Category: mental health

End of life – where are we now? – Thirty Nine Essex Street

Posted October 30th, 2012 in assisted suicide, children, euthanasia, mental health, news by sally

“Since the multitude of reflections provoked by the case of W v M and others [2011] EWHC 2443 (CoP) at the end of last year, there have been yet more difficult end of life decisions for the Courts this year. The tension between concepts of autonomy and dignity on the one hand, and respect for the sanctity of life and the duty to take steps to preserve it on the other, remain real and not easily resolved.”

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Thirty Nine Essex Street, 24th October 2012

Source: www. 39essex.com

Mental health sectioning error – BBC News

Posted October 30th, 2012 in detention, doctors, legislation, mental health, news, retrospectivity by sally

“Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says urgent retrospective legislation is needed to correct a ‘technical error’ affecting up to 5,000 patients sectioned under the Mental Health Act since 2002.”

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BBC News, 29th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Young offenders should be screened for brain injuries – The Guardian

Posted October 19th, 2012 in criminal justice, mental health, news, young offenders by sally

“A report published on Friday makes some surprising and rather alarming claims. Apparently, 60% of young people in custody say they have experienced a traumatic brain injury. To put this figure into perspective, the incidence of brain injury is typically higher in the population under 25 than in older people, but recent research cited in the report suggests it is higher still for under-25s who find themselves involved in the criminal justice system.”

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The Guardian, 19th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gary McKinnon’s ordeal is over – now put a stop to all needless extraditions – The Guardian

Posted October 19th, 2012 in computer crime, extradition, human rights, mental health, news by sally

“Theresa May is to be congratulated for halting McKinnon’s extradition, but she must legislate to prevent future injustice.”

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The Guardian, 18th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Litigant in person ‘not entitled to indulgence’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 18th, 2012 in courts, litigants in person, mental health, news by sally

“The Court of Appeal has told a self-represented litigant that his lack of legal understanding does not entitle him to ‘extra indulgence’.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 18th October 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Gary McKinnon: Theresa May had no choice but to use human rights grounds – The Guardian

Posted October 17th, 2012 in computer crime, extradition, human rights, mental health, news by tracey

“Theresa May must have found it galling to use the despised Human Rights Act as a get-out-of-jail-free card for Gary McKinnon. But there was no alternative to her using article 3 of the human rights convention, which says that no one shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

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The Guardian, 16th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gary McKinnon extradition to US blocked by Theresa May – BBC News

Posted October 16th, 2012 in computer crime, extradition, human rights, mental health, news by tracey

“British computer hacker Gary McKinnon will not be extradited to the US, Home Secretary Theresa May has announced.”

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BBC News, 16th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woman who does not believe she has cancer can undergo operation – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 16th, 2012 in cancer, Court of Protection, health, medical treatment, mental health, news by tracey

“A schizophrenic woman who does not believe she has cancer can now undergo a risky operation against her wishes that could save her life, on the orders of a senior judge.”

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Daily Telegraph, 15th October 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Back in the spotlight: the detention of mentally ill asylum seekers – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 9th, 2012 in asylum, detention, human rights, illegality, mental health, news, post-traumatic stress disorder by sally

“The High Court has ruled that the failure to consider the continued detention of a mentally ill failed asylum seeker in accordance with immigration policy rendered his detention unlawful in part.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 9th October 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Can the Court Protect Vulnerable Adults who have Capacity? – Family Law Week

Posted September 28th, 2012 in duress, jurisdiction, local government, mental health, news by tracey

“Moira Sofaer, barrister and mediator, of Goldsmith Chambers, considers the protection afforded by the courts to vulnerable adults who are outside the ambit of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in the light of the Court of Appeal’s judgment in DL.”

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Family Law Week, 27th September 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Met’s mental illness custody cases reviewed – BBC News

Posted September 24th, 2012 in complaints, custody, inquests, mental health, news, ombudsmen, police by sally

“The Metropolitan Police has commissioned an independent review into how it responds to people with mental health conditions.”

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BBC News, 24th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man fined £110 for sending abusive email to Tory MP – The Guardian

Posted August 23rd, 2012 in costs, electronic mail, fines, malicious communications, mental health, news, restraint orders by sally

“A man who abused a Tory MP in a crude email after the politician was headbutted by a rival at Westminster was fined £110 and ordered to pay £100 costs yesterday. Nicholas Scales told MP Stuart Andrew to ‘stop wasting police time and get your fucking job done’, Leeds magistrates court heard.”

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The Guardian, 22nd August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Social Services – 11 KBW

Posted August 21st, 2012 in care homes, community care, mental health, news, social services, Wales by sally

“This paper covers 5 topics:
(1) the Social Services (Wales) Bill;
(2) the Mental Health (Wales) Measure;
(3) the role of resources in decisions to provide services and challenges
to decisions about direct payments;
(4) challenges to decisions setting care home fees, and
(5) the relationship between community care and the best interests
jurisdiction.”

Full story (PDF)

11 KBW, 17th August 2012

Source: www.11kbw.com

Moors murderer Ian Brady’s legal advocate arrested – The Guardian

Posted August 17th, 2012 in legal profession, mental health, murder, news, preventing lawful & decent burial by sally

“The legal advocate of the Moors murderer Ian Brady has been arrested for allegedly failing to reveal where the body of Keith Bennett, one of Brady and Myra Hindley’s five young victims, is buried.”

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The Guardian, 17th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

IPCC announces external review of inquiry into death of Sean Rigg – The Guardian

Posted August 15th, 2012 in death in custody, evidence, inquests, mental health, news, police, restraint by sally

“The police watchdog is facing fresh criticism after its report into the death of a black man who died in police custody found officers acted ‘reasonably’ and ‘proportionately’, while an inquest jury found unnecessary force had contributed to his demise.”

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The Guardian, 15th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Should we be using ‘special’ offences to prosecute crimes against disabled people? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 15th, 2012 in assault, care workers, disabled persons, human rights, interpretation, mental health, negligence, news by sally

“Eleven Winterbourne View staff have pleaded guilty to 38 charges of ill-treatment and neglect of a mental health patient under s127 Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA). In this post I want to consider why we need ‘special’ offences like s127 MHA and also s44 Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), rather than prosecuting crimes in care settings using more ‘mainstream’ offences.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 14th August 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Winterbourne View abuse: report criticises authorities for failing to act – The Guardian

Posted August 8th, 2012 in assault, care homes, care workers, local government, mental health, news, reports by sally

“The shocking catalogue of abuse at a care home first exposed by a TV investigation has been laid bare in a damning report.”

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The Guardian, 7th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sean Rigg inquest: Inquiry into policeman’s evidence – BBC News

Posted August 3rd, 2012 in complaints, death in custody, evidence, inquests, mental health, news, police by tracey

“The police watchdog is to investigate the evidence given by an officer during an inquest into the death of a schizophrenic man who died in custody.”

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BBC News, 2nd August 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Sean Rigg Inquest: Failures and Lessons Learnt – Garden Court Chambers Blog

Posted August 2nd, 2012 in complaints, death in custody, inquests, juries, mental health, news, police by sally

“Yesterday’s narrative verdict in the Sean Rigg inquest revealed devastating failings by the police, mental health services, and the IPCC. Leslie Thomas reflects on the case and asks when will lessons be learnt by those trusted with public confidence?”

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Garden Court Chambers Blog, 2nd August 2012

Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com

Sean Rigg death in custody: police used unnecessary force, jury finds – The Guardian

Posted August 2nd, 2012 in death in custody, inquests, mental health, news, police, restraint by sally

“An inquest jury has concluded that police used unsuitable and unnecessary force on a man who died in custody, with officers failing to uphold the detained man’s basic rights as he collapsed after being pinned down for eight minutes.”

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The Guardian, 1st August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk