Website of the Department of Health

Mental Health Act 1983: revised Code of Practice

The Secretary of State for Health has laid a revised Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice before Parliament. Subject to Parliament, the revised Code will come into force on Monday 3 November 2008, at the same time as the majority of the main changes by made the Mental Health Act 2007 to the Mental Health Act 1983.  

The revised Code is only available electronically at present, as Parliament now has 40 days during which it can vote against the Code. The Stationery Office will publish a hard copy of the Code for purchase once that period has passed.

The Department of Health has also published a summary of the main changes compared to the current (1999) version of the Code.  It has also published its response to its consultation exercises on the Code and on the associated secondary legislation.

• Code of Practice: Mental Health Act 1983 - revised 2008
• Download summary of changes from current Code (PDF, 199K)