BMA wants mental health Bill scrapped

27 Jan 05
Ministers should tear up the proposed mental health Bill for England and Wales and start again, the British Medical Association said this week.

28 January 2005

Ministers should tear up the proposed mental health Bill for England and Wales and start again, the British Medical Association said this week.

In oral evidence to the Commons' scrutiny committee on the draft Bill on January 26, doctors told MPs that the planned legislation was 'unethical, unworkable and in conflict with the Human Rights Act'. The BMA also warned that the implementation costs could be prohibitive.

The association criticised the Bill's complexity, as even lawyers found it confusing. Dr Michael Wilks, BMA ethics committee chair, added that doctors would be compelled to detain patients who were dangerous even if detention would provide no health benefits.

Though he acknowledged the Bill had positive elements, Wilks insisted it should be abandoned. 'We believe that it is not possible to tinker with these proposals to improve them.'

He said the government needed to start again to find out 'what kind of legislation is needed to help people suffering from mental illness as well as protecting the community'.

PFjan2005

Did you enjoy this article?

AddToAny

Top