Law, Values and Practice in Mental Health Nursing: A Handbook

Mental health nurses need to work within the law to ensure good, legal care for their patients, while at the same time being guided by appropriate values. This practical handbook for mental health nurses offers an accessible and invaluable guide to mental health law and values based practice.

Written in an accessible and friendly way, the book covers the different stages of mental healthcare delivery in a range of healthcare settings. The book includes guidance on:

• The Human Rights Act
• The Mental Capacity Act 2005
• The Deprivation of Liberty safeguards
• The revised Mental Health Act
• Admitting people to hospital
• Discharging people into the community
• Working with those in care homes
• Working with children and young people The chapters include case studies based on real life, to show how nurses can deal with complex and daunting scenarios in practice. The book includes clear explanations of all relevant legislation as well as step-by-step guidance on how to deal with situations where mental health law applies.

  This book is suitable for those preparing to qualify as well as those already qualified and working in a range of healthcare settings. An essential text, this book will empower nurses to practise with confidence.

  "I welcome this book as its integration of values based practice and legislation into the complex world of decision making in mental health services clarifies many issues. This book is sure to become essential reading for students of mental health nursing."
  Ian Hulatt, Mental Health Advisor, Royal College of Nursing UK

  "This is an invaluable guide for all professionals working in mental health services, written by two people who have unparalleled understanding of mental health and mental capacity law. It should help practitioners understand both the intricacies of the law and how to retain a person-centred approach when applying it."
  Paul Farmer, Chief Executive, Mind

  "An impressive and enlightening book that spans law, ethics, values and practice. With the help of realistic scenarios it explains and applies the law with clarity and great practical understanding. It will inform and reassure those struggling with the often painful dilemmas confronted over the course of providing nursing care to service users with mental disabilities."
  Genevra Richardson, Professor of Law, King’s College London, UK

Toby Williamson is Head of Development & Later Life at the Mental Health Foundation. In 2006 he was seconded to the Ministry of Justice where he worked on the implementation of the Mental Capacity Act.

Rowena Daw is a lawyer specialising in mental health, disability discrimination and human rights. Most recently she was Head of Policy at the Royal College of Psychiatrists.