Mental health law in Scotland: topic guide

There is separate guidance and information for service users (patients), their carers, families, advocates and others. Please note that some of that guidance is still to be updated following changes made to the legislation by the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015.

We have published the following specific topic guides on the Mental Health Act for service users and carers:

A guide to Advance Statements                                                          

A guide to compulsory treatment orders                                                

A guide to consent to treatment                                                        

A guide to emergency and short-term powers                                         

A guide to independent advocacy                                                         

The role of the Mental Welfare Commission                                            

A guide to Named Persons                                                                  

Are You a Named Person?                                                                    

A guide to the roles and duties of NHS Boards and local authorities             

A guide for people involved in criminal justice proceedings                        

A guide to the appeals process                                                           

A guide to the role of the mental health officer                                      

An introduction to the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland                        

Putting principles into practice                                                             

Rights of carers

We have published an illustrated easy read booklet containing all of the above topic guides:

• The New Mental Health Act - An easy read guide (140 pages)                 

Two small booklets concisely introduce the 2003 Act.

• What's it all about? A short introduction (9 pages)                                
• What's it all about? An easy read guide (9 pages)