Detainment under the Mental Health Act
Detainment means being made to stay in hospital for treatment or assessment. You can be detained because you’re experiencing a mental illness that can only be treated in hospital, for your own health or safety, or to protect other people.
Who is it for?
For people who have been detained in hospital, or are being treated outside hospital under a Community Treatment Order or Guardianship.
How we can help
An advocate can help with issues relating to you being detained under the Mental Health Act (sometimes known as being ‘sectioned’).
The role of an advocate
An Independent Mental Health Advocate will listen to you, help you understand your situation, talk through your options, and support you in making decisions. They will help you tell the relevant professionals what you want and need, and do what they can make sure your views are heard. They can help you plan your care, support you in tribunals (where a group of people decide if you will continue to be detained), and help you get the right help when you leave hospital.
An advocate can
Explain your rights under the Mental Health Act
Get information on your medication and treatment
Appeal your detention and raise any concerns
Prepare for and attend meetings
Support you to ask for fewer restrictions
An advocate can’t and won’t
Provide advice
Make decisions for you
Force an opinion on you
Act as a counsellor or befriender
Fill in forms
The referral process