Not long now until the Mental Health Code of Practice consultation closes on 12 September, but with less than two and a half weeks to go there's no let up in efforts to listen and engage with everyone involved in commissioning, providing or using mental health services.
Recently, the spotlight was turned on social workers and the role they have to play in helping and supporting vulnerable people.
Dr Nicky Guy, who is leading the review for the Department of Health, used this Community Care podcast to explain how changes in the code will affect social work practice.
She also drew attention to those parts of the consultation where feedback from social workers would be most valuable.
Whether you are involved in social work or not, your views are still important. If you haven't contributed already, please give some thought to how you might help improve the Code of Practice and submit your opinions and suggestions before 12 September.
2 comments
Comment by termite posted on
Retrain psychiatrists to look at root cause and not just treat symptoms, sad to say I find most psychiatrists unhelpful and ignorant of the real causes of mental illness.
The only guarantee you get from a psychiatrist is yet another prescription.
Why are these people paid so much just to issue drugs that they haven't a clue as to how they work.
Psychiatrists make me so frustrated and add to my problems rather than try to deal with them and feel what mental health really needs is a new approach minus these so called professionals.
Real doctors use pathology to establish the presence of disease, psychiatrist use multiple choice quiz and the BNF.
Comment by George Platts posted on
I would like to see more energy spent on advocating for a range of options available locally to people in crisis rather than focusing on admission to hospital. And the code could help to stimulate the use of alternatives in a safe and legal way.
For example, the code could give guidance on the application of the MCA and consent to treatment to emergency admissions to care homes and this could result in a better alternative for older people with mental health problems in particular. Similarly, the use of crisis houses, shared lives schemes, family respite, and day services may all offer good alternatives, but need to be provided in a correct legal framework, which, following the Cheshire West judgement, is very different framework.
Some areas have gone well beyond the traditional options of admission to hospital or home treatment team and are conscious of the inadequacies of that choice. AMHPs should be the first to look for imaginative and innovative alternatives, and have the ideal background of knowledge and skills to ensure that the legal framework and level of restriction is right for the the individual’s capacity, resources, needs and risks