Legal Aspects Flashcards
Why do we have mental health law?
- Power to provide compulsory care and treatment for people with a mental disorder
- Rights and safeguards to make sure those powers are used appropriately
- Duties on NHS Boards and local authorities to provide a wide range of services for people with a mental health disorder
Mental Health (Care and Treatment)(Scotland) Act 2003:
what are the principles?

what is a Mental Disorder
as defined by the MH(C&T)(S)A2003?
Section 328 defines mental disorder as:
- any mental illness,
- personality disorder or
- learning disability
- however caused or manifested
(These on their own are not a mental disorder) Section 328 says not only by:
- Sexual orientation
- Sexual deviancy
- Transsexualism
- Transvestism
- Dependence on, or use of, alcohol or drugs
- Behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any other person
- Acting as no prudent person would
Who can be detained?
- > 18yrs
- < 18
- Can still be detained
- Need child / adolescent specialist (CTO etc)
- Use specialist resources (where ever possible)
Anyone can be detained
Overview of Key Civil Compulsory Powers - what are they?
Emergency detention certificate EDC
Short-term detention certificate STDC
Compulsory Treatment Order CTO
Nurses holding power
Overview of Key Civil Compulsory Powers:
how long does Emergency detention certificate EDC authorise detention for?
Authorises detention for up to 72 hours
Overview of Key Civil Compulsory Powers:
how long does nShort-term detention certificate STDC authorise detention for?
Authorises detention for up to 28 days
Overview of Key Civil Compulsory Powers:
how long does Compulsory Treatment Order CTO authorise detention for?
Authorises detention for up to six months
Overview of Key Civil Compulsory Powers:
how long does Nurses holding power authorise detention for?
Authorises detention for up to three hours (changed in 2015 Act)
Emergency Detention Certificate Section 36 of the 2003 Act:
what is needed to give this?
•Registered Medical Practitioner
Must consider it likely that:
- the patient has a mental disorder; and
- because of that mental disorder, the patient’s decision making ability with regard to medical treatment for that mental disorder is significantly impaired
Must also be satisfied that:
- it is necessary as a matter of urgency to detain the patient in hospital in order to determine what medical treatment should be provided to the patient for the suspected mental disorder
- there would be a significant risk to the health, safety or welfare of the patient or to the safety of another person if the patient were not detained in hospital; and
- making arrangements with a view to granting a short-term detention certificate would involve undesirable delay
Short Term Detention Certificate Section 44 of the 2003 Act:
what is needed to give this?
Approved Medical Practitioner
Must consider it likely that:
- the patient has a mental disorder;
- because of the mental disorder, the patients ability to make decisions about the provision of medical treatment is significantly impaired;
- it is necessary to detain the patient in hospital for the purpose of determining what medical treatment should be given to the patient or giving medical treatment to the patient;
- if the patient were not detained in hospital there would be a significant risk to the health, safety or welfare of the patient or to the safety of any other person; and
- the granting of a short-term detention certificate is necessary
Compulsory Treatment Order Section 64 of the 2003 Act: who descided if it should be given?
Application to Mental Health Tribunal made by Mental Health Officer for the granting of a CTO
Tribunal considers evidence and makes decision
Mental Health Reports (GP and Approved Medical Practitioner or 2 Approved Medical Practitioners)
Compulsory Treatment Order Section 64 of the 2003 Act: what must be satisfied in order to give this?
(Again same 5 criteria)
the patient has a mental disorder
medical treatment is available and would be likely to prevent deterioration or alleviate symptoms
without treatment there would be significant risk to health, safety or welfare of patient or safety of others
mental disorder significantly impairs decision making ability
making of compulsory treatment order is necessary
what is the Criteria for Detention?
(Some differences between the orders but in short)
- Mental disorder
- Significant Impairment of Decision Making Ability for medical treatment about mental disorder
- Significant risk to health, safety or welfare of the person or the safety of any other person
- Treatment available
- Order necessary
Mental disorder
SIDMA
Risk
Treatment
Necessity
what are some Important Others that may be involved?
Named Person:
- A right to be party to proceedings
- Since 30th June 2017 – must be nominated by the patient and witnessed and the named person must have witnessed acceptance
Named person = someone the patient can nominate and that thinks their opinion would be important to the tribunal and the professionals looking after them
Access to Advocacy:
•Right of every person with a mental disorder
workers available to patients to make representations to service and tribunals on their behalf
what act is responsible for deciding if an adult has capacity to make decisions?
adults with incapacity act (Scotland) 2000
what makes someone incapable?

whata re the principles of the adults with incapacity act?
- The intervention must benefit the adult
- Any intervention shall be the least restrictive in relation to the freedom of the adult, consistent with the purpose of the intervention
- Account must be taken of the past and present wishes of the adult
- Where practicable, account should be taken of - the views of relatives and carers, the views of relevant others (guardians, attorneys, etc.)
Capacity is presumed to be _______ unless _______ otherwise
present
proven
does capacity depend on the situation?
yes
- May have capacity for some decisions but not others
- Said to be decision specific
what areas does the adults with incapacity act cover?
- Property
- Welfare (Medical)
- Financial
adults with incapacity act:
what is a Guardianship Order?
Someone else is appointed to make decisions on behalf of the adult (financial or welfare or both)
adults with incapacity act:
•The authority conferred by subsection (2) shall not authorise:
(a) the use of ______ or _________, unless it is immediately necessary and only for so long as is necessary in the circumstances;
(b) action which would be inconsistent with any decision by a competent court; (cant do something _____)
(c) placing an adult in a hospital for the treatment of mental disorder against his ____ (this is properly done under the MHA)
(regulations which excludes certain treatments)
force
detention
illegal
will
Mentally Disordered Offenders Provisions
Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995
what are the police powers?
- Removal from a public place
- Appears to be in immediate need of care or treatment to a place of safety
- Detain for up to 24 hours
- Purpose to allow assessment and make arrangements for their care and treatment.







