This ‘age appropriate environment duty’ requires hospital managers to ensure that when a child or young person under the age of 18 years is admitted to hospital for treatment for mental disorder, the ward environment is suitable for the age and individual needs of that child or young person.
The briefing has been prepared for board members and chief executives of NHS Trusts that provide in-patient adult mental health services. It explains the scope, purpose and importance of a new duty under the Mental Health Act 1983 (the MHA 1983) that comes into force on 1st April 2010. It then suggests some questions for the NHS Trust Board to consider when reviewing its compliance with this duty.
This ‘age appropriate environment duty’ underpins the Government’s commitment that by April 2010 no one under the age of 18 will be admitted on to an adult psychiatric ward inappropriately.
Download the briefing.
Sarah Brennan, the Chief Executive highlights the importance of the duty and the implication it will have on organisations in a letter sent to all mental health trust chief executives.
Download the letter.