Independent review into Mental Health Act delegations completed

An independent review into the delegation of approval functions listed under the Mental Health Act 1983 has been carried out.

Following a request made by the secretary of state for health, Dr Geoffrey Harris has conducted an analysis regarding the technical irregularities that occurred within four strategic health authorities across the country regarding this legislation.

In October last year, the Department of Health established that errors had been committed in the delegation of arrangements for the approval of registered medical practitioners and approved clinicians under this act at the authorities in the West Midlands, East Midlands, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber.

It is estimated that the approvals of around 2,000 registered professionals in these regions had been technically irregular.

As such, Dr Harris has come up with a number of legislative reforms in this area that are set to be implemented on April 6th, including making sure that bodies have the "competence, sufficient capacity and adequate infrastructure to deliver their outcomes effectively and efficiently".