§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines his Department has issued to psychiatric hospitals and sub-normality hospitals in Wales concerning the giving of medication or medical treatment in cirumstances where the patient is not in a condition to give meaningful consent for his treatment.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsOur Department issued WHN(83)31 in December 1983 which provided guidance to health authorities on the phasing in of the consent to treatment provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983.188W Paragraph 6 of the circular refers specially to those patients who are not able or capable of giving informed consent to treatment. The explanatory memorandum to the Mental Health Act 1983 also provides guidance for all those working with the Act; paragraphs 189 to 204 are relevant. Copies of WHN(83)31 and the explanatory memorandum are available from the Library of the House.