Law and Mental Health:Impossible, Impractical, Essential

Brendan Kelly

Mental Health Act 2001

Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015

2014 2013

All admissions 17,797 18,457

Rate (per 100,000) 388 402

Involuntary 2,066 2,039

Rate (per 100,000) 45.0 44.4

HRB

England: 110

Mental Health Act 2001

Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015

1. Decision-making assistant

2. Co-decision-maker

3. Decision-making representative

0%

? 50%

100%

How much decision-making authority is given away?

No

Cir

cuit

Cou

rt

Cir

cuit

Cou

rt

Ireland

17,797 psychiatry admissions pa 29% lack capacity

503,509 medical admissions pa 30% lack capacity

22,000 people in nursing homes 60% lack capacity

Kelly BDPenrose’s Law in Ireland: Ecological Analysis of Psychiatric Inpatients and Prisoners, 1963-2003. Irish Medical Journal 2007; 100: 373-4

brendan.kelly@tcd.ie