title: The Mental Health Act 2007 in England and Wales: the impact on perceived patient risk profiles.
abstract: The Mental Health Act 2007 in England and Wales introduces several amending measures to the Mental Health Act 1983, some of which re-emphasize a commitment to the facilitation of patients' rights. However, the dominant policy driver behind this reform process has been and remains risk and its management. Although this policy has been considerably diluted and is more subtle in form from Parliament's initial plans, it remains strong. This paper considers some early findings from an ongoing study that is concerned with evaluating how the risk agenda, as a policy driver, impacts upon institutions, individuals, and other key stakeholders involved in mental health decisions. The permeation of the risk agenda within the legislation could potentially bring about significant changes in the practice of professionals involved in decisions to compulsorily detain, discharge and treat individuals under the 1983 Act.
authors.affiliation: School of Law and Social Justice, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom. nglover@liverpool.ac.uk
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Glover-Thomas
mesh_terms: D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003657:Decision Making; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012308:Risk Management; D014852:Wales