The government has announced a draft bill on reforming mental health legislation, alongside a £150m package to help implement changes and ensure NHS patients receive “tailored services and support”.
However, while NHS and nursing leaders have welcomed the update from ministers, they repeated warnings that shortfalls in care would not be improved without action on staff shortages. The draft bill, due to be published later today, sets out wide-ranging changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA), which aims to give patients more control over their care and treatment. As part of the reforms, the government said it intended to tackle racial disparities in mental health services, including the disproportionate number of people from minority ethnic backgrounds detained under the act.