View source for Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
The '''Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010''' is a piece of legislation introduced to [[Wales]] by Health Minister [[Edwina Hart]] for both [[NHS Wales|Health]] and [[Social services|Social]] Services. The measure was passed by the [[National Assembly for Wales]] on 2 November 2010.<ref name=WAG>{{cite web|title=Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010|url=http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-legislation/bus-leg-measures/business-legislation-measures-mhs-2.htm|publisher=National Assembly for Wales|accessdate=25 April 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119134613/http://assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-legislation/bus-leg-measures/business-legislation-measures-mhs-2.htm|archivedate=19 November 2010}}</ref>
The measure is made up of six parts, aiming to ensure that mental health services support people's individual needs. The measure placed new legal duties on Local Health Boards and local authorities, including:
* Ensuring more mental health services are available within primary care
* That all people who receive secondary mental health services have the right to have a Care and Treatment Plan
* Give all adults who are discharged from secondary mental health services the right to refer themselves back to those services
* Offering every in-patient access to the help of an independent mental health advocate.<ref>{{cite web | title=Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010 | website=Law Wales | date=15 February 2011 | url=https://law.gov.wales/mental-health-wales-measure-2010 | ref={{sfnref | Law Wales | 2011}} | access-date=21 April 2024}} [[File:UKOpenGovernmentLicence.svg|30px]] Text was copied from this source, which is available under an [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/  Open Government Licence v3.0]. © Crown copyright.</ref>
==Impact==
In July 2021, Mind Cymru began researching the impact of the Mental Health (Wales) Measure. They collected data through Freedom of Information
requests, StatsWales, and interviews with adults who had experience of trying to access mental health support in Wales.
They found that access to primary mental health services had improved, with Local Primary mental health services (LPMHSS) carrying out an average of 40,000 assessments each year.
Waiting times for children and young people were found to be significantly longer than for adults. The target for seeing children within 28 days of a referral was not met between 2016 - 2021, with 58% of the wait list receiving an assessment sometime after the 28 days.<ref>{{cite web | title=Devolution and health in Wales part 2: mental health, organ donation and nurse staffing | website=Senedd Research | url=https://research.senedd.wales/research-articles/devolution-and-health-in-wales-part-2-mental-health-organ-donation-and-nurse-staffing/ | ref={{sfnref | Senedd Research| 2023}} | access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
It was noted that for every ten adult referrals, only six assessments were carried out. This raised concerns that there are possible barriers between referral and assessment.
They found that most people receiving secondary care had valid Care and Treatment Plans, but that as many as 40% did not receive or have access to a copy of their Care and Treatment Plan. Others felt they had been given no involvement in the formation of their plan.<ref>{{cite web | title= The NHS Delivery Unit (DU) all Wales Review of the Quality of Care and Treatment Planning in Adult Mental Health Services | url=https://sbuhb.nhs.wales/about-us/key-documents-folder/mental-health-legislation-committee/mental-health-legislation-committee-november-2018/5b-20180830-abm-final-adult-mental-health-services-report-pdf/ | ref={{sfnref | Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board | 2018}} | access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title= The Mental Health Measure Ten Years On | url=https://www.mind.org.uk/media/13351/thementalhealthmeasure_tenyearson.pdf | ref={{sfnref | Mind Cymru | 2022}} | access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
The measure expanded access to Independent
Mental Health Advocates, allowing many to access support they would have previously were not eligible for. The updated access allowed those who were detained under the mental health act, and voluntary patients, to access advocacy. These advocates allow patients to have their views known, and help them make decisions in their own care.<ref>{{cite web | title=IMHAs in Wales | website=Mind | url=https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/advocacy/imhas-wales/ | ref={{sfnref | Mind}} | access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
== References ==
<references />
==External links==
*[http://www.legislation.gov.uk/mwa/2010/7/contents/enacted Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010] as enacted
[[Category:Measures of the National Assembly for Wales]]
[[Category:Mental health law in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:2010 in Wales]]
[[Category:2010 in British law]]
[[Category:2010 in British politics]]
[[Category:Mental health in Wales]]
{{Wales-stub}}{{Health in Wales}}