The Government say the legislation will:
- Make it a legal requirement for each patient to have ‘care and treatment plans’ that will make clear what is needed to progress them to discharge.
- Give patients the right to elect a person to represent their interests and have greater access to advocacy when they are detained.
- Strengthen the rights of families and carers through changes to the Nominated Person role, and require clinicians to consult with others close to the patient as they make decisions around their care, where appropriate and where the patient wishes.
- Make sure that police and prison cells will also no longer be used to place people experiencing a mental health crisis.
Responding to the Mental Health Bill being introduced to Parliament, Dr Tony Romero, CEO of Cygnet said:
This bill will bring improvements for the thousands of people who are detained under the Mental Health Act each year and it represents a significant step forward in raising the standard of mental health care, ensuring people struggling with mental illness get the support and treatment they deserve.
The rise in demand for mental health support shows no signs of slowing down and reform of the legislation has been long overdue. I welcome the ambition to improve patient experiences, choice and autonomy as well as tackling racial discrimination and better supporting those with learning disabilities.
We support new laws to give patients detained under the Mental Health Act more dignity and say over their care. The reforms will make it a legal requirement for each patient to have care and treatment plans tailored and shaped by their individual needs and will make their discharge pathway clear.
The bill also strengthens the rights of families and carers, something we champion and support through our carers networks, advocacy and support groups. We know they play a vital role in an individual’s rehabilitation, recovery and onward discharge, so it is right their voices are heard and they are active partners in the care being provided.
At Cygnet, we are committed to truly having people at the centre of their care and treatment. Wherever possible, individuals are involved from assessment – where we’re asking what they want to achieve from their care – through to working collaboratively to develop personalised and dynamic care plans to enable them to live fulfilling lives, according to their own unique needs.
Co-production should be embedded into the very fabric and part of every decision that health and social care services make. We are looking forward to hosting a co-production conference early in 2025 to bring partners, service users, experts by experience, carers and professionals together to share best practice and learn from each other.
Although the bill represents a significant step forward, there is still much to do. We are committed to being part of the eco-system which provides quality care for society’s most vulnerable. We will continue working collaboratively across the sector to make sure those who need care, get the support, treatment and dignity that they deserve.