Today, the government has published its revised Mental Health Bill. The reform of the current mental health law is long overdue, as it was initiated during the previous government. The new government had committed in its manifesto to submit the reformed bill to parliament.
in a press release issued todayThe Government stated that:
“The new laws will give more dignity to patients admitted under the Mental Health Act and they will have a greater say over their care in the long-awaited updates to be tabled in Parliament today (Wednesday 6 November).
Currently, outdated laws do not meet modern standards and do not give patients an adequate voice. For example, people with serious mental illness can be placed in police cells, and the law automatically gives a voice to the patient’s next of kin – rather than a person of their choice, such as their partner – in decisions about their care. .
“The new mental health bill addresses the significant changes in attitudes towards mental illness since the original law was passed, recognizing that outdated laws on the treatment of people in a mental health crisis are no longer tolerable.”
Changes in the reformed bill include:
- Introduce legal care and treatment plans, adapted to the individual needs of each person;
- Prevent people with mental health crises from being confined in prison cells;
- End inappropriate detention of autistic people and people with learning disabilities;
- Ensure patients have a voice in their care and recognize the role of friends and family in keeping people safe.
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