Delay prompts call for full consultation

JOURNAL : community care
SUBJECT : MENTAL HEALTH
AUTHOR :
SECTION : news
ISSUE DATE : 27/07/06
PAGE NUMBER : 7
COPYRIGHT : Free Reuse

HEADLINE: MENTAL HEALTH
Delay prompts call for full consultation

TEXT: The government has been urged to carry out a full consultation on its planned amendments to the Mental Health Act 1983 after it failed to table the measures before the parliamentary recess.
The government’s next chance to publish its changes will not be until October, when parliament returns.
Andy Bell, chair of the Mental Health Alliance, a coalition campaigning for better mental health legislation, said the delay would cause continued anxiety for service users and professionals.
But he said it also gave the government time to consult more widely on its plans and carry out a full race equality impact assessment.