La ley de salud mental en Inglaterra

Resumen

Introduction: People can become extremely vulnerable during episodes of severe mental ill health. Their ability to protect themselves can become impaired. They can also pose significant risks to the safety of others through their erratic or hostile behaviour. It could be actually argued that it is precisely during a mental health crisis when explicit legal safeguards are of critical importance for the protection of people's rights, including their dignity and autonomy. Method: An outline is provided of how the Mental Health Act operates in England, with particular reference to involuntary admissions to hospital as well as the right of appeal through the Mental Health Review Tribunal. Results: The roles of medical professionals, Approved Mental Health Professionals, the Nearest Relative as well as the type of evidence that professionals must submit to the Mental Health Review Tribunal and how this evidence is challenged are discussed. Conclusions: The independent legal review of the involuntary detention of a person in hospital is discussed both regarding the protection of human rights it provides as well as in terms of its impact on promoting higher standards of care.