Focus on Social Work Law / Mental Health

Introduction.- 1. Professional Roles.- 2. Mental Disorder.- 3. Part II MHA Civil Admissions.- 4. Compulsion in the Community.- 5. Patients Concerned in Criminal Proceedings or Under Sentence.- 6. Treatment and Consent.- 7. Safeguards.- 8. Interface between the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act.- 9. Conclusion.

Christine Hutchison is a Director of Edge Training & Consultancy Ltd. She has worked in the NHS and for Local Authorities since 1985, initially as a Music Therapist before re-qualifying as a Social Worker in 1992. Christine was an Approved Social Worker/Approved Mental Health Professional from 1995-2013. She has considerable experience in mental health as a social worker, team manager, practice assessor and training officer. She previously worked as a Mental Health Act Commissioner for the Care Quality Commission and currently sits as a Specialist Lay Member of the Mental Health Tribunal (England).
Christine has lectured on various University qualifying social work courses and since 2006 for Bournemouth University on their post qualifying AMHP/BIA training. She has been a freelance trainer since 2002.


Neil Hickman is a Consultant Solicitor at Gledhill Solicitors, Brighton and Dunning & Co Solicitors in London. He specialises in mental health law and has previously practised public and private family law. He has been a member of the Law Society Mental Health Panel since 2009 and is a member of the Mental Health Law Association. Neil holds a Diploma and Masters in Social Work and previously worked for 18 years in a range of mental health services including as an Approved Social Worker / Approved Mental Health Professional and Team Manager.