Nearest relative - miscellaneous

Changes made by MHA 2007

The following changes made by the Mental Health Act 2007 are relevant:

• Civil partners are treated as if married when determining nearest relative 1/12/07
• Patient can apply to displace nearest relative, who can now be displaced on grounds of unsuitability 3/11/08

Further reading

• David Hewitt, The Nearest Relative Handbook (2nd edn, Jessica Kingsley 2009)
• Reference Guide to the Mental Health Act 1983, chapter 2 (‘Nearest relatives’)
• Mental Health Act 1983 Code Of Practice for England, chapter 5 (‘The nearest relative’)

INFORMATION

• Representation
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  • Section 38: interim hospital order
  • Section 135: Warrant to search for and remove patients
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  • Section 36: Remand of accused person to hospital for treatment
  • Section 37: guardianship order
  • Section 43: committal by magistrates for restriction order
  • Section 44: committal to hospital under s43
  • Section 51(5): hospital order without conviction
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• Nearest relative
  • Patients who have a nearest relative
  • Identification of nearest relative
  • Nearest relative powers
    • Nearest relative powers - introduction
    • Nearest relative's right to receive information
    • Right to apply to Tribunal
    • Right to be consulted and to object to s3 admission
    • Right to discharge from guardianship
    • Right to request discharge of s2 or s3 or CTO
    • Dangerousness criterion
  • Changing the nearest relative
    • Delegation by existing nearest relative
    • Displacement (appointment) by county court
  • Nearest relative - miscellaneous
• Legal Aid
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• Representation
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• Nearest relative
  • Patients who have a nearest relative
  • Identification of nearest relative
  • Nearest relative powers
    • Nearest relative powers - introduction
    • Nearest relative's right to receive information
    • Right to apply to Tribunal
    • Right to be consulted and to object to s3 admission
    • Right to discharge from guardianship
    • Right to request discharge of s2 or s3 or CTO
    • Dangerousness criterion
  • Changing the nearest relative
    • Delegation by existing nearest relative
    • Displacement (appointment) by county court
  • Nearest relative - miscellaneous
• Legal Aid
• International law

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• Changes made by MHA 2007
  • 16- or 17-year-old with capacity cannot be detained on basis of parental consent
  • Abnormally aggressive or seriously irresponsible conduct is only a consideration for learning disability (not personality disorder)
  • Additional safeguards for ECT introduced in new s58A
  • Appropriate treatment test replaces treatability test and applies to all patients under long-term detention
  • Approved Mental Health Professional replaces Approved Social Worker
  • Automatic reference scheme under s68 changed
  • Bournewood gap bridged by Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards inserted into MCA 2005
  • Civil partners are treated as if married when determining nearest relative
  • Conditionally-discharged hospital direction patients can be absolutely discharged by MHRT
  • Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004 applies to unrestricted criminal patients
  • Fundamental principles set out in Act and included in Code of Practice
  • Higher penalties for offences under Act
  • Hospital direction patients can no longer apply to Tribunal during first six months
  • Hospital directions under s45A apply to any mental disorder
  • Legal status of Code of Practice set out in Act
  • Limitation to the exceptions to the duty to instruct IMCA
  • Mental disorder no longer split into separate classifications
  • Minor drafting error in MCA 2005 corrected
  • New cross-border arrangements for leave and transfer
  • New definition of medical treatment
  • New Independent Mental Health Advocate scheme
  • New procedure for renewal of detention
  • New regulations on conflicts of interest
  • New requirements for age-appropriate accommodation for children
  • NHS Foundation Trusts discharge power problem remedied
  • Organisation of Mental Health Review Tribunal changed
  • Patient can apply to displace nearest relative, who can now be displaced on grounds of unsuitability
  • Patients can be transferred between places of safety under s135 and s136
  • Procedure for making of instruments by Welsh Ministers set out
  • Reference to Local Health Boards inserted into Act
  • Responsible Clinician/Approved Clinician replaces Responsible Medical Officer
  • Restriction orders can no longer be time-limited
  • SOAD certificate becomes invalid when patient loses or gains capacity
  • Some exclusions to definition of mental disorder have been removed
  • Supervised Community Treatment replaces Supervised Discharge
  • Transitional provisions until full implementation of MHA 2007
  • Treatment while under SCT is covered by new Part 4A
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What links here:

• Mental Health Act 2007
• David Hewitt, The Nearest Relative Handbook (2nd edn, Jessica Kingsley 2009)