학술논문

Mental health: safe, sound and supportive?
Document Type
Book
Source
Ethics: Contemporary challenges in health and social care. :243-254
Subject
Language
Abstract
This chapter examines the contested nature of mental health provision within the context of proposed legislative changes, exploring the key ethical dilemmas that are raised. It discusses the proposed changes to the 1983 Mental Health Act, and the resulting practical and ethical dilemmas they raise for frontline practitioners in health and social services, service users, and indeed for wider society. The chapter then considers the 2004 Draft Mental Health Bill, which raises significant ethical issues with regard to autonomy, beneficence, and individual liberty. It is argued that the proposed changes to the 1983 Mental Health Act are focused on risk and public safety rather than on the health and welfare of those people whose decision making is impaired by reason of their mental disorder. The 2004 Draft Mental Health Bill is also out of step with other current relevant government policy initiatives in this area, particularly the choice agenda, which risks disadvantaging people with mental health problems relative to other patient groups.
While ethics has been addressed in the health care literature, relatively little attention has been paid to the subject in the field of social care. This book redresses the balance by examining theory, research, policy, and practice in both fields. The analysis is set within the context of contemporary challenges facing health and social care, not only in Britain but internationally. Contributors from the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia consider ethical issues in health and social care research and governance; inter-professional and user perspectives; ethics in relation to human rights, the law, finance, management, and provision; key issues of relevance to vulnerable groups such as children and young people; those with complex disabilities, older people, and those with mental health problems; and lifecourse issues – ethical perspectives on a range of challenging areas from new technologies of reproduction to euthanasia.While ethics has been addressed in the health care literature, relatively little attention has been paid to the subject in the field of social care. This book redresses the balance by examining theory, research, policy and practice in both fields.The analysis is set within the context of contemporary challenges facing health and social care, not only in Britain but internationally. Contributors from the UK, US and Australia consider ethical issues in health and social care research and governance; interprofessional and user perspectives; ethics in relation to human rights, the law, finance, management and provision; key issues of relevance to vulnerable groups such as children and young people, those with complex disabilities, older people and those with mental health problems and lifecourse issues - ethical perspectives on a range of challenging areas from new technologies of reproduction to euthanasia.This book is intended for academics, students and researchers in health and social care who need an up-to-date analysis of contemporary issues and debates. It will also be useful to practitioners in the public, private and voluntary sectors, including social workers, community workers, those working in the fields of disability and mental health and with older people.Ethics has been addressed in health care, but relatively little attention has been paid to the subject in the social care sector. This book redresses the balance by examining theory, research, policy and practice in both fields. The importance of this approach is reflected in the growing emphasis on ethical issues in research and practice.

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