Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Fourth sitting)

Debate between Anna Dixon and Zöe Franklin

Committee stage
Thursday 12th June 2025 Public Bill Committees

[Zöe Franklin]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that interjection, and I thank the Committee for considering these amendments. I hope the Government will either consider agreeing to them or give me an overview of how they will already be addressed in the detail of the Bill.

[Anna Dixon]

It is an honour to speak again in the Committee’s debates on the Bill. I really welcome clause 21, in that it introduces care and treatment plans, as well as a statutory requirement that all those patients formerly detained under the Act should have such a plan, apart from those who were only on short detention. It also brings England in line with Wales.

The clause fits with the fundamental purpose of the NHS. One of the founding principles in the NHS constitution is:

“The patient will be at the heart of everything”.

The constitution states:

“NHS services must reflect, and should be co-ordinated around and tailored to, the needs and preferences of patients, their families and their carers.”

It goes on to say:

“Patients, with their families and carers, where appropriate, will be involved in and consulted on all decisions about their care and treatment.”

Even though freedoms have, in a way, been taken from people through detention under the Act, it is so important that such detention should not remove all their choice, autonomy and ability to express preferences, whether that is simply over things in daily life, such as when they wake up, get up or go to bed. It is about making it really clear that patients can continue to express preferences and make choices over things that may give them a better quality of life, even while they are detained.