Website of the Department of Health

Latest updates

Recognising complexity: commissioning guidance for personality disorder services - 2 July 2009

Guidance for commissioners in the NHS, criminal justice system, local authorities and others, which provides information and suggestions on best practice when considering services and systems for people with personality disorders.

• Best practice guidance

Professional requirements for psychologists to be approved mental health professionals and approved clinicians - 12 June 2009

The introduction of the statutory regulation of psychologists from 1 July 2009 means that the qualifying requirements are changing for psychologists wishing to be approved mental health professionals or approved clinicians under the Mental Health Act 1983. The Department of Health has issued a guidance note explaining the changes, which take effect from 1 July 2009.

• Guidance

Guidance on IMHAs’ access to records - 5 May 2009

The Department of Health has been asked for advice on whether section 130B of the Mental Health Act 1983 allows independent mental health advocates (IMHAs) to see information in patients’ records which would not be disclosed directly to the patient and, if so, whether IMHAs may share that information with patients.

• Independent mental health advocates: supplementary guidance on access to patient records under section 130B of the Mental Health Act 1983

Patient information leaflets updated - 2 April 2009

The Department updated its Mental Health Act 1983 patient information leaflets to reflect changes which came into effect on 1 April 2009. The changes include the introduction of independent mental health advocates under the Mental Health Act 2007, and the inception of the Care Quality Commission (which replaces the former Mental Health Act Commission) under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. The leaflets are designed to assist hospitals and local social services authorities (LSSAs) to meet their legal obligations under the Act to provide written information to patients subject to detention and other compulsory measures under the Act. These leaflets are non-statutory and there is no obligation on hospitals or LSSAs to use them. The leaflets are available Portable Document Format (PDF) and Rich Text Format (RTF), which is word-processable.

• Mental Health Act 1983 information leaflets

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• What's new in mental health