Website of the Department of Health

Consultation on draft Mental Health Bill

We are pleased to be launching the consultation on the draft Mental Health Bill. This consultation process is intended to ensure that the proposals we are putting forward for the care and compulsory treatment of people with mental disorders is in the best interests of both patients and the public. The draft Bill develops the policy set out in our Manifesto, White Paper "Reforming the Mental Health Act". The draft Bill does not cover everything that will be in the final Bill we intend to introduce to Parliament. It is for this reason that the companion consultation document seeks views both on the operation of the proposed new system and on areas of policy which have been developed since the White Paper was published.

This consultation on the draft Mental Health Bill develops policy set out in the White Paper, Reforming the Mental Health Act. It aims to ensure that care and compulsory treatment of people with mental disorders is in the best interests of patients and the public. The companion consultation document seeks views on operation of the proposed system and on areas of policy which have developed since the White Paper.

• Download Consultation document (PDF, 143K)
• Download The explanatory notes (PDF, 234K)
• Download The regulatory impact assessment (PDF, 90K)
• Download Draft Bill (PDF, 2017K)