The Best is the Enemy of the Good: The Mental Health Act 2001 (Part 2) (original) (raw)

The paper scrutinizes the Mental Health Act 2001, focusing on the provisions and implications of patient consent, particularly regarding psychosurgery and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). It highlights ambiguities within the Act, such as the definitions of 'patients' and the adequacy of informed consent, questioning whether patients fully understand the nature and consequences of their treatments. The analysis emphasizes the role of the Mental Health Commission in overseeing these provisions, while critiquing the Act's protection mechanisms for vulnerable individuals.