§ 18. Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress made in agreeing protocols between health authorities and police on information exchange regarding individuals with severe personality disorders. [156037]
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§ Mr. BoatengIt is vital for the effective protection of the public that there should be effective arrangements for information-sharing, between all the agencies involved, about anyone who may pose a serious risk to others because of a personality disorder or other mental disorder. In some parts of England and Wales health authorities do take part in the work of Multi-Agency Risk Panels and Public Protection Panels. In others, concerns about breaking professional codes of practice relating to patient confidentiality have prevented them from doing so. In the White Paper "Reforming the Mental Health Act", published on 20 December last year, we made it clear that new mental health legislation will create a statutory duty covering the disclosure of information between agencies in these circumstances.