Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP, Dr Dan Poulter, delivered a key statement in the House of Commons today setting out important reforms to the Mental Health Act.
A Joint Committee made up of Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords was convened in July and tasked with scrutinising and making recommendations to Government on the draft Mental Health Bill, the first time the Mental Health Act has been reviewed in 40 years.
The draft Mental Health Bill introduces important reforms to improve patient choice and care, bringing down the number of detentions and reducing instances of racial inequality. Addressing inequalities in the use of the Mental Health Act has been at the heart of shaping the draft Bill, which also incorporates changes to the way that the Mental Health Act works for patients with learning disabilities or autism.
As part of its work, the Committee considered the issue of rising detention rates under the Mental Health Act, alongside the fact that a disproportionate number of people from ethnic minority backgrounds are being detained. The Committee engaged with clinical experts, communities, key stakeholders and health settings, collecting valuable evidence to support and inform its recommendations.
The reforms also seek to disentangle autism and learning disabilities from the section of the Mental Health Act that justifies them as conditions for the, sometimes long-term, detention of patients. Vital improvements for better supported community care for people with learning disabilities and autism are also recommended in the draft Bill.
The research revealed Black people as four times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act than white people, and eleven times more likely to be given a Community Treatment Order. The report recommends more understanding around racial inequality through dedicated ongoing data monitoring on inequalities. Evidence showed that Community Treatment Orders were ineffective for most patients, and disproportionately used for black patients.
In considering its recommendations, the Committee recognises that proper resourcing and implementation is crucial for the proposed reforms and changes to work, with key improvements needed to provide high quality community alternatives to inpatient care. Therefore the Committee has called on the Government to publish a detailed plan for resourcing and implementation on the introduction of the Bill to Parliament and, importantly, to report annually to Parliament on progress against its plan.
Dr Dan Poulter said “As a practising NHS mental health doctor, I broadly welcome the recommendations contained within this draft Bill and am pleased to have been tasked with making recommendations for further improvements to our mental health laws.
“This is the first time the Mental Health Act has been reviewed in 40 years and our committee has recommended important reforms to improve patient choice, bring down inpatient detentions under the mental health act as well as to reduce racial inequality. Unfortunately, too many people with learning disabilities and autism are being detained in inappropriate mental health facilities, so changes to the way that the Mental Health Act works for these patients is long overdue.
“I hope that the Government now listens to our recommendations and acts swiftly to introduce the new mental health laws, so that we can improve mental health care and services for patients and their families in Suffolk and throughout England.”