39 Essex Chambers June 2024 Mental Capacity Report – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

‘The June 2024 Mental Capacity Report is now out. Highlights this month include:

(1) In the Health, Welfare and Deprivation of Liberty Report: when no option is a good one, snapshots from the frontline, and are we listening closely enough to the person in the context of deprivation of liberty;

(2) In the Property and Affairs Report: the Powers of Attorney Act 2023 on election hold, contesting costs in probate cases and guidance on viewing LPAs online;

(3) In the Practice and Procedure Report: post-death costs, what does it mean to be an expert in the person, and procedure in brain stem death cases;

(4) In the Mental Health Matters Report: the MHA 1983 under strain in police cells and the hospital setting;

(5) In the Wider Context Report: the inherent jurisdiction – a case, guidance, and a challenge from Ireland; the older child and medical treatment decisions – mental capacity or competence, and Capacity and contempt proceedings – what is the test?

(6) In the Scotland Report: guardianship under examination before the Sheriff Appeal Court and Scottish Government’s Mental Health and Capacity Reform Programme.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 6th June 2024

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Strike-out on the basis of facts, not law – 12KBW Personal Injury Law Blog

‘Lukes v Kent & Medway NHS Trust and Kent Police [2024] EWHC 753 (KB) is an instructive illustration of whether strike-out applications can succeed on factual grounds against either healthcare or police defendants in the context of claims for provision of negligent mental health assessment/treatment.’

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12KBW Personal Injury Law Blog, 28th May 2024

Source: pilawblog.com

Police trainer took own life after Met’s actions made mental health worse, inquest finds – The Guardian

Posted June 4th, 2024 in inquests, London, mental health, news, police, suicide by tracey

‘A Metropolitan police trainer took her own life after the actions of her employer made her mental health worse, an inquest has found.’

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The Guardian, 3rd June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Asylum seekers report widespread abuse in Home Office accommodation – The Guardian

‘Hundreds of complaints about ill treatment from staff looking after asylum seekers in hotels and other accommodation have been lodged with the Home Office, a Guardian investigation has found.’

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The Guardian, 3rd June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Online Safety Act not ‘job done’, Molly Russell’s father warns next government – The Independent

‘Seeing the Online Safety Act as a “job done” would be a “disaster”, a bereaved father has said as he called on the next government to commit to updating legislation to tackle harms affecting children.’

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The Independent, 3rd June 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Coroner raises concerns after university student’s death – BBC News

Posted May 28th, 2024 in inquests, mental health, news, suicide, universities by tracey

‘A coroner has raised concerns about a student accommodation service and the mental health care given to an 18-year-old student who died at the University of Leicester.’

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BBC News, 27th May 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Nurse who abused mental health patients struck off – BBC News

Posted May 28th, 2024 in disciplinary procedures, mental health, news, nurses, Wales by tracey

‘A “callous” and “cruel” nurse who physically abused vulnerable patients on a mental health unit in north Wales has been struck off.’

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BBC News, 24th May 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Inquiry to begin into DWP’s treatment of ill and disabled people on benefits – The Guardian

‘The treatment of chronically ill and disabled people by welfare officials, including benefits decisions subsequently linked to the deaths of vulnerable claimants, is to be formally investigated by Britain’s human rights watchdog.’

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The Guardian, 22nd May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Employees and mental health – Local Government Lawyer

‘Do you have to excuse poor behaviour from an employee with a mental health problem? That was the issue the tribunal had to decide in a recent case, reports Jo Moseley.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th May 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Greater support for neurodivergent offenders in bid to cut crime – Ministry of Justice

‘Staff dedicated to helping neurodivergent offenders are now in place in all public prisons in England and Wales.’

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Ministry of Justice, 16th May 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Speech by the President of the Family Division: Adapting Adoption to the Modern World, Part Two – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted May 20th, 2024 in adoption, children, families, family courts, judges, mental health, news, speeches by tracey

‘Adapting Adoption to the Modern World: Part Two, Friday 17 May 2024 President of the Family Division The Right Honourable Sir Andrew McFarlane.’

Full speech

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 17th May 2024

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Deprivation of liberty – are we listening closely enough to the person? – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

‘Re HC [2024] EWCOP 24 is notable for the approach taken by Victoria Butler-Cole KC (sitting as a Tier 3 Judge) to the question of deprivation of liberty.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 12th May 2024

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Neglect led to man’s death at mental health unit – BBC News

Posted May 13th, 2024 in coroners, hospitals, inquests, mental health, negligence, news, suicide by tracey

‘Neglect by a health board contributed to a man’s death at a hospital in north Wales, a coroner has concluded.’

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BBC News, 10th May 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Murder – a case for reform – Mountford Chambers

‘The events in Nottingham in the early morning of 13th June 2023 prompted an outpouring of collective grief. Valdo Calocane killed three innocent people and attempted to kill three others. The suffering for the victims’ families was palpable. Calocane was originally charged with murder and attempted murder. The Crown Prosecution Service later decided to accept the guilty pleas to manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility. The reports of four separate psychiatrists all agreed that Calocane was suffering from an abnormality of mental functioning which arose from a recognised medical condition, and which substantially impaired his ability to form a rational judgment and to exercise self-control, such as to provide an explanation for the killings. He was sentenced in January of this year to a Hospital Order subject to restrictions (pursuant to sections 37 and 41 of Mental Health Act 1983).’

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Mountford Chambers, 24th April 2024

Source: www.mountfordchambers.com

Paranoid Delusion, Undue Influence, and Predatory Marriage: Langley v Qin – New Square Chambers

‘Judgment has now been handed down in Langley v Qin, a dispute over the will of Robert Harrington
who, at the age of 93, married his carer, Ms Qin, then aged 54.’

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New Square Chambers, 15th April 2024

Source: newsquarechambers.co.uk

Martin Myers tried and failed to steal a cigarette. Why has he spent 18 years in prison for it? – The Guardian

‘A devoted father with a zest for life, he was given an indeterminate sentence in 2006. He is still locked up – and losing hope that he will ever be released.’

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The Guardian, 1st May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Prisoner facing deportation had lack of care plan – BBC News

Posted April 30th, 2024 in deportation, imprisonment, mental health, news, ombudsmen, self-harm, suicide by tracey

‘A prisoner facing deportation to Lithuania was segregated for 52 days with no care plan before his suicide, an investigation found. Karolis Baltrunas, 31, was found to have taken his own life on 27 August 2020 at HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, external.’

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BBC News, 29th April 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government backs amendment to better protect victims’ counselling records – Ministry of Justice

‘New legislation will provide extra protections for victims’ counselling notes during criminal investigations.’

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Ministry of Justice, 23rd April 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Insight and ‘conduct fundamentally incompatible with continued registration’: PSA v NMC and Kadiatu Jalloh [2023] EWHC 3331 (Admin) – 2 Hare Court

‘In PSA v NMC and Kadiatu Jalloh [2023] EWHC 3331 (Admin), the Administrative Court allowed the PSA’s referral of the NMC’s decision only to suspend the Registrant, a psychiatric nurse. The proceedings in the High Court were, essentially, an appeal against sanction on the ground that it was too lenient.’

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2 Hare Court, 5th April 2024

Source: www.2harecourt.com

Reading terror stabbings ‘probably avoidable’, inquest concludes – The Independent

‘A coroner has ruled the deaths of three people in the Reading terror attack were ”probably avoidable” as he delivered his conclusion following an inquest at the Old Bailey on Friday.’

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The Independent, 27th April 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk