Website of the Department of Health
Please note that this website has a UK government access keys system.
Page menu
You are here:
What's new in mental health
-
Last modified date:31 July 2008
New documents and information available about mental health.
31 July 2008
The "Mental Health Act 2007 (Commencement no. 7 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2008" brings the main changes that the Mental Health Act 2007 makes to the Mental Health Act 1983 into force on 3 November 2008. Between them, the order and Schedule 10 of the 2007 Act itself, contain a number of transitional provisions relating to:
- Applications for detention under Part 2 of the 1983 Act;
- Detention under Part 3 of the 1983 Act;
- Renewal of detention;
- Consent to treatment under Part 4 of the 1983 Act;
- Guardianship;
- Tribunals;
- Applications to the County Court about the appointment of acting nearest relatives;
- Approved mental health professionals; and
- Decisions made prior to 3 November 2008 to be treated as decisions of approved clinicians.
The transitional arrangements required to enable the smooth introduction of approved clinicians are now included in - the "Mental Health Act 1983 Approved Clinician (General) Directions 2008", (which incorporate, and therefore replace, the Mental Health Act 1983 Approved Clinician Directions 2008 published on 7 May).
3 July 2008
Support, time and recovery (STR) workers: a competence framework: best practice guidance
This best practice guidance sets out the background, purpose, and development of the competence framework for support, time and recovery (STR) workers, employed across health and social care sectors of mental health. It supports the original STR guidance of 2003 and the STR handbook of 2007.
7 May 2008
Mental Health Act 2007: secondary legislation
A range of new secondary legislation issued in the light of changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 made by the Mental Health Act 2007 is now available. Subject to Parliament, they will come into force, together with the main changes to the 1983 Act, on Monday 3 November 2008.
24 April 2008
Guidance on transfers between places of safety
The Mental Health Act 2007 (Commencement No. 5 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2008 brings section 44 of the Mental Health Act 2007 on places of safety into effect on 30 April 2008.
NHS bodies and local social services authorities will need to ensure that their staff are aware of the change and that it is reflected in local policies.
20 January 2008
Mental health and ill health in doctors
This report looks at mental health and ill health in doctors and the factors that influence them. It outlines ways in which the NHS can provide
appropriate services and encourage doctors and other health care workers to seek early advice and support for mental health problems.
18 January 2008
Medicines management: Everybody’s business
The leaflet aims to empower service users and carers to ask relevant questions about medication and have their views taken into account, and to help health and social care practitioners improve their person-centred approach in the area of medicines management.
9 January 2008
Support, Time and Recovery (STR) Workers: Learning from the national implementation programme
The STR Handbook reports on the successful progress of the STR implementation programme and updates the original 2003 policy implementation guide.
25 October 2007
Consultations on the draft revised Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice and draft secondary legislation under the Mental Health Act 2007 (the 2007 Act).
18 October 2007
2006-7 National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services
An annual survey of planned investment in adult mental health services by independent consultants, Mental Health Strategies. It shows that in 2006-7, for the fifth year in a row, real investment in mental health services increased.
3 September 2007
Capabilities for inclusive practice
Socially inclusive good practice guidance for the specialist mental health worker and others working with the mental health user population.
31 August 2007
Best Practice Guidance: Specification for adult medium-secure services
Guidance providing a set of quality principles to guide commissioners and those wishing to provide medium secure mental health services.
13 June 2007
Better support for patients, victims and young people in Mental Health Bill
The rights of patients and the public will be strengthened by new amendments to the Mental Health Bill published by the Government .
23 May 2007
£1m funding for 40 new community engagement projects: Rosie Winterton extends the reach of Government drive to deliver race equality
Health minister Rosie Winterton today announced new funding totalling over £1m for 40 new community engagement projects across England as part of the drive to build stronger links between local mental health services and BME communities.
LAC (DH)(2007)6: Mental health grant guidance 2007-08
The purpose of this circular is to provide guidance on the administration and conditions attached to the Mental Health Grant (MHG) for Councils with Social Service Responsibilities (CSSRs) in 2007/08.
11 May 2007: Breaking down barriers - the clinical case for change
Employment, housing and a strong social network are as important to a person’s mental health as the treatment they receive. Louis Appleby, the National Director for Mental Health, explains why we have to continue to improve community care and break down the barriers that can prevent people from rebuilding their lives.
10 May 2007: Improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT)
29 April 2007: Mental health ten years on
Report by Professor Louis Appleby, National Director for Mental Health, on progress made over the last ten years.
25 April 2007: New ways of working in mental health
This describes two new resources that have been launched to help build a more flexible and skilled mental health workforce.
19 April 2007: Capital allocation process: £30 million for improvements in safety on adult inpatient mental health wards
Letter from National Director for Mental Health, Louis Appleby, regarding Capital allocation process: £30 million for improvements in safety on adult inpatient mental health wards.
5 April 2007
Mental health policy implementation guide: a learning and development toolkit for the whole of the mental health workforce across both health and social care
The purpose of this toolkit is to set out the current learning and development issues for mental health; the priorities local health and social care organisations may wish to consider in developing their own learning and development strategies; and the future learning and development issues coming round the corner.
7 March 2007: International experiences of using community treatment orders
This is a review of research into international experiences of using community treatment orders.
1 March 2007: Speech by Rosie Winterton, Minister of State for Health Services on the Mental Health Bill
"Thank you for inviting me to this important conference and for giving me this opportunity to talk about the changes we want to make to mental health legislation. I also want to set out starkly what I fear are the dangers for patients and the public if the reforms we want are altered beyond recognition by the Lords."
Additional links
Implementing the Mental Health Act 2007
Access keys
