| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to consolidate the law relating to mentally disordered people. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1983 c. 20 |
| Territorial extent | England and Wales (full); Northern Ireland and Scotland (parts of the Act) |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 9 May 1983 |
| Commencement | 30 September 1983 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | Mental Health Act 1959 |
Status: Amended | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Text of the Mental Health Act 1983 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
The Mental Health Act 1983 (c. 20) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It covers the reception, care and treatment of mentally disordered people, the management of their property and other related matters, forming part of the mental health law for the people in England and Wales. In particular, it provides the legislation by which people diagnosed with a mental disorder can be detained in a hospital or police custody and have their disorder assessed or treated against their wishes, informally known as "sectioning". Its use is reviewed and regulated by the Care Quality Commission. The Act was significantly amended by the Mental Health Act 2007. A white paper proposing changes to the act was published in 2021 following an independent review of the act by Simon Wessely.[1] It was confirmed on 17 July 2024 that a new mental health act would be legislated for in the forthcoming session of Parliament.[2]
- ^ "Reforming the Mental Health Act". GOV.UK. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ Walker, Peter (17 July 2024). "From education and energy to renters and railways: key points from the king's speech". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.