Code of practice: Mental Health Act 1983

The Department of Health produces the Code of Practice in order to explain how the Mental Health Act 1983 should work in England with respect to patients, their supporters (carers and family) and the people who are entrusted to look after them (healthcare staff, professionals and police). It also takes into account other relevant legislation such as the Mental Capacity Act 2005.Before you rush out and buy the book, please note that it is freely available as a PDF download from the Gov.Uk website:An "easy read" version of 74 pages is also available from this source. The "easy read" version is written in a much simpler style with lots of graphics and less technical wording. So this would be more suitable for young people, people with learning disability or with cognitive impairment.However, the book itself isn't too expensive for a 460 page textbook. It is nicely laid out and presented, so if you need to refer to it a lot then purchasing the book would probably be the best option.The book is laid out in seven sections, which are colour coded for easier access:1) Using the Act2) Protecting patients' rights and autonomy3) Assessment, transport, and admission to hospital4) Additional considerations for specific patients5) Care, support and treatment in hospital6) Leaving hospital7) Professional responsibilitiesWithin these sections are the chapters, which break down the large topics into more manageable chunks.One really helpful feature of the Code of Practice is that the paragraphs are all numbered. So when referring to a particular piece of guidance, you can be very clear and specific by using this system.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) uses the Code of Practice to check whether mental healthcare services are treating patients legally, to the best standards, and in the patients' best interests, and they find that this numbering helps them to identify and monitor things with better clarity.There's something in this book for everyone who is concerned with the treatment of people under the Mental Health Act, or related legislation. It provides explanations for the terms such as community treatment orders (CTOs), consent to treatment, capacity to make decisions etc, so it is educational as well as being a regulatory requirement that must be followed.A companion book is also available - the Reference Guide to the Mental Health Act 1983. This book is a bit more technical, so less accessible for the non-professional, but there are cross-references between the books which are very useful. You can find this guide on the Gov.Uk website for free download or purchase from Amazon- Reference Guide to the Mental Health Act (2015 Version) If nothing else, the code of practice provides a good template for the treatment of some of the most vulnerable patients in society, so it should be read and followed by everyone involved.

Very educational expecially for those studying mental health nursing. It gives a wide range of all the different mental health sections you need to know, will recommend it for any one that studying mental health.

Exactly what is says it is... what more can you ask for.. you can download this online for free though and you can use the ctrl+f button to scroll and find things easily where needed.

This is such a heavy book to carry around although there is a lot of good information. The size and weight puts me off using it.I have a copy in the boot of my car to refer to. The old one was much more user friendly. Plus these days there are so few resources its almost impossible to follow the code!!

Very hellful and handy as well. A bit bigger than I exoected but the excelkent print and designs made me forget all about that. I actually love the big print as it makes it easier to read.

Professional Development

What to have if working in the mental health industry.

Great