Mental Health Act Flashcards
What is the Mental Health Act (1983) (updated in 2007)?
The Mental Health Act (1983) = provides a legal framework for r keeping patients in hospital against their wish for assessment and treatment of a mental health disorder.
This is called being detained or sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
What is it called when a patient with capacity agrees to be admitted to hospital voluntarily?
Voluntary or informal admission
- An informal admission does not involve detention under the Mental Health Act.
- Section 131 of the MHA explains that patients can be admitted without involving the MHA
What people can be involved in the Mental Health Act?
- An Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) = is a specially qualified professional (e.g., social worker or mental health nurse) that helps organise and contribute to Mental Health Act assessments
- A Section 12 doctor = a qualified and approved doctor (usually a psychiatrist) who can undertake Mental Health Act assessments.
- The Responsible Clinician = the person with overall responsibility for the patient’s care (generally the consultant).
- The Nearest Relative = someone close to the patient who is responsible for looking out for the patient’s interests. The Mental Health Act has an ordered list that dictates who fits this role.
- An Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) = an independent person allocated to a patient being detained under the Mental Health Act. Their role is to support the person, help them understand the situation, and express themselves.
What is a Mental Health Act assessment involve?
A Mental Health Act assessment = involves a detailed evaluation to determine whether to detain someone under the Mental Health Act.
* The Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) = is the primary person making the application and organising the admission. The Nearest Relative = can also make the application.
* The decision = needs to be recommended by two registered medical practitioners (doctors): A Section 12 doctor + Another doctor (e.g., their GP)
* A **Mental Health Act assessment **= can result in compulsory admission under Section 2 or Section 3.
SECTION 12 DOCTORR
What is a Section 2
A Section 2 = involves a compulsory admission for assessment - following a Mental Health Act assessment - with a max of 28 days
A section 2 = cannot be renewed → it ends in discharge or further detention under Section 3
What is a Section 3?
Section 3 = involves compulsory admission for treatment
* Maximun period = 6 months (→ after which the Responsible Clinician can arrange to renew it for further treatment)
* Detention under Section 3 = requires a Mental Health Act assessment.
* Patients that are well-known to mental health services may be detained under Section 3 straight from the community. Alternatively, patients may be detained under Section 3 following assessment under Section 2.
What is Section 4?
Section 4 = used to detain patients for up to 72 hours - in urgent scenarios where other procedures cannot be arranged in time
* Section 4 = requires an AMHP + 1 doctor
* Followed by a Mental Health Act assessment
What is Section 5(2)?
- Section 5(2) = used in an emergency to detain patients who are already in hospital voluntarily.
- Section 5(2) = lasts up to 72 hours
- Section 5(2) = requires 1 doctor
- It is followed by a Mental Health Act assessment
What is Section 5(4)?
- Section 5(4) = used in an emergency to detain patients who are already in hospital voluntarily
- Lasts up to 6 hours
- Section 5(4) = requires 1 nurse
- It is followed by a Mental Health Act assessment
What is Section 136?
- Section 136 = used by the police to remove someone that appears to have a mental health disorder from a public place and take them to a place of safety where they can be assessed.
- Section 136 = lasts up to 24 hours
- It is followed by a Mental Health Act assessment
Mental health hospitals = often have 136 suites that act as a place of safety - and are used for assessment
