Abstract
<p>The British Government published a draft Mental Health Bill for England and Wales on 26 June 2002. Its publication was preceded by a White Paper in December 2000, a Green Paper in November 1999, and a report prepared by a committee chaired by Professor Genevra Richardson.</p><p>The focus of the Bill is on risk management and compulsion in the community. It has been widely condemned by professional bodies, and by carers and patient groups. The nature of the criticism is that the proposals are unprincipled and impractical.</p><p>It is important to establish whether this is so. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the Government’s case for change and, having done that, to analyse the new civil powers of detention and compulsory treatment.</p>
Highlights
The British Government published a draft Mental Health Bill for England and Wales on 26 June 2002.1 Its publication was preceded by a White Paper in December 2000,2 a Green Paper in November 1999,3 and a report prepared by a committee chaired by Professor Genevra Richardson.[4]
According to the Government, the existing Mental Health Act does not adequately protect people from the significant risk posed by a minority of patients
Violence has much more to do with education, upbringing, alcohol, drugs and testosterone than mental illness
Summary
The British Government published a draft Mental Health Bill for England and Wales on 26 June 2002.1 Its publication was preceded by a White Paper in December 2000,2 a Green Paper in November 1999,3 and a report prepared by a committee chaired by Professor Genevra Richardson.[4]. ** Solicitor, Visiting Professor in Mental Health Law, Northumbria University, Former Mental Health Act Commissioner, Author ‘Mental Health Review Tribunals – Law and Practice’, Sweet and Maxwell
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Mental Health and Capacity Law
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
