Abstract
The recent Draft Mental Health Bill for England and Wales proposes changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 which will include, for the first time, a legal definition of autism. This article explores the specific potential issue that the definition, owing to its breadth, potentially encompasses a number of conditions other than autism, consequently leaving the definitionally dependent concept of 'psychiatric disorder' significantly narrowed in scope. The potential implications of this - primarily the concern that a range of other conditions and presentations could be unintentionally excluded from the scope of the civil powers in the Mental Health Act - are discussed.
Original language | English |
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Journal | BJPsych Bulletin |
Early online date | 6 Jul 2023 |
DOIs |
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Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 6 Jul 2023 |
Keywords
- autism spectrum disorders
- comorbidity
- consent and capacity
- in-patient treatment
- Psychiatry and law