.3 per cent.

The Mental Health Commission looked at the use of practices such as seclusion, physical restraint and mechanical restraint across 66 inpatient centres last year.

A report published by the Mental Health Commission (MHC) also found that one in five of the services that administered ECT without consent during 2024 failed to comply with the rules governing the use of the therapy.

A report found that last year there were 76 reported incidents, compared with 42 in 2023 and 12 in 2022.