Books

Please support MHLO by buying your books via the affiliate links on this page - either from Amazon or from Bookshop.org (a new website which supports independent bookshops).

If you click on any link and buy any book (even a novel!) then Amazon or Bookshop.org will give me a percentage (6% and 10% respectively).

Please let me know if any good books are missing.

You can also support MHLO by purchasing the Law Society's MHT book (2013) and the Annual Review 2022.

Some books can be read for free on this website: Anselm Endergill's MHRT book (1997), Larry Gostin's Mental Health Services looseleaf book (2000), and older editions of the MHLO Annual Review.

Most of the books in the resources database are set out below (newest first) but you can also browse the database (e.g. find all books by a particular author or from a particular publisher).

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Jonathan Wilson, Mental Health Law Online: Annual Review 2022 (published 2023). Annual Review — This booklet contains all news items, arranged thematically, which were added to the website during 2022. Price: paperback £5.99, Kindle £2.99. — Purchase from Amazon

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Alex Ruck Keene (ed), Assessment of Mental Capacity (5th edn, Law Society 2022). Mental capacity book — I don't have this edition but earlier editions were good. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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Alex Ruck Keene et al, Court of Protection Handbook: A User's Guide (4th edn, LAG 2022). Court of Protection book — Quarterly updates are available online. — Purchase from Amazon

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Rachel Hubbard and Kevin Stone, The Best Interests Assessor Practice Handbook (2nd edn, Policy Press 2022). BIA book — This is the only textbook focusing directly on the BIA role; it also considers the future AMCP role. Order from publisher for 25% discount. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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David Pickup, Advising Clients with Mental Health Conditions (Law Society 2022). Book for solicitors — Not only mental health and capacity law, but also subjects including crime, contract, tort, debt, wills, family, housing and employment. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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Lucy Series, Deprivation of Liberty in the Shadows of the Institution (Bristol University Press, 2022). Social care detention — "A socio-legal analysis of social care detention in the post-carceral era." Free Kindle/ePUB/PDF versions are available. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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Jonathan Wilson, Mental Health Law Online: Annual Review 2020 (published 2021). Annual Review — This booklet contains all news items, arranged thematically, which were added to the website during 2020, plus an update article from Legal Action magazine. Price: paperback £3.99, Kindle £1.99. — Purchase from Amazon

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British National Formulary (Pharmaceutical Press, 81st edn 2021). Medication book — The BNF is published biannually and includes key information on the selection, prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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Neil Hickman and Christine Hutchison, The Mental Health Tribunal: An Essential Guide (Sage 2021). MHT book — Part of the Post-Qualifying Social Work Practice Series. 25% discount when bought via Sage Publishing with discount code UK21AUTHOR (see flyer). — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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Camilla Parker, Adolescent Mental Health Care and the Law (LAG 2020). Book on mental health law for under 18s — This book focuses on the law relating to children and young people aged under 18 who require a period of inpatient psychiatric care. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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Ben Troke, A Practical Guide to the Law of Medical Treatment Decisions (Law Brief Publishing, 2020). Medical treatment book — This book is aimed not only at lawyers, but also clinicians and anyone with an interest in how medical treatment decisions are made. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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Edward Jacobs, 'Tribunal Practice and Procedure' (LAG 2019). Tribunal book — This book covers tribunals generally, not just mental health. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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George Szmukler, Men in White Coats: Treatment Under Coercion (OUP 2018). Mental health law book — This book proposes mental health law reform so is topical in light of the Wessely review of the Mental Health Act. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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Brenda Hale, Mental Health Law (6th edn, Sweet and Maxwell 2017). Mental health law book — Covers mental health law and associated mental capacity law topics. See book review by Alex Ruck Keene, 1/5/17. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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Department of Health, Reference Guide to the Mental Health Act 1983 (2015). MHA Reference Guide — Description from Government website: "It is a reference source for people who want to understand the main provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983 and the regulations under the Act, as amended at 1 April 2015, including by the Mental Health Act 2007, Health and Social Care Acts 2008 and 2012 and Care Act 2014. The revised reference guide complements the revised Mental Health Act Code of Practice, with the Code giving guidance on how the Act should be applied." — Purchase from Amazon

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Department of Health, Code of Practice: Mental Health Act 1983 (2015). MHA Code of Practice — This can also be read online. — Purchase from Amazon

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Hamish Arnott and Simon Creighton, Parole Board Hearings: Law and Practice (3rd edn, LAG 2014). Parole Board book — Published in January 2014 but still (in 2017) the best book on the subject. — Purchase from AmazonPurchase from Bookshop.org 

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Larry Gostin, Mental Health Services: Law and Practice (Shaw & Sons, supplement issue no 18, June 2000). Classic mental health law book — The full text of this book is available on Mental Health Law Online.

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Anselm Eldergill, Mental Health Review Tribunals: Law and Procedure (Sweet and Maxwell, London 1997). MHRT book — The full text of this book is available on Mental Health Law Online: Eldergill. — Purchase from Amazon