scholarly journals The Mental Health Act 1983

1999 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 534-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Bhatti ◽  
Jeremy Kenney-Herbert ◽  
Rosemarie Cope ◽  
Martin Humphreys
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Random Sample ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
The West ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
West Midlands

Aims and methodA one-in-five random sample (n=104) of practitioners approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 in the West Midlands was selected. Opinions were sought on issues relating to current law and potential reform.ResultsEighty-three (80%) doctors were interviewed. Over half (52%) stated that the term ‘mental illness' in the Act was unsatisfactory. Two-thirds (68%) specified the need for a review of legislation relating to treatment in the community.Clinical implicationsThere was a diversity of views. This is likely to be reflected in the clinical practice of those interviewed. Many respondents believed that there was a need for reform in specific areas of the Act.

scholarly journals Ambiguity in Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983

2001 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 388-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laofe Ogundipe ◽  
Femi Oyebode ◽  
Amanda Knight
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Random Sample ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Early Assessment ◽  
The West ◽  
Police Station ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
West Midlands

AIMS and MethodTo investigate the interpretation of Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 by Section 12(2) approved doctors and to describe a pathway that facilitates early assessment of people detained under Section 136. We surveyed a random sample of Section 12(2) approved doctors in the West Midlands.ResultsA response rate of 70% was achieved. Approximately 65% believe that it would be illegal to transfer a person under Section 136 from the police station to a further place of safety, such as hospital. Thirty-five per cent believed that this could be done legally or were unsure.Clinical ImplicationsAmbiguity still remains about the legal interpretations of the provisions of Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983, which needs to be rectified.

scholarly journals Competency and use of the Mental Health Act – a matrix to aid decision-making

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 104-106
Author(s):  
Jacinta Tan ◽  
Martin Elphick
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Clinical Situation ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
Aid Decision

Aims and MethodCompetence in patients with mental illness is an issue of growing importance. We present a matrix that provides a new tool to separate the elements involved.ResultsThis matrix is compatible with, and makes explicit, the Richardson Committee's suggestions concerning the incorporation of a test of capacity in Mental Health Act assessments.Clinical ImplicationsWe suggest that use of this matrix may offer practical help to clinicians in arriving at a clear understanding of each clinical situation and guide good practice in the use of the Mental Health Act, particularly in problematic cases.

scholarly journals Barriers to mental healthcare for psychiatrists

2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 382-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfred White ◽  
Purushottam Shiralkar ◽  
Tariq Hassan ◽  
Niall Galbraith ◽  
Rhiannon Callaghan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Postal Survey ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Vulnerable Group ◽  
The West ◽  
Adequate Treatment ◽  
West Midlands ◽  
Psychiatric Profession

Aims and MethodTo determine the opinions of psychiatrists on mental illness among themselves and their colleagues a postal survey was conducted across the West Midlands.ResultsMost psychiatrists (319/370, 86.2%) would be reluctant to disclose mental illness to colleagues or professional organisations (323/370, 87.3%). Their choices regarding disclosure and treatment would be influenced by issues of confidentiality (n=245, 66%), stigma (n=83, 22%) and career implications (n=128, 35%) rather than quality of care (n=60, 16%).Clinical ImplicationsThe stigma associated with mental illness remains prevalent among the psychiatric profession and may prevent those affected from seeking adequate treatment and support. Appropriate, confidential specialist psychiatric services should be provided for this vulnerable group, and for doctors as a whole, to ensure that their needs, and by extension those of their patients, are met.

scholarly journals Mental Health Act 1983: use of urgent treatment in clinical practice

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 156-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashmi Yadav ◽  
Anthony S. Zigmond
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Retrospective Study ◽  
Treatment Plan ◽  
Common Reason ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
New Treatment ◽  
Established Treatment

Aims and methodTo understand circumstances in which urgent treatment provisions are used in clinical practice, by means of a retrospective study. A list of patients to whom Sections 62, 64B and 64G of the Mental Health Act 1983 were applied during the 1-year study period was obtained from the information technology department. Case notes were traced for detailed information on the circumstances of use of these provisions.ResultsThe most common reason for urgent treatment was to continue the established treatment plan rather than to start a new treatment (45% Section 62, 84% Section 64). The urgent treatment provisions were most commonly used because of a delay in examination by a second opinion appointed doctor in 45% cases for Section 62 and 84% cases for Sections 64B and 64G.Clinical implicationsThis is probably unlawful use of the urgent treatment provisions.

Mental Impairment in the West Midlands: 10 Years on

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 325-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
David William Perry ◽  
Carl Benton ◽  
Martin Walsh ◽  
David Martin ◽  
John Corbett
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Service Development ◽  
The West ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
West Midlands ◽  
Mentally Impaired

In 1989, a survey was undertaken to describe the learning disabled population, originating from the West Midlands, classified as mentally impaired or severely mentally impaired under the Mental Health Act 1983. The results obtained were then used to help guide future service development within the region. Given the marked changes in service provision over the subsequent decade, the study was repeated in 1998–1999, looking at the same population on 1st December 1997 (prior to the Bournewood Ruling). Attempts were made to identify all people residing within the West Midlands region, or originating from it, and classified as mentally impaired or severely mentally impaired under the Mental Health Act (1983). This was achieved by contacting medical records departments, learning disability consultants and Health Authorities. The same data set as the original study was then collected from case notes to allow comparison. The current study however, collected extra information, relating to diagnosis, treatment and outcome. Ninety-three people were identified for the study. Over the 10 years, there has been approximately a 100% increase in the numbers of people detained under these categories of the Mental Health Act (1983). There has been a marked increase in the use of the private sector, as well as out-of-region placements. Sexual offending seemed a common reason for detention. The authors attempt to explain this phenomenon. They also highlight the need for future developments and greater systematic data collection.

scholarly journals Guardianship under the Mental Health Act 1983

2000 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Shaw ◽  
Barbara Hatfield ◽  
Sherrill Evans
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
Community Treatment ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Community Treatment Orders ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
Illness Category ◽  
One Year

Aims and MethodTo describe the extent and variation in the use of Guardianship nationally. The Directors of Social Services were asked to provide details about Guardianship cases on two separate occasions one year apart.ResultsThere were 428 new Guardianship cases in 12 months. At the second enumeration, 73% of cases were within the mental illness category and 47% of these had serious mental illness.Clinical ImplicationsThere is much variation in the use of Guardianship. Further developments of this study will explore the reasons for this variation and will ascertain clinicians' views on Guardianship, supervised discharge and other community treatment orders.

The impact on clinical practice of the 2015 reforms to the New South Wales Mental Health Act

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher James Ryan ◽  
Sascha Callaghan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
Recovery Movement ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Decision Making Model ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: The Mental Health Act 2007 (NSW) ( MHA) was recently reformed in light of the recovery movement and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We analyse the changes and describe the impact that these reforms should have upon clinical practice. Conclusions: The principles of care and treatment added to the MHA place a strong onus on clinicians to monitor patients’ decision-making capacity, institute a supported decision-making model and obtain consent to any treatment proposed. Patients competently refusing treatment should only be subject to involuntary treatment in extraordinary circumstances. Even when patients incompetently refuse treatment, clinicians must make every effort reasonably practicable to tailor management plans to take account of any views and preferences expressed by them or made known via friends, family or advance statements.

R v Westwood (Thomas): diminished responsibility and disposals under the Mental Health Act 1983

2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Mennim
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
Court Of Appeal ◽  
Diminished Responsibility

This is a commentary on R v Westwood (Thomas), where the Court of Appeal of England and Wales held that the judge had erred in assessing Westwood’s ‘retained responsibility’ as medium to high under the Sentencing Council Guideline for manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Although the sentencing judge concluded that the offending was caused by Westwood’s anger, the Court of Appeal found the psychiatric evidence clearly indicated that the most significant factor was Westwood’s mental illness and that his anger at the time of the offence was a manifestation of his mental illness. Westwood’s responsibility was low, and it was appropriate to impose both a hospital and restriction order.  

scholarly journals Variation between services in polypharmacy and combined high dose of antipsychotic drugs prescribed for in-patients

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 418-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Harrington ◽  
Paul Lelliott ◽  
Carol Paton ◽  
Maria Konsolaki ◽  
Tom Sensky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Antipsychotic Drugs ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Case Mix ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Prescribing Practice ◽  
Acute Psychiatric Wards ◽  
High Doses

Aims and MethodA 1-day census provided an opportunity to examine the variation between 44 mental health services in the frequency of prescribing high doses and polypharmacy of antipsychotic drugs to in-patients on acute psychiatric wards.ResultsThe proportion of patients prescribed a high dose ranged 0–50% and simultaneous use of more than one antipsychotic drug ranged 12–71%. A number of case-mix variables explained 26% and 40%, respectively, of the variance between services on these two indicators of prescribing practice.Clinical ImplicationsServices with high rates of prescription of high dose or polypharmacy might consider a review of clinical practice and of service-level factors that might affect prescribing.

scholarly journals Adolescent units: a need for change?

2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 292-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Calton ◽  
Jon Arcelus
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychiatric Diagnosis ◽  
Adjustment Disorder ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Violent Behaviour ◽  
Mental Health Act

Aims and MethodTo describe the characteristics and diagnoses of patients admitted to a general adolescent psychiatric in-patient unit. We describe the age, gender and psychiatric diagnosis of the patient, as well as whether the patient exhibited violent behaviour in the ward, whether he/she needed to be transferred to a different service and whether he/she was admitted under a section of the Mental Health Act 1983.ResultsPatients were evenly distributed in terms of gender, with most being 14–16 years old. Diagnoses were varied with adjustment disorder predominating, but could be separated into four main groups. Levels of violence were high, being associated with detention under the Mental Health Act 1983, and often resulted in transfer to another service.Clinical ImplicationsThe needs of certain adolescents admitted to a general-purpose adolescent unit may not be best met in this environment. Current services must change to meet the needs of their patients. There may be a need for greater specialisation.

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