Edenfield Centre: Treatment of Patients Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Edenfield Centre: Treatment of Patients

Munira Wilson Excerpts
Thursday 13th October 2022

(2 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Will Quince Portrait Will Quince
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Having seen some of the footage, it is hard for me to disagree with the words that the hon. Gentleman has used. I know that the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has already identified and suspended staff involved in the behaviour at Edenfield that was revealed in that documentary, the police have launched an investigation into the allegations, and disciplinary proceedings have now commenced post broadcast. As I said, does that meet the threshold for an independent inquiry? My view is that it does.

Munira Wilson Portrait Munira Wilson (Twickenham) (LD)
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As this shocking investigation shows, the Mental Health Act 1983 often leaves vulnerable people at risk of cruelty and a distinct lack of care, and too many people have endured poor treatment or been detained for many years against their wishes. Reform of the 40-year-old Act is long overdue. We had the Wessely review back in 2018 and the White Paper in 2021. When will we see legislation come to the Floor of the House so that we can finally get that overdue reform?

Will Quince Portrait Will Quince
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I thank the hon. Lady for her question. I understand that a Bill to reform the Mental Health Act is in the Lords. I cannot give her a further update on that as I am not the responsible Minister, but it is important to stress that it is part of a number of measures that the Government have taken to improve on some of the challenges that she rightly pointed out. Whether that is the use of force Act, the NHS patient safety strategy, the mental health safety improvement programme, the patient safety networks that I mentioned, the new requirement for learning disability and autism training for staff or the HOPE(S) model, a lot is going on. I know that the Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, my hon. Friend the Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Dr Johnson), will be happy to meet her to update her further.