Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
The UK government has proposed a new law that will ban police from using cells to detain individuals suffering from mental health issues. Currently, officers may use cells to house those requiring immediate treatment for up to 24 hours so they can be examined by a physician. The new law will also expand the rights of individuals receiving treatment, modernizing outdated mental health laws. Charities have generally welcomed the changes, but called for increased funding for mental health services.
People can be detained under the Mental Health Act, known as sectioning, for their own safety or the safety of others. First proposed under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government in 2018, the ban on the use of police cells during detention was later extensively scrutinized but not submitted to Parliament in July’s election. Under the current legislature, those detained in police custody can only be held for a maximum of 24 hours and must be evaluated by a doctor and social worker.
Last year, nearly 35,000 people were detained, mostly in healthcare settings, such as hospitals and emergency rooms. However, around 1% of those detained — 314 people — were held in a police cell, indicating a fall from 4% in 2017, when tighter restrictions were implemented. A cross-party committee of MPs that scrutinized the initial proposals welcomed the ban on the use of police cells but called for increased appropriate treatment facilities in healthcare settings.
The Labour party pledged to reform mental health legislation in its election manifesto last year, branding the current 1980s mental health laws “woefully out of date” and discriminatory towards black people, autistic individuals, and persons with learning disabilities. Labour’s new Mental Health Bill will introduce a 28-day limit on the obligation of autistic individuals and people with learning disabilities, unless there is a co-existing mental health issue. Patients will also have greater autonomy to choose a representative to act in their best interests and create a document outlining their treatment preferences if they become unwell. The bill’s changes will take years to implement fully
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.