Psychiatric detention and treatment: a suggested criterion

Authors

  • Alec Buchanan Institute of Psychiatry

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19164/ijmhcl.v0i6.353

Abstract

Calls for a new Mental Health Act for England and Wales, and the government’s response to those calls, raise the question of why we have mental health legislation. One answer is that we wish to provide criteria for psychiatric detention and compulsory treatment. It is argued that we are willing to coerce some people with mental disorders in this way when we conclude that their ability to make a proper choice is impaired. Mental health legislation could and should be designed to take this into account.

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Published

2014-09-08

Issue

Section

Articles and Comment