Draft mental health bill needs major overhaul, says committee

Government plans to reform mental health services will force too many people into compulsory treatment and erode their civil liberties, a committee of MPs and peers appointed to scrutinise the legislation has warned.

The draft mental health bill is “fundamentally flawed” and needs a major overhaul, concludes the joint parliamentary committee, which was appointed to scrutinise the bill and recommend improvements before a final version is put before parliament.

The draft mental health bill places too much emphasis on protecting the public, say MPs. Pictured are Lee Jar vis (left), who attacked a 79 year old man with a hammer in 2004 and was detained in …