Press Release
Issued on:
21 December 2000 For immediate release
Issued by:
Ian Harper, Information Officer, National Schizophrenia Fellowship
(Scotland)
Mental Health Legislation
Government Health Minister in Westminster, Alan Milburn, has proposed, on 20 December,
major changes in mental health legislation for England and Wales.
New powers have been proposed to detain people with severe personality disorders who are
considered dangerous. New powers are also proposed to force people with serious mental
illnesses to take their medication.
The corresponding legislation in Scotland, the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984, is also
being reviewed at present by the Millan Committee, who are due to report to the Scottish
Parliament early next year.
Mental Health laws require updating, and NSF(Scotland) believes that there is a need to get
the correct balance between the rights of the individual and the right to treatment. Safeguards
need to be in place before people are deprived of their liberty or treatment is enforced. People
with severe mental illness may harm themselves and, much less often, others.
We need to
ensure that individuals and their carers are listened to, appropriate supports and services are
in place, and if intervention is necessary this must be early enough to avoid this harm.
(Ends)
For further information:
email: [email protected].
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