Mental Health Bill [Lords] – in the House of Commons at 5:45 pm on 14 October 2025.
Votes in this debate
“(1) The Mental Health Act 1983 is amended as follows.
(2) In Part X (Miscellaneous and Supplementary), after section 133 insert—
“133A Duty to establish carer liaison service
(1) The managers of every hospital providing services under this Act must establish and maintain a dedicated carer liaison service.
(2) A service established under this section must provide—
(a) support to unpaid carers when a patient for whom they provide care is—
(i) awaiting admission to hospital for treatment under the Act;
(ii) receiving treatment in hospital under the Act;
(iii) set to be discharged from a hospital where they had been receiving treatment under this Act;
(b) timely and accessible information regarding the discharge of the patient they care for, including details of—
(i) the patient's discharge plan; and
(ii) aftercare arrangements under section 117 of this Act;
(c) support for unpaid carers to identify their own needs and connect to relevant local services for post-discharge support, including local authority adult social care services, general practitioners, and local carers' centres;
(d) facilitation of effective communication and collaboration between unpaid carers and the patient's multidisciplinary clinical team regarding the discharge process;
(e) assistance to unpaid carers in developing or updating a carer's support plan in the context of the patient's discharge, including guidance on—
(i) their rights to assessment and support as carers
(ii) their participation in education or employment;
(iii) available counselling services;
(iv) support in planning for emergencies in relation to the patient;
(v) benefits for the carer and patient; and
(vi) other forms of local support; and
(f) services to ensure that the perspective of the unpaid carer, as a key provider of support, is considered during discharge planning, where appropriate and with due regard to patient confidentiality and consent.””—(Dr Chambers.)
This new clause would require hospitals to establish a dedicated liaison service for the carers of patients detained under the Mental Health Act.
Brought up, and read the First time.
Question put, That the clause be read a Second time.
Division number 308
Mental Health Bill Report Stage New Clause 26
Nusrat Ghani
Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Ways and Means, Chair, Parliamentary Works Estimates Commission, Chair, Parliamentary Works Estimates Commission, Chair, Norwich Livestock Market Bill [HL] Committee, Chair, Norwich Livestock Market Bill [HL] Committee, Chair, General Cemetery Bill [HL] Committee, Chair, General Cemetery Bill [HL] Committee
Order. Before I ask for the next decision, I remind colleagues in the Chamber that once the doors are locked, Members should not be forcing themselves through the doors to either Lobby.
Proceedings interrupted (Programme Order,
The Deputy Speaker put forthwith the Questions necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded at that time (
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
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