Clause 6
Mental Health Bill [Lords]
12:15 pm
Rosie Winterton (Minister of State (Health Services), Department of Health; Doncaster Central, Labour)
I am saying that it is fair to ask whether that person can make that detention. We considered the issue of voluntary patients in the way that has been described. We also considered whether we could allow the approved clinician to agree the initial detention for voluntary patients. The problem was that that could lead to difficulties in legislation, because there would be exceptions. Therefore, we felt that it was better to keep the status quo in terms of diagnosis, but beyond that to give greater powers and responsibilities to the approved clinicians.
If the hon. Lady is going to support us, she might wish to say that we have not gone far enough. We would be open to that point. However, it is a bit of a reassurance to say that we will agree to keep the same system in respect of the initial detention of people who have not previously been voluntary patients. Beyond that, as legislators, what we can do is to ensure that the legislation enables us to put into practice all that the Committee is hoping for, including giving staff more responsibility and the development of psychological therapies. We are trying to put that into legislation so that the people who have spent years developing new ways of working can have their just rewards. Itis beyond me why the Opposition want to take that away.