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Living with mental illness
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Mental health laws

Find out more about the Mental Health Act and other important rules & rights, including driving and travelling

Mental Health Act 1983

This section provides information about detention under the Mental Health Act. This includes the criteria for detention or ‘sectioning’, information about different sections and the rights of someone who has been detained.

Learn more

Mental capacity and mental illness

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) provides a framework to protect vulnerable people over the age of 16 who are not able to make their own decisions. This section looks at the law of mental capacity in more detail.

Learn more

Discrimination and mental illness - Equality Act 2010

This section sets out the law of disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 and how this might apply to people with mental illnesses when they are at work, applying for jobs or using services.

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Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

This section aims to give an overview into the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and when it should be used, to prevent people being detained against their will inappropriately.

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Crisis contacts

Samaritans

Call 08457 90 90 90
Operate 24/7
Or Email jo@samaritans.org

NHS Direct

Call 111
Operate 24/7

Should be able to provide details of local crisis support services or advise on accessing local A&E

More crisis contacts...

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