Peers inflicted further defeats on the government¹s Mental
Health Bill yesterday by voting to ensure compulsory community
treatment is only used on people who would otherwise be in and out
of hospital.
The House of Lords voted by 173 to 140 to ensure community
treatment orders, which would previously have applied to anyone who
had been sectioned, could only apply to "revolving door"
patients.
The Mental
Health Alliance said the CTO amendment placed the orders on a
similar footing to those in Scotland, parts of Australia and the
United States and called upon the government to accept the changes
the Lords had made.
Peers also backed an amendment stating that children detained
under mental health legislation be placed in age-appropriate
accommodation.
An amendment giving people the right to appeal against the
conditions of their CTO was narrowly defeated.
But the government did give assurances that it would bring new
proposals for mental health advocates for people subject to
compulsory treatment once the bill reached the Commons.
The bill's report stage is expected to be completed today and
the legislation is likely to reach the Commons after Easter.
Essential mental health information
