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 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 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 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.

scholarly journals Storytelling, Safeguarding, Treatment, and Responsibility: attributes of recovery in psychiatric intensive care units

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (02) ◽  
pp. 105-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karleen Gwinner ◽  
Louise Ward
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Psychiatric Distress ◽  
Nurse Knowledge

AbstractBackground and aimIn recent years, policy in Australia has endorsed recovery-oriented mental health services underpinned by the needs, rights and values of people with lived experience of mental illness. This paper critically reviews the idea of recovery as understood by nurses at the frontline of services for people experiencing acute psychiatric distress.MethodData gathered from focus groups held with nurses from two hospitals were used to ascertain their use of terminology, understanding of attributes and current practices that support recovery for people experiencing acute psychiatric distress. A review of literature further examined current nurse-based evidence and nurse knowledge of recovery approaches specific to psychiatric intensive care settings.ResultsFour defining attributes of recovery based on nurses’ perspectives are shared to identify and describe strategies that may help underpin recovery specific to psychiatric intensive care settings.ConclusionThe four attributes described in this paper provide a pragmatic framework with which nurses can reinforce their clinical decision-making and negotiate the dynamic and often incongruous challenges they experience to embed recovery-oriented culture in acute psychiatric settings.

scholarly journals Workload implications of the proposed new Mental Health Act – an audit

2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (02) ◽  
pp. 54-57
Author(s):  
Sean Whyte ◽  
Clive Meux
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
White Paper ◽  
Law Reform ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Health Law ◽  
Forensic Patients ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
The Government ◽  
Time Required

Aims and Method To estimate specific time and resource implications for professionals, if proposed changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 (England & Wales) in the Government's white paper were to be implemented unchanged. An audit of time spent on current procedures was extrapolated. Results The amount of time required to comply with the Act will rise substantially (by 27% overall). Social workers and independent doctors will spend 30% and 207% more time respectively, complying with the Act, but psychiatrists providing clinical care to forensic patients should be largely unaffected. Clinical Implications If the Government presses ahead with its plans for mental health law reform as currently proposed, extra resources will be required to provide additional social work and independent medical time – or other services for patients will suffer.

scholarly journals The PACT advance decision-making template: preparing for Mental Health Act reforms with co-production, focus groups and consultation

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 ◽  
pp. 101563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy A. Stephenson ◽  
Tania Gergel ◽  
Alex Ruck Keene ◽  
Larry Rifkin ◽  
Gareth Owen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Mental Health Act
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