Present and Continuing

When Supreme Court Justice Lord Dyson gave the lead ruling in the case of Melanie Rabone, he was obliged to wrestle with a legal submission by an NHS trust about what an “immediate risk to life” was – and it took some considerable untangling and hasn’t been widely understood, in my view. This question – […]

Late In – Early Out

Discussion about admission to hospital under the Mental Health Act in the last year or so has included the observation that too many patients are admitted too late and discharged too soon. This week, the Guardian reported on work they’ve been undertaking using Freedom of Information laws to understand the rates of re-admission to hospital […]

Arcane Aspects

I’ve never had this one before, but rare and obscure questions about arcane aspects of UK mental health law are welcomed by email! – always helps add spice to my day. A patient who had been ‘sectioned’ on the Isle of Man has failed to return from authorised leave in hospital and is now thought […]