The government has watered down its plans to allow the enforced treatment of potentially dangerous mental health patients. The long-awaited re-draft of the Mental Health Bill, released today sets stricter criteria on which patients can be detained.

In response to this, Brian Dash agrees withPaul Burstow, MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary , saying:

“ For the Mental Health Bill to work, the Government must have made changes to their earlier extreme and draconian Draft Bill. A new Mental Health Act is desperately needed, but it must be a law to protect and improve services for patients, not a means to demonise those with mental health problems. ”