Government announce Mental Health Bill - CBF Statement
Mental Health Bill aims to reform the Mental Health Act to stop people with a learning disability and autistic people being inappropriately detained in inpatient units
Today (6th November 2024), the Government announced the introduction of a new Mental Health Bill, which will reform the Mental Health Act. Among other provisions that aim to tackle the disproportionate impacts on black people and to stop people being held in prison cells when they are experiencing mental health crises, the Mental Health Bill aims to “end the inappropriate detention of autistic people and people with learning disabilities”.
There are currently 2020 people with a learning disability and autistic people detained in inpatient units, including 200 under-18s. They have been detained for an average of almost 5 years – with some having been stuck in units for far longer.
The introduction of this Bill is a significant step forward in ensuring that people with a learning disability and autistic people are not inappropriately detained in inpatient units, but can instead get the right support in their local communities.
Viv Cooper, Chief Executive of the Challenging Behaviour Foundation, says:
The impact of inappropriate detentions on the person and their family is devastating and the trauma is long-lasting. We welcome the introduction of the Mental Health Bill, which aims to prevent people with a learning disability and autistic people who do not have a mental health condition from being inappropriately detained.
This is a positive and significant step forward, but it is also crucial to ensure that these changes in the law are accompanied by the development of high-quality community support – including housing that meets individual needs, a strong social care system, access to therapies including mental health support, and more.
To get community support right, there must be a clear and strategic plan for action and strong leadership at all levels. With the ending of the Building the Right Support Delivery Board, it is imperative that a new cross-government plan is put in place to ensure that these important and much-welcomed reforms are delivered.
We look forward to working with the government on the Bill, and on these associated measures, going forward.
You can read the Government’s press release here:
Press Release
See a joint briefing from a coalition of organisations who work alongside and support people with a learning disability, autistic people, their families, and the professions that support them, on what reforms we need to see, and on how to effectively develop community support:
Campaigning for Change – Joint Briefings
We have also been part of a co-produced action plan, setting out what needs to be in place to deliver good support for people with a learning disability. Read the plan here: