Alliance policies: Principles

The Alliance believes that mental health legislation should contain a set of general principles on its face. The principles would help professionals using the legislation and guide their decision-making. The principles that the Alliance would like to see are:

  1. Patient autonomy, full participation and choice
  2. Informal care
  3. Least invasive and least restrictive care, treatment and support
  4. Best interests
  5. Non-discrimination and respect for diversity
  6. Reciprocity
  7. Respect for carers
  8. Child Welfare

As in the 2003 Scottish Mental Health Act, the Bill should state that practitioners "must have regard to" the principles. This would ensure that they were given legal force, whilst being flexible enough to be workable.

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