MENTAL HEALTH (CARE AND TREATMENT) (SCOTLAND) ACT 2003 TRANSITIONAL TRAINING GUIDE INTRODUCTORY TRAINING FOR MENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS AND OTHER PRACTITIONERS
FOREWORD
This is part of a package of training materials commissioned by the Scottish Executive. It was developed by Mike Maas-Lowit of Robert Gordon University who was assisted in this process by a multi-disciplinary Advisory Group drawn from services across Scotland and chaired by the Scottish Executive.
The training material is geared primarily to assisting Mental Health Officers gain knowledge of their new statutory roles and duties which have been expanded considerably in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. The material, however, is organised in such a way as to be of value to others involved in implementing the new legislation. Ideally, wherever possible, training will be delivered on a joint basis.
By necessity the material had to be developed before the Code of Practice, Regulations and Forms had been finalised. References made are generally to draft versions of each (e.g. Volume 1 of the Draft Code of Practice published in March 2004 and Volumes 2 and 3 in June 2004). This material should not be taken as a definitive, legal interpretation of statute. Practitioners should refer to primary legislation and the associated Codes of Practice and seek their own legal advice when questions on implementation and/or interpretation arise.
All should feel free to reproduce any of the material included in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 Transitional Training Guide series, although the name of the author and the publication from which it came should always be clearly stated. All the material can be downloaded from the Scottish Executive's mental health law website: www.scotland.gov.uk/health/mentalhealthlaw