Contributions
1,444 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)The Minister says that advocates had no role in discharge, but they do when advising patients about their rights—that is fundamentally what they do. At the point of discharge,…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Fifth sitting)My hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point. Some later clauses try to address a problem where a patient was consenting to a community order, but the restrictions were so…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)I rise to address clauses 36 to 40, which focus on patients involved in criminal proceedings or serving custodial sentences, and how we better align their care and liberty and the…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)My hon. Friend makes a strong point. In clinical practice, we know that reflective learning is important, but that is not mandated. As we have seen from the reports, part of the…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Fifth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your leadership, Sir Desmond, especially on such a warm day. I hope that there is not too much hot air in the Committee to keep us even warmer.…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)On a point of order, Mrs Harris. The Minister had not sat down. He had said that he was finishing, but he had not sat down. There is an important point that was not addressed: the…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)Clauses 30 to 33 deal with the tribunal access and automatic referrals of patients detained or conditionally discharged under the Mental Health Act. Let me begin, again, by…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)The issue is about resetting. As the legislation is written, it would suggest that because people are moving from one place to another, the clock resets. Clinically, that could…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)Clause 29 addresses the length and renewal of detention periods under the Mental Health Act. I begin by acknowledging the important step that this clause represents in shifting…17 Jun 2025HANSARDPharmaciesI am grateful to the Minister for his answer, but part of the problem is that once pharmacists hit that cap, they are no longer paid the £17 per consultation. In turn, that means…17 Jun 2025HANSARDPharmaciesI am pleased to hear the Minister speak about Pharmacy First, which was brought forward by the previous Government and welcomed by communities, the public and the pharmacists.…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)I rise to speak to clause 34, which inserts new consultation requirements into section 23 of the Mental Health Act 1983. The requirements relate to the discharge of individuals…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Fifth sitting)I welcome the chance to contribute to the debate on clauses 24 to 28. I will then turn to Government amendments 40 and 41 and to amendments 54 and 55, tabled by my hon. Friend the…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Fifth sitting)I am grateful for the clarification. Does it mean that, in essence, there will be a hierarchy, so the responsible clinician is above the community clinician and trumps them? If a…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Fifth sitting)The hon. Member rightly talks about resources and about the cuts as a proportion—although small, it is a cut in NHS spending. The last Conservative Government brought in the…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Fifth sitting)I commend the team in Winchester and the citizens advice bureau for what they are doing, but the hon. Gentleman slightly undermines his case. He is arguing that, in legislation,…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)I rise to speak to clause 41 and schedule 3, which introduce the independent mental health advocate system under the Mental Health Act 1983. I recognise the positive intentions…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)I agree on that, and we will support the clause. But, as the hon. Member rightly pointed out earlier, we need interoperability between the moving parts to make sure that they all…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting)Can the Minister clarify where these powers are and what they look like? For example, if a 15-year-old decides to appoint someone who is 23—maybe a boyfriend, maybe not—the…17 Jun 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Fifth sitting)My hon. Friend has identified the nub of the issue, and his intervention leads me on to an example that demonstrates the problems that we are talking about. I have chosen to…17 Jun 2025