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).
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
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
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
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Richard Jones, Mental Health Act Manual (25th edn, Sweet and Maxwell 2022). MHA book — Must get! — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
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
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Steven Richards and Aasya Mughal, Working with the Mental Health Act (4th edition, Matrix Training 2020). MHA book — MHA book — Purchase from Amazon
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Kate Spreadbury and Rachel Hubbard, The Adult Safeguarding Practice Handbook (Policy Press 2020). Adult Safeguarding book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Kevin Stone, Sarah Vicary and Tim Spencer-Lane, The Approved Mental Health Professional Practice Handbook (Policy Press 2020). AMHP book — Purchase from Amazon
Sally Lee et al (eds), Demystifying Mental Capacity: A guide for health and social care professionals (Sage 2020). Mental capacity book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Caroline Bielanska, 'Elderly Client Handbook' (Law Society 2019). Elder law book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Edward Jacobs, 'Tribunal Practice and Procedure' (LAG 2019). Tribunal book — This book covers tribunals generally, not just mental health. — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Tim Spencer-Lane, 'Care Act Manual' (3rd edn, Sweet and Maxwell 2019). Care Act 2014 book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Stephen Knafler, 'Adult Social Care Law' (LAG 2019). Adult social care book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Luke Clements et al, Community Care and the Law (7th edn, LAG 2019). Community care book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Robert Brown, The Approved Mental Health Professional's Guide to Mental Health Law (5th edn, Sage 2019). Mental health law book — Book for AMHPs. — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
David Lock and Hannah Gibbs, 'NHS Law and Practice' (LAG 2018). NHS law book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Richard Jones and Eve Piffaretti, Mental Capacity Act Manual (8th edn, Sweet and Maxwell 2018). MCA book — Purchase from Amazon
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Steven Richards and Aasya Mughal, Working with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (3rd edition, Matrix Training 2018). MCA book — Updated for 2018 (the introduction is dated April 2018). — Purchase from Amazon
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Christine Hutchinson and Neil Hickman, Focus on Social Work Law: Mental Health (Palgrave 2016). Mental health law book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Tony Zigmond and Nick Brindle, A Clinician's Brief Guide to the Mental Health Act (4th edn, RCPsych Publications 2016). MHA book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Claire Barcham, The Pocketbook Guide to Mental Health Act Assessments (2nd edn, OUP 2016). MHA book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Claire Wills-Goldingham et al, Court of Protection Made Clear (Bath 2016). Court of Protection book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
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
Sarah Johnston, Sophy Miles and Claire Royston, Mental Health Tribunal Handbook (LAG 2015). MHT book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Steven Richards and Aasya Mughal, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Handbook (Books Wise Publications 2015). DOLS book — Purchase from Amazon
Nick Brindle et al, A Clinician's Brief Guide to the Mental Capacity Act (2nd edn, RCPsych Publications 2015). MCA book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Department of Health, Code of Practice: Mental Health Act 1983 (2015). MHA Code of Practice — This can also be read online. — Purchase from Amazon
Matthew Graham and Jakki Cowley, A Practical Guide to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (JKP 2015). MCA book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Daniel Moseley and Gary Gala (eds), Philosophy and Psychiatry: Problems, Intersections and New Perspectives (Routledge 2015). Academic psychiatry book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
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 Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Peter Bartlett and Ralph Sandland, Mental Health Law: Policy and Practice (4th edn, OUP 2013). Mental health and capacity book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Michael Butler, A Practitioner's Guide to Mental Health Law (Wildy, Simmonds and Hill 2014). Mental health law book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Richard Harper, Medical Treatment and the Law: Issues of Consent (2nd edn, Jordans 2014). Medical treatment book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Tony Harrop-Griffiths et al, Dementia and the Law (Jordans 2014). Elder law book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Gordon Ashton and Caroline Bielanska, Elderly People and the Law (Jordans 2014). Elder law book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Bernadette McSherry and Ian Freckelton (eds), Coercive Care: Rights, Law and Policy (Routledge 2013). Academic book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Phil Fennell, Penny Letts and Jonathan Wilson, Mental Health Tribunals: Law, Policy and Practice (Law Society, 2013). MHT book — See the foreword from the book, and a review from the Law Society Gazette. Now £6 including postage. — Purchase from MHLO
Richard Murphy and Philip Wales, Mental Health Law in Nursing (Learning Matters, 2013). Nursing book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Kris Gledhill, Defending Mentally Disordered Persons (LAG 2012). Criminal defence book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Mark Neary, Get Steven Home (Lulu 2011). Deprivation of liberty book — The story behind Re Steven Neary; LB Hillingdon v Steven Neary [2011] EWHC 1377 (COP). Purchase from Lulu.
Larry Gostin et al (eds), Principles of Mental Health Law and Policy (Oxford 2010). Academic mental health law book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Tony Maden and Tim Spencer-Lane, Essential Mental Health Law: A Guide to the New Mental Health Act (Hammersmith Press, 2010). MHA book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
David Hewitt, The Nearest Relative Handbook (2nd edn, Jessica Kingsley 2009). Book all about nearest relatives — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Peter Bartlett, Blackstone's Guide to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (2nd edn, Oxford 2008). MCA book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Ministry of Justice, Mental Capacity Act 2005: Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Code of Practice (2008). MCA DOLS Code of Practice — This can also be read online: Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice. — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Paul Bowen, Blackstone's Guide to the Mental Health Act 2007 (OUP 2007). MHA book — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
Department for Constitutional Affairs, Mental Capacity Act 2005: Code of Practice (2007). MCA Code of Practice — This can also be read online: Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice. — Purchase from Amazon — Purchase from Bookshop.org
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.
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
