BMJ 2007;334:384-385 (24 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.39133.464444.DB
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Government suffers three defeats over Mental Health Bill
Clare Dyer, legal correspondent
BMJ
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
The government suffered three crushing defeats in the House of Lords this week over the controversial Mental Health Bill. The bill would allow people with severe personality disorders who had committed no crime to be detained if they were judged a threat to themselves or others.
As the BMJ went to press on Tuesday, ministers were considering whether to try to reverse the defeats inflicted by peers from all sides during the report stage of the bill.
In the biggest setback for ministers, peers voted by a 71 vote majority to ensure that patients can be detained for treatment only if it is likely to alleviate their condition or prevent it getting worse.
The bill simply requires that "appropriate medical treatment" be available for the patient. This includes "nursing, psychological intervention, and specialist mental health habilitation, rehabilitation and care."
The government offered a compromise amendment, defining the purpose of treatment
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