Padded cell
A padded cell is a cell in a psychiatric hospital with cushions lining the walls. The padding is an attempt to prevent patients from hurting themselves by hitting their head (or other bodily parts) on the hard surface of the walls. In most cases, an individual's placement in a padded cell is involuntary. Other names used are "rubber room", seclusion room, time out room, calming room, quiet room, or personal safety room. Use. The length of time patients were kept in a padded cell varied greatly. Some patients remained locked in a padded cell for several days . A patient might also be made to wear a straitjacket if they were considered at risk of self-harm. The use of padded cells and straitjackets declined drastically following the introduction of psychotropic drugs in the 1950s. Personal Safety Rooms are still used throughout the world and can be beneficial in providing a safe environment for not only occupants but also staff, and can prevent work-related injuries in the facilities. A reconstructed padded cell is maintained at the Mental Health Museum, Fieldhead Hospital, Wakefield, UK. Current practice. In the UK seclusion is defined by the Mental Health Act 1983  Code of Practice as: "the supervised confinement of a patient in a room, which may be locked. Its sole aim is to contain severely disturbed behaviour that is likely to cause harm to others." The Code of Practice (paragraph 26.109) says that a seclusion room should only be used for that purpose and should have the following features: