MHCA Flashcards
Define mental illness wrt MHCA
Positive diagnosis of a mental health related illness in terms of an accepted diagnostic criteria made by an authorized mental health care practitioner
Aims of mental health law? (Shit question but he said we must know for exam)
Promote mental health/prevent disorder Improve access/ conditions of Rx Protect patient rights Encourage self determination (assistance to optimize) Provide for control and Rx Ensure review procedure Keep community safe Consider other right and needs (property)
Who is treated under MHCA?
Mental illness/ profound ID Needing Rx Can be treated Incapable of making informed decision Risk to self or others Refuses treatment (involuntary)
What factors make someone capable of making an informed decision?
They must:
- be informed
- understand
- retain the information
- weigh in the balance (appraise and reason)
- communicate the information
Three questions to ask when assessing if you can admit under MHCA
Is there an underlying GMC?
Is this substance intoxication/withdrawal?
Is this a mental illness?
When is the MHCA used to admit a patient?
User is likely to inflict serious harm
Care, treatment and rehabilitation is needed to protect financial interests/reputation of the user
MHCA admission categories
Voluntary
Assisted
Involuntary
Emergency
Describe voluntary admission
User is ill
Competent (informed decision)
Consents to Rx
Can be helped
Describe assisted admission
User is ill Is a danger to self or others NOT competent Does not refuse Rx Can be helped
Describe involuntary admission
User is ill Danger to self or others / Rx needed to protect finances or reputation of user NOT competent Refuses Rx Can be helped
Describe emergency admission
User is ill
Delay results in: death/irreversible harm, user inflicting harm to self or others, user causing Sioux damage to property
NOT competent
Refuses Rx
Can be helped
Only holds for 24 hours (report to the review board, form 01)
Outline the involuntary admission process
Application (04) Assessment (05) x 2 Admission (07) 72-hour assessment (06) Approval for further involuntary care (08)
Who can apply for involuntary admission?
Parent/guardian (if user 18)
If above unwilling, incapable, not available then healthcare provider
Note: must have seen user within 7 days
When do police get involved (section 40) ?
If user perceived likely to inflict serious harm to self or others (due to mental illness) police must apprehend and take to hospital - patient must be handed to the head/ designated person in the hospital.
If user absconds from hospital, SAPS must locate, apprehend and return patient to hospital.
