Understanding the Mental Health Act

Mental Health (Focus on Social Work Law) Christine Hutchison and Neil Hickman

Macmillan Education UK 

August 2016 

£15.99 

ISBN  9781137447401

A practical understanding of the Mental Health Act is essential for social workers, as well as other health and social care professionals. This succinct yet comprehensive book sets out sections of the MHA, from civil and criminal routes into hospital to aftercare in the community, and summarises protections and rights for those subject to the Act.

Introduction  

1. Professional Roles 

2. Mental Disorder 

3. Part II MHA Civil Admissions 

4. Compulsion in the Community 

5. Patients Concerned in Criminal Proceedings or Under Sentence 

6. Treatment and Consent 

7. Safeguards 

8. Interface between the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act 

9. Conclusion

Christine Hutchison is a Director of Edge Training & Consultancy Ltd. She has worked in the NHS and for Local Authorities since 1985, initially as a Music Therapist before re-qualifying as a Social Worker in 1992. Christine was an Approved Social Worker/Approved Mental Health Professional from 1995-2013. She has considerable experience in mental health as a social worker, team manager, practice assessor and training officer. She previously worked as a Mental Health Act Commissioner for the Care Quality Commission and currently sits as a Specialist Lay Member of the Mental Health Tribunal (England). Christine has lectured on various University qualifying social work courses and since 2006 for Bournemouth University on their post qualifying AMHP/BIA training. She has been a freelance trainer since 2002.

Neil Hickman is a Consultant Solicitor at Gledhill Solicitors, Brighton and Dunning & Co Solicitors in London. He specialises in mental health law and has previously practised public and private family law. He has been a member of the Law Society Mental Health Panel since 2009 and is a member of the Mental Health Law Association. Neil holds a Diploma and Masters in Social Work and previously worked for 18 years in a range of mental health services including as an Approved Social Worker / Approved Mental Health Professional and Team Manager.