Mental Health – Your guide to tribunals

In this short video series, Legal Director Louise Wilson offers her expertise in mental health and mental capacity law in explaining the First-tier Tribunal (Mental Health), referred to throughout as the Mental Health Tribunal. Detailing the initial appeal brought by the patient to seek their discharge from detention under the Mental Health Act, Louise provides a comprehensive overview of preparations ahead of a tribunal, the proceedings and patient journey, and lastly the commissioning of subsequent patient aftercare provisions. 

In this video, Legal Director Louise Wilson outlines key details of the First-tier Tribunal for mental health. This includes giving an understanding of the logistics of the hearing, make-up of the panel, and the decision making process.

In this video, Legal Director Louise Wilson explains the four ways in which a Mental Health Tribunal can come into action, detailing the patient’s rights and professionals’ obligations to comply, as well as the importance of providing patients with adequate information and support.

In advance of a Mental Health Tribunal, given the serious interference with a patient’s human rights that detention under the MHA incurs, it is imperative that the proper preparations for proceedings are made. Here, Louise Wilson goes into depth about preparing comprehensive and accurate reports to given criteria, the role of legal representatives in supporting the patient, and both the evidence required and hearing and decision making process. 

In this final video, Louise Wilson navigates the complexities of section 117 aftercare, following detention under certain sections of the Mental Health Act. Louise details the joint responsibilities of the local authority and the integrated care board in arranging the provision and considers the rules, regulations and guidance (Who Pays guidance) as to how the responsible bodies are identified.

For further details and advice please do not hesitate to contact Louise Wilson, or for more information or support on the Mental Health Tribunal please click here.