UK Joint Committee Urges Stronger Human Rights Protections in Mental Health Bill

The UK Government's Mental Health Bill aims to update the outdated Mental Health Act 1983 by enhancing patient autonomy, ensuring detention and compulsory treatment are necessary, and addressing racial disparities, particularly among Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups. Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the Bill as a vital step toward improving care quality, highlighting ongoing issues such as the poor conditions in mental health facilities and the disproportionate detention of ethnic minorities. The Joint Committee on Human Rights, while welcoming the Bill's intent, called for further amendments to better protect human rights, especially for children and minority groups, including stricter rules on placing children in adult wards and the need for immediate notifications to the Care Quality Commission in such cases. Legal experts emphasized the unsuitability of psychiatric hospitals for people with learning disabilities and autism, warning that current provisions may lead to inappropriate detention despite the Bill’s reforms. Public input is being sought as the Bill undergoes detailed scrutiny by the Public Bill Committee, which will consider evidence and report by late June. Overall, the Bill represents progress toward a more humane and equitable mental health legal framework but requires additional measures to fully safeguard vulnerable populations.