title: No duty owed to the relatives of a victim of a person with mental illness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the case of an acutely psychotic person who was discharged into the care of a friend whom he killed later the same day, and to consider the reasoning of the High Court in the subsequent negligence action of the victim's relatives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By a narrow interpretation, the High Court found that the exercise of the powers and duties in relation to the involuntary detention of a mentally ill person as prescribed by the Mental Health Act were inconsistent with a common law duty of care to another person or the relatives of another person.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Psychiatrist, High Security Inpatient Services, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Treatment and Research, Brisbane, QLD, Australia russ.scott@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Russ
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007883:Legislation, Medical; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
keywords: Mental Health Act; involuntary detention; least restrictive option