Mental Illness, Human Rights and the Law

Acknowledgements; Foreword Tom Burn; Preface; 1. Human rights and mental illness; 2. Mental Health Acts 1983 and 2007: England and Wales; 3. Fusing mental health and capacity legislation: Northern Ireland; 4. Mental Health Act 2001: Ireland; 5. The challenges of reform: Scotland; 6. Structural violence, power and mental illness; 7. Conclusions: fighting for rights; References.

This book explores the law relating to the right to liberty of people with mental illness and international human rights standards. It is also a manifesto for change, urging reconsideration of the protection and promotion of the human rights of people with mental illness. Covers all UK jurisdictions plus Ireland.

Brendan Kelly is Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Ireland.