Changes to the Mental Health Act

The aim of the Mental Health Act 2007 was to modernise the exisiting Mental Health Act 1983. A large part of the 1983 Act remains the same.

The most important changes include:

  • Widening the definition of mental disorder
  • Service-users having greater say about who is their nearest relative
  • 16 and 17 year olds now being able to agree to or refuse an admission to hospital without this decision being overridden by a parent
  • A decrease in the situations where electroconvulsive therapy can be given without consent
  • A right to a special Independent Mental Health Advocate for detained patients (from April 2009)
  • The introduction of Supervised Community Treatment in the form of Community Treatment Orders (CTOs)

Supervised Community Treatment

Supervised Community Treatment (SCT) is a brand new framework for supervised treatment in the community. It replaces section 25a of the Mental Health Act 1983 which was known as 'supervised discharge in the community'. It is hoped that SCT may help in the treatment of patients who have a history of stopping medication after they are discharged, resulting in a deterioration in their mental health.