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Mental Health Law Online
The internet resource on mental health law, and mental capacity law, for England & Wales. You can sign up for free email updates, the online forum and the CPD scheme (which provides 12 hours for £60 and is suitable for lawyers and non-lawyers). The abbreviations are similar but MHLO, MHLA and MHLR are all different.
The main content of this website has been divided into Case law (2344), Legislation (377) and Resources (1,022), together with separate Information pages (328) to link everything together.
Forum topics
Contacts
The Magic Book is a database of contact details which currently contains 301 pages.
News and updates
All the latest updates to the website can be seen on on the MHLO updates forum category. The five most recent appear here.
- 06/03/24: Annual Review 2023 — The Annual Review 2023 contains all news items, arranged thematically, which were added to the website during 2023. At some point I hope to arrange it thematically and publish it as a paperback and Kindle booklet, but in the meantime it is available online at Annual Review 2023.
- 21/02/24: Case (Article 2 and prison investigation). R (MN) v SSJ [2024] EWHC 333 (Admin) — "This claim concerns the requirements of Article 2 when there is an independent investigation into a near suicide by a prisoner which causes life changing injuries to that person. The Claimant seeks to challenge the Defendant's decision to leave important questions as to the procedure to be adopted for the independent investigator to recommend, rather than requiring public hearings with powers of compulsion from the outset."
- 21/02/24: Event. Hill Dickinson: Mental Health Providers Forum (online, 6/3/24) — "In this forum, we will be discussing recent case law which is significant for all involved in mental health to be aware of, the Chief Coroner’s Annual Report with learning and practice points arising from this, important new guidance in relation to discharge planning and commissioning of services, and discussion of potential MHA reform in Wales." Cost: free. See Hill Dickinson website for further details and booking information.
- 21/02/24: Event. Hill Dickinson: MCA and DOLS - the latest updates (online, 12/3/24) — "We will be shining a spotlight on the area of capacity in relation to sexual relations, discussing withdrawal of treatment cases involving children, and we will finish with a more practical session and round up of some common pitfalls and best practice points in bringing Court of Protection applications." Cost: free. See Hill Dickinson website for further details and booking information.
- 21/02/24: Minutes. COP User Group, 'Meeting (General): Minutes and action points' (18/10/23) — Minutes and action points from meeting.
Consultations
No open consultations.
To do
Things that will end up with their own MHLO pages, when I have time...
- 22/03/24: A, Re (Covert Medication: Residence) [2024] EWCOP 19B (20 March 2024)
- 22/03/24: Civil Justice Council Procedure for Determining Mental Capacity in Civil Proceedings Working Group Consultation Paper - December 2023 to 17/3/24 https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/CJC-Capacity-Consultation.pdf
- 22/03/24: Council of Europe - High-Level Conference "Of Unsound Mind" - 27/3/24 https://www.coe.int/en/web/execution/conference
- 22/03/24: CQC, 'Monitoring the MHA' (21/3/24) https://www.cqc.org.uk/publications/monitoring-mental-health-act
- 22/03/24: https://www.39essex.com/information-hub/insight/mental-capacity-guidance-note-relevant-information-different-categories
- 22/03/24: https://www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk/news/upper-tribunal-provides-important-guidance-on-proceeding-without-aftercare-evidence SS v Cornwall
- 22/03/24: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/discharge-from-mental-health-inpatient-settings
- 22/03/24: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rapid-review-into-data-on-mental-health-inpatient-settings-government-response
- 22/03/24: https://www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Mental-Capacity-Report-March-2024-Compendium-Screen-Friendly.pdf
- 22/03/24: Law Society, 'Understanding when someone is deprived of their liberty' (18/3/24) https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/Topics/Private-client/Guides/Deprivation-of-liberty-safeguards-a-practical-guide
Email updates
Choose occasional and/or monthly update emails. To sign up, please go to the email updates subscription page.
CPD
The CPD scheme is primarily aimed at mental health solicitors, and is an ideal way to evidence your continued competence, but is also suitable for barristers, psychiatrists, social workers and psychiatric nurses. For £60, you can obtain 12 CPD credits.
Jobs
Advertise your vacancies here
- No current job adverts
Events
Advertise your events here
- PELT: Introduction to MCA and DOL (online, 11/4/24)
- PELT: Introduction to the MHA, Code and Tribunals (online, 18/4/24)
- Court of Protection User Group: General meeting (online, 23/4/24)
- PELT: Introduction to COP, including s21A appeals (online, 1/5/24)
- PELT: MHA Masterclass (online, 9/5/24)
- PELT: Court of Protection and MCA Masterclass (online, 16/5/24)
- PELT: Masterclass for MHA Administrators (online, 23/5/24)
- PELT: Becoming a Mental Health Act Administrator - the Basics (online, 25/4/25)
- Bond Solon: LPS - What next? (online, any time)
Books
Please support MHLO by buying your books via our affiliate links - either from Amazon or from Bookshop.org (a new website which supports independent bookshops).