Mental Health Tribunals & Court Work

This two-trainer two day course is a supplement to the MH Legal Context course. It is restricted to a maximum of 12 participants all of whom must have attended the first Legal Context course.

This course is primarily based on role-play case scenario. Participants will be taking on the same case they dealt with in the MH Legal Context course in terms of explaining and defending their decisions at a mock Mental Health Tribunal. The “inquisitorial” nature of Tribunal Hearings will be followed but the patient will be aggressively advocated for by Alan Cooper and the social worker will be supported by Judith Tuck. Other members of the group will be allocated roles while the remainder of the group will undertake various exercises whilst waiting their turn to be the witness. This course also, therefore, acts as a preparation for Court Hearings.

The main difficulty with the role-play format is the time factor. Participants must have time to prepare and time as a witness.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: by the end of the course, participants will have developed understanding and awareness re the importance of the following:

• Fundamentals of the Mental Health Review Tribunal functions and responsibilities

• Preparation for the Tribunal

• Experience of being a witness to a Tribunal

• Develop knowledge and skills with respect to giving evidence.

 Course Key Texts:

• Osiris Course Handouts

• Jones R (2003) Mental Health Act Manual 8^th Edition. (London, Sweet & Maxwell)

• The Mental Health (Hospital, Guardianship & Consent to Treatment Regulations) 1983 (HMSO)

• DoH (1999) Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice

• DoH (1999) Working Together to Protect Children

• Puri B, Browm R, McKee H and Treasaden I (2005) Mental Health Law: A Practical Guide (London, Hodder Arnold).

• Goldberg D & Murray R (2002) The Maudsley Handbook of Psychiatric Medicine

• (Oxford, OUP)

 OSIRIS: Lighting the Way Forward
Registered UK Company no: 4664966 / VAT reg: 810284461
Copyright since 1999 and ongoing to Osiris Training & Consultancy Ltd. Site first published 1999