Mental Health Bill Progress

ON Wednesday 8 September the Department of Health (and the Home Office) released the redrafted Mental Health Bill. This presages the phase of ‘prelegislative scrutiny’ by a Joint Scrutiny Committee of the House of Lords and House of Commons before a report in March 2005.

The bill includes provisions that have profound implications for many applied psychologists working in health and social care, and will therefore impact more widely on all psychologists. Recognising this, Rosie Winterton, the Minister of State for Health, has written an open letter to psychologists: see (tinyurl.com/3rlw9).

The government states that they have made major changes to the bill. The Department of Health points out that the definition of ‘mental disorder’ now includes a reference to the presence of psychological dysfunction and that the conditions for compulsory treatment have now been tightened. Critics, including the Mental Health Alliance of which the BPS is a member, remain critical of the bill. Peter Kinderman, chair of the Society’s working group on the bill, said: ‘It is written in very broad terms – it makes no reference to the impact of a mental disorder on individuals’ ability to make decisions about treatment themselves, and gives the mental health services very wide powers. The BPS will continue to be heavily involved in the negotiations with government over this bill. Wc will give evidence to the Joint Scrutiny Committee, will continue with discussions over the implementation of the bill – including workforce planning, training issues, the code of practice, and secondary legislation – and will join the Department of Health’s Expert Reference Group.’

Copyright British Psychological Society Nov 2004