Mental Health Bill [Lords] - continued          House of Commons

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Advanced decision (nearest relative)

Mr David Kidney

NC15

    To move the following Clause:—

      ‘(1) The 1983 Act is amended as follows.

      (2) After section 26(4) insert—

      “(4A) Where a patient has made an advance decision with regard to the choice of a relative or other person to be his nearest relative, his nearest relative shall, subject to the power of the court under section 29 to appoint an acting nearest relative be determined by giving preference to that choice.

      (4B) ‘Advance decision’ means a decision made by a patient (‘P’), after he has reached 18 and when he has capacity to do so and in contemplation that he shall become subject to any act or decision exercisable under the provisions of this Act that his choice of nearest relative shall take precedence over the provisions of subsection (3).

      (4C) For the purposes of subsection (4A) a decision may be regarded as expressing a choice of nearest relative even though expressed in layman’s terms.

      (4D) P may withdraw or alter an advance decision at any time when he has capacity to do so.

      (4E) A withdrawal (including a partial withdrawal) need not be in writing.

      (4F) An alteration of an advance decision need not be in writing.

      (4G) An advance decision does not affect the liability which a person may incur for carrying out or continuing a treatment in relation to P unless the decision is at the material time valid.

      (4H) An advance decision is not valid if P—

        (a) has withdrawn the decision at a time when he had capacity to do so, or

        (b) has done anything else clearly inconsistent with the advance decision remaining his fixed decision.

      (4I) A decision or statement complies with this subsection only if—

        (a) it is in writing,

        (b) it is signed by P or by another person in P’s presence and by P’s direction,

        (c) the signature is made or acknowledged by P in the presence of a witness, and

        (d) the witness signs it, or acknowledges his signature, in P’s presence.

      (4J) The court may make a declaration as to whether an advance decision—

        (a) exists; and

        (b) is valid;

      (4K) Nothing in an apparent advance decision stops a person—

        (a) providing life-sustaining treatment, or

        (b) doing any act he reasonably believes to be necessary to prevent a serious deterioration in P’s condition, while a decision as respects any relevant issue is sought from the court.”.’.


Treatment requiring consent (administration of medicine)

Tim Loughton
Dr John Pugh
Angela Browning
Sandra Gidley
Mr Tim Boswell
Mr Charles Walker

James Duddridge

NC16

    To move the following Clause:—

      ‘(1) Section 58 of the 1983 Act is amended as follows.

      (2) In subsection (1)(b) leave out “three months” and insert “two months”.’.


Removal to hospital of persons serving sentences of imprisonment

Tim Loughton
Dr John Pugh
Angela Browning
Sandra Gidley
Mr Tim Boswell
Mr Charles Walker

James Duddridge

NC17

    To move the following Clause:—

      ‘(1) The 1983 Act is amended as follows.

      (2) In section 47 (Removal to hospital of persons serving sentences of imprisonment, etc) in subsection (1) leave out from “Secretary of State” to the end of the subsection and insert—

      “must by warrant direct that that person be removed and detained in such hospital as may be specified in the direction: and a direction under this section shall be known as “a transfer direction”.’.


Local arrangements for assessment, conveyance and admission of urgent cases

Ann Coffey

NC18

    # To move the following Clause:—

      ‘In the 1983 Act, for Section 140 (Notification of hospitals) substitute—

    140 Local arrangements for assessment, conveyance and admission of urgent cases

      (1) It shall be the duty of every Primary Care Trust, in conjunction with—

        (a) the NHS Trusts contracted to provide in-patient mental health services and ambulance services within its area,

        (b) the police authority or authorities within its area, and

        (c) the local social services authority or authorities within its area,

      to prepare, publish and maintain a comprehensive, up-to-date scheme for the safe, timely and effective management of the cases of patients within its area who may require urgent admission to hospital for treatment for mental disorder, whether under this Act or otherwise.

      (2) This scheme shall include details of—

        (a) the arrangements for the assessment of urgent cases and for ensuring the safety of the patient, carers, those carrying out the assessment and any other persons present during the assessment,

        (b) the arrangements for obtaining a bed, if required, and the criteria for determining the relative priority of urgent cases awaiting admission,

        (c) the arrangements for ensuring safe custody and conveyance of patients who need to be admitted to hospital under Section 6(1) of this Act,

        (d) agreed time-limits for response by the bodies listed in 1 (a-c) above in cases of urgency where there is a serious risk to the safety of the patient or others.’”.


Responsibility for conveyance to hospital

Ann Coffey

NC19

    # To move the following Clause:—

      ‘(1) The 1983 Act is amended as follows.

      (2) In Section 11(2) after “sought”, insert “or in the case of a National Health Service patient, to the NHS Trust responsible for hospital provision”.

      (3) In Section 6(1) for “applicant, or any person authorised by the applicant” substitute “the body to which the application is addressed, or any person authorised by that body” and for “convey him to the hospital” substitute “convey him to the hospital identified by that body as being able to receive him.”’.


Nearest relative (named persons)

Sandra Gidley
Dr John Pugh

NC20

    # To move the following Clause:—

      ‘(1) Section 26 of the 1983 Act (“definitions of relative” and “nearest relative”) is amended as follows.

      (2) In the cross-heading preceding Section 26 after “functions of relatives” insert “, persons acting as relatives”.

      (3) Before subsection (1) insert—

      “(A1) In this Part of the Act “named person” means any person—

        (a) described in subsection (1) below; or

        (b) not described in subsection (1) below who is the patient’s carer;

      who has been nominated by the patient in accordance with subsection (1A) below.

      (B1) In this Part of the Act “carer” has the same meaning as in Section 1(1)(a) of the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000.”.

      (4) After subsection (1) insert—

      “(1A) A person is a named person in accordance with this subsection if—

        (a) the nomination is signed by the nominator and the named person;

        (b) the nominator’s and named person’s signatures are witnessed by two prescribed persons;

        (c) each prescribed person certifies that, in the opinion of the prescribed person, the nominator—

          (i) understands that the effect of nominating a person to be the named person will give him the role of nearest relative; and

          (ii) has not been subjected to any undue influence in making the nomination;

        (d) each prescribed person certifies that, in the opinion of the prescribed person, the named person—

          (i) understands and is capable of performing the functions of the nearest relative; and

          (ii) has not been subjected to any undue influence in agreeing to the nomination;

        (e) the nomination has been forwarded to and registered with the local social services authority;

        (f) in this part a prescribed person is—

          (i) an Approved Mental Health Professional,

          (ii) an Approved Clinician,

          (iii) a provider of reserved legal service,

          (iv) an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate.

      (1B) A nomination under subsection (1A) above may be revoked by the nominator in accordance with subsection (1D) below.

      (1C) The nomination of a named person is revoked in accordance with this subsection if—

        (a) the revocation is signed by the nominator;

        (b) the nominator’s signature is witnessed by a prescribed person;

        (c) the prescribed person certifies that, in the opinion of the prescribed person, the nominator—

          (i) understands the effect of revoking the appointment of a person as named person; and

          (ii) has not been subjected to any undue influence in making the revocation.

      (1D) The nomination of a named person shall be effective notwithstanding the nominator’s becoming, after making the nomination, incapable.

      (1E) A person nominated under subsection (1) above may decline to be the nominator’s named person by giving notice to—

        (a) the nominator; and

        (b) the local social services authority in which the nominator resides,

      to that effect.”.

      (5) For subsection (3) substitute—

      “(3) In this Part of the Act, subject to the provisions of this section and to the following provisions of this Part of this Act, the “nearest relative” means, in descending order—

        (a) the named person,

        (b) the person first described in subsection (1) above who is for the time being surviving, relatives of the whole blood being preferred to relatives of the same description of the halfblood and the elder of eldest of two or more relatives described in any paragraph of that subsection being preferred to the other or others of those relatives, regardless of sex.”.

      (6) In Section 26(4) after “his nearest relative”, insert “under subsection 3(b) above”.

      (7) In Section 26(5) leave out “(3)” and insert “(3)(b)”.’.


Independent mental health advocate

Meg Hillier

NC21

    # To move the following Clause:—

      ‘(1) The 1983 Act is amended as follows.

      (2) After Section 59 insert—

    59A Independent mental health advocate

      (1) The appropriate authority shall have a duty to arrange for assistance to be provided from independent mental health advocates to be available to patients—

        (a) detained under this Act, or

        (b) subject to a compulsory treatment order,

      at the end of the compulsory period of their treatment.

      (2) Assistance provided under subsection (1) shall ensure that each of the following matters is addressed—

        (a) help is available to patients in obtaining comprehensible information about—

          (i) the medical treatment available to them in the community and access to such treatment,

          (ii) social and care support in the community and access to such support, and

        (b) help is available to patients to exercise their rights and entitlements in accessing treatment.

      (3) The Secretary of State may by regulations specify the qualifications necessary for a person to act as an independent mental health advocate.”’.


Right to move hospital (No. 2)

Tim Loughton
Angela Browning
Mr Tim Boswell
Mr Charles Walker
James Duddridge
Andrew Rosindell

NC22

    * To move the following Clause:—

      ‘(1) The 1983 Act is amended as follows.

      (2) After section 19 (regulations as to transfer of patients) insert—

    19A The right to move hospital

      (1) The appropriate authority shall have a duty to inform a patient and his nearest relative that a request can be made to move from one hospital to another if there is a good reason to do so.

      (2) All applications shall be recorded by the appropriate authority.

      (3) If an application is refused, written reasons shall be provided to the applicant and, subject to the wishes of the patient, to the nearest relative.”.’.

ORDER OF THE HOUSE [16TH APRIL 2007]

       The following provisions shall apply to the Mental Health Bill [Lords]:

Committal

        1. The Bill shall be committed to a Public Bill Committee.

Proceedings in Public Bill Committee

        2. Proceedings in the Public Bill Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion on Tuesday 15th May 2007.

        3. The Public Bill Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.

Consideration and Third Reading

        4. Proceedings on consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour before the moment of interruption on the day on which those proceedings are commenced.

        5. Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption on that day.

        6. Standing Order No. 83B (Programming committees) shall not apply to proceedings on consideration and Third Reading.

Other proceedings

        7. Any other proceedings on the Bill (including any proceedings on any message from the Lords) may be programmed.


ORDER OF THE COMMITTEE [24TH APRIL]

       That—

        (1) the Committee shall (in addition to its first meeting at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday 24th April) meet—

        (a) at 4.30 p.m. on Tuesday 24th April;

        (b) at 9.25 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. on Thursday 26th April;

        (c) at 10.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. on Tuesday 1st May;

        (d) at 10.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. on Tuesday 8th May;

        (e) at 9.25 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. on Thursday 10th May;

        (f) at 10.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. on Tuesday 15th May;

        (2) the proceedings shall be taken in the following order: Clause 1; Schedule 1; Clauses 2 to 23; Schedule 2; Clauses 24 to 32; Schedules 3 and 4; Clauses 33 to 38; Schedule 5; Clauses 39 to 47; Schedules 6 to 8; Clauses 48 to 50; Schedule 9; Clauses 51 and 52; Schedule 10; Clauses 53 to 55; new Clauses; new Schedules; remaining proceedings on the Bill;

        (3) the proceedings shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday 15th May.


 
 
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Prepared: 26 April 2007