Mental Health Bill update
On Monday, members of the House of Lords began debating legislation to reform the Mental Health Act in England and Wales. The College responded to its publication earlier this month.
As part of our influencing activity, the College provided parliamentarians with a briefing ahead of the debate. We were pleased to see Peers had taken note of the information provided, and made repeated references to it during the discussion.
Members of the House shared the RCPsych’s concerns that changes have been made to the Bill which do not reflect the carefully considered recommendations of the Wessely Review or the Joint Committee, and may have significant unintended consequences.
It was acknowledged that people who are autistic or who have a learning disability may find it difficult to access the care they need if they cannot be detained under the Act. Community services are not always able to meet the needs of this patient group, and they may have to attend and remain in A&E instead. This may increase the risk of police involvement if a person’s behaviour is believed to be compromising the safety of others.
The debate also covered changes to the civil part of the Act which will not be included in the criminal section. These adjustments may create divisions in the care that patients receive and increase the stark inequalities that the reforms were originally meant to reduce.
In addition to sending the briefing to parliamentarians, the College and Rethink invited the Minister for Mental Health, Baroness Merron, to visit mental health services and meet people with lived experience of mental illness.
During the visit, our President, Dr Lade Smith CBE, discussed the College’s position and views on the reforms put forward in the Bill. She also introduced Baroness Merron to the mental health team that work with Advance Choice Documents (ACDs) and explained how they help reduce the need for patients to be detained under the Mental Health Act.
Channel 4 News interviewed some of those impacted by the Bill along with Baroness Merron.
The Mental Health Bill will enter the Committee stage on Monday, 16 December. The College will continue to influence these reforms as the Bill makes its way through Parliament.