§ Mr. Staintonasked the Minister of Health to what extent he is satisfied that emergency compulsory admissions under Section 29 of the Mental Health Act 1959 are being operated with adequate scrutiny of need for compulsion; and what evidence there is of misuse of this section.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonMedical officers and others concerned with admission to hospital under the Mental Health Act have recently been reminded of the statutory requirements for emergency compulsory admission and the need to keep it to a minimum. The use of Section 29 inevitably involves subjective judgment and practice has varied in different areas, but I have no evidence of misuse.