Clause 31
Mental Health Bill [Lords]
10:00 am
John Pugh (Shadow Minister, Health; Southport, Liberal Democrat)
I am not sure how I am going to get this clarification; maybe the Minister can help me. We were talking about the possibility of ECT being used to control somebody in an emergency situation who is being violent. My supposition is that the administration of ECT normally involves sedation. If somebody is already sedated, they will not be violent at all, unless it is suggested that ECT be used on people who are not sedated, which I think most would regard as cruelty. The case that we need to worry about is one in which somebody is chronically violent and ECT is seen as a remedy for it, which is different.